Welcome, February. I’m wondering what happened to January. New years came and went, and January has flown by.
February is the month of love.
“When you kissed my lips, you touched my soul.”
Even though I wouldn’t say I like the dark and somewhat tainted origin of Valentines Day, being a romantic at heart, I grab the opportunity of using Valentines day to do something special for my valentine.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt”. Charles M. Schultz
This month I thought to focus on lip aesthetic enhancements. When I think of lip aesthetics, what comes to mind are the dark crimson red fleshy lips. The origin of lipstick is quite interesting and goes right back to the ancient Sumerian’s, Greeks, Chinese and aborigines starting around 5000 years ago. The background is vibrant and theatrical including men, women, prostitutes, upper class, actors and actresses. A wide range of ingredients was used in making lipstick, including crushed gemstones and crushed bugs, toxic chemicals, beeswax and olive oil to mention only a few.
In the 1930’s lipstick started to be seen in modern culture as a symbol of adult sexuality.
The sad news is that from our 30’s and 40’s when other parts of our bodies seem to become more voluptuous, our lips start thinning and losing volume. Volume loss is mainly due to the loss of a protein called collagen as well as the impact of sunlight and genetics. Women tend to lose collagen at a faster rate than men. Collagen for skin provides the base for elastin and hyaluronic acid, which are essential to maintain the fullness and shape of lips. Collagen firms the skin while hyaluronic acid nourishes and hydrates the skin.
The good news is that we can inject hyaluronic acid (also used in face fillers) into the lips to enhance the shape, volume and structure of the lips. These fillers, in combination with botulinum toxin in the lower face, can give fantastic cost-effective results that can be better than surgical interventions.
What about duck lips?
A common question from virgin lip fillers. “Will I have duck lips or tractor tyre lips?”
Duck lips are often the result of incorrect placement of the filler or inaccurate volume thereof. It is essential to know the anatomy and natural shape of the lips, taking into consideration the clients face as well as treatment objectives. In the Caucasian client, the upper lip is usually one-third of the total lip volume while in African lips the upper and lower lip volumes are nearly the same. My clients typically bring along a photo of their ideal lip ratios and volumes.
I believe in a more gradual approach, controlling the amount of filler injected, rather giving smaller volumes of filler injected during different consultations, if necessary, until reaching the aesthetic goals of the client.
Some of the benefits of hyaluronic fillers:
- Less bruising
- Less risk of an allergic reaction
- Good control over volume injected
- Stepwise approach with gradual volume adjustment
- Minimum to no downtime
- Less invasive than surgery
And here are some frequently asked questions:
How long do lip-, dermal- and face fillers last?
Results last from 6 – 12 months.
What can I expect during the procedure?
The procedure usually lasts around one hour and takes place in my procedure room next to my office.
The hyaluronic acid filler, used for dermal fillers, contains lignocaine in the mixture, which helps as a local anaesthetic. I, however, still offer my client the option of additional local anaesthetic cream or do a dental nerve block. I use very fine needles to inject the hyaluronic acid into the lips.
What do I do after the treatment?
- Apply ice to control any bruising and swelling
- Avoid direct sunlight for 24 to 48 hours
- Keep the treatment area clean and avoid touching the area unnecessarily
- Lipstick is best avoided immediately after the procedure
What do I do before my treatment?
- Avoid blood thinners such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory including ibuprofen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid
- Topical arnica can be applied before the treatment to reduce bruising
When will I see the results?
Dermal fillers results are immediate. However, swelling may take a few days to subside, and it takes up to 4 weeks for full integration of the dermal fillers into the lip tissue.
What are the side effects?
The potential side effects which are RARE, unfortunately need to be kept in mind:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Lumps
- Infection
- Allergy
- Injection into a blood vessel
Are lip fillers for men?
- Thinning of the lips and loss of lip volume effects both men and women
- Lip fillers are increasing in popularity for men with subtle changes reducing the effects of ageing on the male face
- The major difference in lip fillers for men is the lower volume of fillers needed for male lips.
Can you feel the filler after lip injections?
- The lips may feel strange to touch for a few hours to a few days after the treatment
- Feeling a small nodule or irregularity may occur, but these reside with time
- The lips, however, remain soft and natural.
Can I kiss my valentine after fillers?
- Pouting, smiling and natural lip movement is allowed
- Even light kissing is permissible
- However, avoiding heavy kissing of your valentine for a few days is suggested.
If you are planning on getting lip augmentation, rather get your lips done early in February if you are anticipating a passionate Valentines Day.
To end on a positive note with modern medicine and products, the quote below by Anthony T Hincks can be your reality.
“The thing about lips is that you always want to kiss them”
