What Are the Different Types?
There are many types of lip augmentation for the individual who wishes to boast plumper, fuller lips. These cosmetic treatments fall into two main categories: injectibles and implants. They are: autolegen, dermalogen, fascia, hylaform, radiance, restylane, goretex and softform procedures. Collagen injection is the most popular form of lip augmentation procedure.
Collagen Lip Augmentation
Collagen lip injection is a procedure where fat or collagen is removed from another part of the patient’s body and transferred to the lips through a needle. The main drawback of this treatment is that the fat and collagen is absorbed back into the body after a period of time and repeated treatments are required to maintain the desired result.
However, it is handy for those who want to experiment with the look of fuller lips before they consider having a procedure done that is more permanent.
Synthetic collagen and fat based implants are much longer lasting than injectable collagen and fat from the patient’s own body. This includes the brands AlloDerm, Gore-Tex, SoftForm and PTFE. These implants are either made synthetically or made from skin donated from a donor.
This material is inserted through minuscule incisions made at both corners of the mouth. This synthetic material then merges with your natural tissue to create fuller, firmer looking lips.
There are a lot of lip enhancement cosmetic surgeries. Here is a run down of the many lip plastic surgeries available to you as a substance that can be injected to plump up deflated or prim looking lips.
- Auto-legen – This is a dermal implant made from the patient’s own skin that is injected into the corners of the mouth. As it is from a human it has a natural look and feel.
- Dermalogen -This is an injectable human tissue obtained from human donor tissue. As it is from a human, this tissue gives lips a realistic look and natural feel.
- Fascia – This is firm tissue that is injectible. Fascia is the white connective tissue that supports the body structure. It is harvested from your own body. Fascia can also be inserted into the lips as an implant.
- Gore Tex Implants (silicone lip augmentation) – These are permanent silicone implants that are well accepted by the human body. This is a permanent lip augmentation procedure.
- HylaForm (Hylaform Lip Augmentation) – This is a biocompatible clear gel that is injected into the lips. The hyaluronic acid in this gel is similar to acid naturally found in the body.
- Radiance – This is a milky white injectible gel made of calcium hydroxylapatite
- Restylane – This is a crystal-clear injectable gel made from the hyaluronic acid. It is very similar to the acids naturally found in the human body.
Lip Augmentation – Side Effects & Complications
All of these procedures are as easy to administer as any inoculation. However, some side effects can occur. Allergic reactions are quite common with some of the synthetic injectibles. After an injection it is also quite common to experience swelling, swelling, redness or bleeding around the lip outline.
Your lips might also feel numb or you might feel hard spots if the artificial collagen did not set properly in the tissues. Normally these types of symptoms only last for about three days to a week.
Severe complications include asymmetrical lips and loss of natural lip line. Like any other type of implant it is also possible for lip collagen injections to wander to another part of the body. Usually they migrate to the cheek, above the lips or below the chin causing a puffy look.
Immediate return to normal activities (one-day return if sedated) for nonsurgical procedures; depending on the procedure and materials used, recovery period is within a week for surgical procedures.
Are You an Ideal Candidate for Lip Augmentation Surgery?
There are some people who may not be ideal candidates for any kind of natural or artificial lip implant or injection. For instance, individuals with Herpes Simplex might have a severe outbreak triggered once the immune system detects the presence of foreign substances.
It could complicate existing infections such as oral or gum disease. It is definitely not a procedure that is recommended for anyone with AIDS or a similar autoimmune disorder.
As for which treatment lasts the longest? Lip implants usually last at least two years, but as the mouth area is very active they can shift. Fat injection lip enhancements are the next longest lasting and how long they last is very dependent on how fast the individual’s body absorbs the fat back into her system.
The safest option (that also leaves the least scarring) is collagen injections. However their effect is short-lived and patients have to return to the plastic surgeon to get more collagen injected into their lips every nine to twelve weeks.
At the time of this writing, there is no permanent type of lip augmentation but rest assured the plastic surgeons are constantly researching, looking for answer as to how to provide people with permanently plump lips.
