We’re officially in an era of Big Lips. The growing availability and affordability of fillers coupled with a proliferation of media images of over-filled celebrities (one word: Kardashian) have normalized the pursuit of out-sized goals in the lip area. What’s the result? Fish lips. Filler fiascos. Lots of lips that look more like an allergic reaction or medspa disaster than a subtle enhancement to one’s features.
There is probably no clearer example of aesthetic-procedure-gone-wrong than the overfilled lip, (although the too-tight look of over-Botox’d comes a close second). Soft and plumped lips are a beautiful, sensual and youthful marker of the face so it’s clear why so many women (and a growing number of men) want to either maintain or enhance their pout.
I’ve written in the past on my blog (3 Reasons Why Getting Plastic Surgery Won’t Turn You Into a Kardashian) about how important it is to strike the right balance when pursuing any aesthetic enhancement, surgical or non-surgical. Exaggerating any feature can give a cartoonish look and actually detract from, rather than add to one’s natural beauty.
There’s another, lesser known issue when it comes to filling lips: the material of the filler itself. Permanent fillers like Bellafil, Radiesse, and silicone or calcium-based products can lead to permanent headaches especially if they aren’t injected by the right people (like a board-certified plastic surgeon!) Once placed, these permanent fillers aren’t easily adjustable. If you don’t like the look, you’re pretty much stuck with it! In addition, they cause the skin to thin and wrinkle, diminish your existing soft tissue and don’t adjust to the skin and bone changes that occur as you age. Everything on the body and face shifts, mostly downward, as you age. If you have over-filled permanent lips, that substance stays where it was put. These fillers can be wonderful solutions when used sparingly as a subtle enhancement, not a major change maker.
But, there is hope for those who want flexibility and options when it comes to fillers, especially for the lips. We offer a variety of biodegradable substances like hyaluronic acids (Juvederm, Restylane, Scupltra and Belotero), biologics like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and stem cells, and body fat harvesting. These hyaluronic acids have lasting power (anywhere from 9 months to two years) and using your own body fat is considered “permanent”! An added bonus is that IF you do happen to get overfilled or don’t like how a filler has been placed, there are solutions that your injector can use to dissolve the material. Well-filled lips should look natural – as if you’ve had nothing done. If people can’t stop commenting on your filled lips you’ve probably gone too far.
