The plump pouts of celebrities and social media influencers have skyrocketed the popularity of lip enhancement procedures in recent years. Injectable dermal fillers are an attractive option for many patients seeking a safe and non-surgical technique to augment their lips. These fillers are minimally invasive, produce natural-looking results and have a quicker recovery time than surgical augmentation.

Lip filler technology has improved over the years, and an increasing number of products are available on the market. More options mean the procedure can more effectively be personalized according to each patient’s goals, but it can also be more confusing to navigate your choices. The team at ACQUA Medspa can help you understand which brand of lip filler will provide optimal results for you and answer any questions you have about the products or procedure.

A primary concern for patients who visit ACQUA Medspa for lip augmentation is how long the effects of the procedure will last. Your results will depend on several factors, ranging from the type of filler to the injection technique to the unique makeup of your own body.

What Are Dermal Fillers?

Collagen, once the most common dermal filler, is less frequently used for lip enhancement today. Expert injectors and patients alike now favor hyaluronic acid fillers, which are safer and last longer than their predecessors. Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally fin the human body and serves a variety of purposes in medicine and skin care. As a dermal filler, hyaluronic acid is a useful tool for adding shape, structure, volume or increased definition to lips that are naturally thin or that have lost collagen and fat as a result of aging.

Injectable lip fillers are not a permanent augmentation solution. The body breaks down hyaluronic acid over time, causing the lips to return to their pre-filler size and shape slowly. If you wish to have your lip filler removed sooner for any reason, a compound called hyaluronidase can be administered by injection to dissolve the filler and quickly reverse its effects.

There are several hyaluronic acid fillers available on the market today. At ACQUA Medspa, our favorites are Juvéderm, Restylane and Volbella.

Juvéderm

Juvéderm is a gel composed of hyaluronic crystals. These crystals absorb water when injected into the treatment site, adding volume and hydration to the area. The Juvéderm line includes a range of products that vary based on thickness, strength and longevity, allowing the procedure to be tailored to your personal needs and goals.

Improvement will be visible immediately following treatment. However, you will likely experience minor swelling that will take a few days to resolve. Your results will be revealed when the swelling has faded. Most Juvéderm fillers last about one year, but the duration of effects varies depending on the product used and the characteristics of the individual.

Restylane

Like Juvéderm, Restylane is an injectable hyaluronic acid gel used to fill wrinkles and add volume. The Restylane product family contains several options that share similar ingredients but vary in effect, allowing injection specialists to treat a variety of concerns. Restylane and Restylane Silk are FDA-approved for lip enhancement in patients over the age of 21 and are distinctly formulated to provide fullness and definition to the lips.

Immediate improvement is apparent after treatment, but it may take a few days for swelling to reduce and your actual result to appear. Depending on the product chosen and your metabolism, the effects can last up to one year.

Volbella

Volbella is a newer addition to the Juvéderm line that is designed to enhance lip fullness and minimize the appearance of fine lines around the mouth. It is one of the only fillers that adequately addresses these lines, making it an ideal treatment for patients who wish to reduce signs of aging as well as improve the shape or volume of their lips.

Volbella uses Vycross technology, a proprietary formula developed by the manufacturer of Juvéderm, to take the advantages of hyaluronic acid to the next level. By combining different molecular weights of the acid, Vycross technology produces hyaluronic acid that binds more effectively to the skin structure and creates a smoother effect overall. Many patients feel this results in more natural-looking lip augmentation.

As with other fillers, the immediate plumping effect of Volbella will be noticeable at the end of your appointment. Results will be visible in a week or two and can last up to one year before a follow-up treatment is needed.

Immediate vs. Long-Term Results

As with any medical procedure, the outcome varies somewhat from patient to patient. Your lips will be larger immediately after receiving lip fillers, due to a combination of the filler and swelling. You may also experience mild pain or bruising in the first few days following injection. In extremely rare instances, the swelling can linger for one to two weeks. You will see the results of the filler once the swelling has subsided.

The lifespan of lip fillers is dependent on a variety of factors. The average duration for lip fillers is six to 12 months. Your results can be affected by the brand of filler used, the injection technique, your immune system, your metabolism, your facial movements and your overall health. Most patients return for re-treatment on an annual basis.

The Next Steps

Most men and women who desire fuller or more defined lips are great candidates for this procedure. If you are interested in using dermal fillers to enhance your lips, the most important things to consider are your desired outcome, the best product to produce that outcome, and the best practitioner perform the procedure.

The lips are a delicate part of the body and occupy a prominent position on the face, making it especially important to select an injection specialist with a good eye for aesthetics and years of experience. The qualified staff at ACQUA Medspa can help you decide which type of filler and which injection technique is best suited to your anatomy and the goals you hope to achieve. Contact us at 281-480-1200 to learn more about lip fillers and schedule a consultation.