Lip fillers have quickly become one of the most popularly requested cosmetic procedures by patients, up over 50% since the turn of the century. The pouty lip has gone mainstream and it’s likely not going away anytime soon; celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlet Johansson, Beyoncé, and of course Kylie Jenner are cited as having some of the most influential lips among women surveyed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The dangers of social media trends and homemade remedies designed to plump lips have long been the subject of public discussion – cupping especially, leaving the lips viable to bruising and scarring in the long term. For fuller, healthy-looking lips the most common practice recommended by our surgeons is a filler to be injected directly into the lip.
What Kind of Injections?
At Jefferson Facial Plastics, our surgeons use fillers that contain hyaluronic acid, a chemical already manufactured within the body to keep skin resilient and firm while helping it to retain moisture. These fillers help to achieve a more natural look without impeding facial movements or expressions. And because hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring chemical it will be absorbed by the body within six months of the initial injection.
It’s important to note that the effects of lip fillers, as with other fillers and injections, are not permanent. HA fillers tend to last on average between four and six months, depending on your body’s ability to metabolize the formula. The upside, is that you will see results immediately.
What’s the Procedure Like?
The filler is injected with a very fine needle into strategic points in tandem with whichever anesthesia you’ve discussed with our surgeons about using. The sites of the injection will be cleaned with an antibacterial agent and a numbing agent can be administered in order to make the procedure more comfortable. Because it is often one of the first cosmetic procedures many patients have, some express feelings of apprehension or nervousness toward the procedure itself, wary of any pain or discomfort they might endure.
Reassuringly, most find the procedure to be a great deal more comfortable than what they anticipate and are extremely satisfied with their results. Another one of the great things about HA fillers is their built-in safety net. While patients have high rates of satisfaction with their new lips, in the rare case they don’t there are enzymes that your surgeon can inject that breaks down the acid which restores them to pre-procedure levels.
Call Us Today!
If you have any questions surrounding the details of the procedure, if you’re curious to see if lip fillers are for you, or want to schedule a preliminary consultation with one of our excellent surgeons. There is additional information on the site for your perusal if you’d like to pursue the topic in greater detail. As always, call us today at 215-503-FACE and we encourage you to schedule an appointment.
