Lip goals with dermal fillers are natural-looking, defined and smooth. Filler lip goals also include improved symmetry, shape and balance of facial features. Lips should never distract or distort facial balance. Any degree of lip enhancement changes overall facial appearance. Again, balance is key to natural lip goals.

Restoring youthful looking lips is the lip goal for many patients. Lip aging becomes noticeable in our 30’s and is attributed to the degradation of collagen and loss of elastin fibers. Prominent signs of aged lips include loss of volume and definition, fine lines in body of lips and around lips, faded lip color, flattened cupid’s bow, deep or down-turned mouth corners and increased dryness.

The two most important keys in achieving any of your lip goals with dermal fillers are experience of injector and type of filler. Injections of any kind should never be taken lightly. A keen knowledge of facial and vascular anatomy is critical for safety. Artistic sensibility is critical for desired outcomes. Respect for different tastes and desires is important to keep you happy with the outcome, as long as safe parameters and balanced facial features are maintained.

Any degree of lip enhancement can change overall facial appearance. Creating facial balance using dermal fillers is not only possible, but also it is the goal.

To achieve filler lip goals of natural and youthful looking lips, skilled injectors consider all areas in and surrounding the mouth:

  • General skin quality and support around the mouth
  • Lip lines in and around lips (aka. smoker’s lines)
  • Definition of lip border (vermillion border)
  • Cupid’s bow – peaks on upper lips
  • Philtral columns – raised columns from cupid’s bow to nostrils
  • Lip tubercles – pillow/volume pockets in body of upper and lower lips (3 in upper/ 2 in lower)
  • Oral commissures – lip corners
  • Lip proportion and projection – varies based on genetics and ethnicity
  • Symmetry
  • Overall balance of facial features

 

Filler type is also key in reaching lip goals. Hyaluronic acid (HA) based fillers are preferred above others for a number of reasons:

  • HA is a naturally occurring sugar complex found in our skin. With age and the decline of HA in our bodies, skin becomes deflated, much like a grape into a raisin.
  • HA fillers offer soft, smooth and natural enhancement and correction.
  • HA fillers enhance moisture content in the lips and skin.
  • HA fillers can easily be reversed if the outcome is not ideal.
  • HA fillers come in a wide variety of densities to treat everything from fine lines to significant volume loss.

Choice of HA fillers is important to help reach lip goals:

  • Volbella has the conistency of very thin and flowing oil. It is ideal for subtle lip enhancement and fine lines.
  • Juvederm Ultra has the consistency of heavy cream. It is ideal for the body of lips.
  • Vollure has the consistency of warm syrup or honey. It is ideal for lift and correction.
  • Juvederm Ultra Plus has the consistency of soft Jello. It is great for correcting and enhancing lip structure.
  • Voluma has the consistency of soft tofu. Generally, Voluma is not used in lips, but in certain instances, it is used for structural correction.