Did you know that lips tend to get thinner with age? The main reason for it is that the production of collagen and elastin slows down as a person gets older. As a result, lip tissues gradually lose their volume and shape.
Luckily, the contemporary state of aesthetic medicine has a solution to the above-mentioned problem. Namely, a cosmetic injection of a lip filler might add natural-looking volume to the lips, as well as make them well-defined.
Sounds interesting? Well, go through the below-mentioned information to check out what is a lip filler treatment, what effect does it have, and what dermal filler brands work best when it comes to lip injections.
What Is a Lip Filler Treatment?
Above anything else, let us take a closer look at the definition of lip filler treatment. In simple terms, it is a cosmetic procedure that involves the injection of a dermal filler (or, as it is also called, a soft tissue filler) into the lip tissue with an intention to rejuvenate and enhance it.
If to be more precise, the treatment of lip tissues is one of the applications of soft tissue filler injections that are oftentimes used to:
- Fill in fine lines, folds, and wrinkles;
- Reduce the appearance of acne scars;
- Treat hyperpigmentation;
- Add volume to certain parts of face and body;
- And so on.
As well, dermal fillers are applied to accelerate natural collagen and elastin production and, therefore, rejuvenate and enhance the skin “from within.”
Therefore, lip filler treatment is a popular procedure in the world of aesthetic medicine that employs the injection of special filling products in order to improve the overall condition of a patient’s lips.
What Effect Do Lip-Filling Cosmetic Injections Have?
Depending on their brand, type, and main active component, the administration of lip fillers might lead absolutely different results. Namely, while some dermal fillers provide a patient with a subtle moisturizing effect, others create the so-called duck lips.
In most cases, injections of lip fillers are used for a profound but at the same time natural-looking lip enhancement and rejuvenation. It is oftentimes achieved by means of:
- Filling in vertical lip lines;
- Creating natural-looking lip volume;
- Making the lip shape well-defined;
- Moisturizing lip tissues;
- And so on.
Moreover, lip fillers might also be used to get rid of fine lines, folds, and wrinkles in the perioral area. Namely, they are efficiently applied to treat smile lines and other wrinkles around the mouth.
While the effect of some lip fillers fades away in several months, others provide a patient with a durable result that might last up to a couple of years. On average, however, the effect of a lip-filling cosmetic injection stays for a time period from six to twelve months.
P.S. A great advantage of any soft tissue filler is that its administration rarely leads to any serious side effects. A patient might still experience skin irritation, redness, or bruising after the injection. However, they tend to disappear on their own within a couple of days after the procedure in most cases.
Thus, lip-filling cosmetic injections might have a different effect on a patient’s lips, starting from creating natural-looking lips and ending with enormous lip augmentation that might last from a few months to a few years.
What Are the Main Types of Dermal Fillers for Lip Injections?
Before delving into the main preparations that are used for lip injections, let us have a short overview of the principal dermal filler types. Depending on their major active ingredient, dermal fillers might be divided into:
- Hyaluronic-acid fillers;
- Calcium hydroxylapatite preparations;
- Poly-L-lactic acid products;
- Polymethyl-methacrylate injectables;
- And so on.
While some of the above-mentioned dermal fillers are based on natural ingredients that might be found in the human body (such as hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxylapatite), others include artificial (but nevertheless absolutely biocompatible) components (like poly-L-lactic acid).
As well, the type of soft tissue filler defines what effect will it have and how long will it last. Therefore, it is essential for a health care practitioner to investigate the overall condition of a patient’s skin and discuss the desired result while picking up the most appropriate type of preparation.
In general, most above-mentioned types of dermal fillers (especially hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, or polymethyl-methacrylate ones) might be applied for lip injections. However, most poly-L-lactic acid products (such as Sculptra) should not be injected into lips.
What Brands of Dermal Fillers Are Used for Lips?
While there exists a great number of dermal filler brands these days, it might be sometimes challenging to choose the one that will fit a patient’s needs best. Therefore, let us have a short overview of the most well-known ones.
While belonging to one of the most prominent hyaluronic-acid-based brands of soft tissue fillers, Juvederm (France) produces top-quality preparations to take care of numerous aesthetic issues in both older and younger patients. Its product line includes several collections, namely:
- Juvederm Volbella;
- Juvederm Vollure;
- Juvederm Voluma;
- Juvederm Ultra.
Some of the above-mentioned collections, in their turn, might include several preparations. For instance, the Juvederm Ultra product range consists of Juvederm Ultra XC, Ultra Smile, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, Ultra 4, and Ultra Plus.
A great advantage of any Juvederm injectable filler is its capability to enhance a patient’s facial features by means of creating extremely natural results (no matter whether it is used to reduce fine lines or plump lips).
Another hyaluronic-acid-based brand of soft tissue fillers that is worth being mentioned is Restylane. While being produced in Switzerland, it manufactures qualitative cosmetic injectables. Restylane has a wide product range that consists of:
- Restylane Volyme;
- Restylane Silk;
- Restylane Lyft;
- Restylane Refyne;
- Restylane Contour;
- Restylane Kysse.
Each above-mentioned product has its own indications and is, therefore, used for different aesthetic reasons. For instance, while Restylane Volyme is applied to add volume to certain facial parts, Restylane Kysse is used to enhance natural lips.
However, what unites all Restylane dermal filler preparations is their ability to provide a patient with an instantly visible but at the same time natural result.
Similar to hyaluronic acid preparations, calcium hydroxylapatite ones are also extensively applied in the world of aesthetic medicine. While Radiesse (Germany), in its turn, is one of the most well-known brands of calcium-hydroxylapatite-based soft tissue products. Unlike Juvederm or Restylane, it has a rather limited product line that contains:
- Radiesse;
- Radiesse (+).
The above-mentioned preparations might appear in different volumes, starting from 0.8 ml and ending with 3 ml. While the sign of “+” in the Radiesse’s name indicates the presence of lidocaine in the product’s composition.
Radiesse products ensure instantly visible and reasonably durable results even from the very first treatment. They might profoundly rejuvenate and enhance the patient’s skin tissues on the face, lips, and hands.
Other Lip Filler Brands
Apart from the above-mentioned products (namely, Juvederm, Restylane, and Radiesse), there exists a wide range of other brands that are worth being considered when it comes to rejuvenating and enhancing the appearance of the lips.
For example, Bellafill is the U.S. brand of polymethyl-methacrylate soft tissue filler products that is beloved by both health care practitioners and their patients all over the world. It is efficient in smoothing even the most severe skin imperfections and adding volume to lips in a natural way.
As well, Belotero (Germany) is the brand of cosmetic injectables that definitely deserves the attention of health care practitioners. While being based on hyaluronic acid, its products rejuvenate and enhance the natural appearance of the patients by means of adding volume to certain facial parts, filling in skin imperfections, and taking care of thin or dehydrated lips.
Thus, probably the best option to choose the most appropriate brand of cosmetic injectables for the treatment of lips will be to consult with a health care practitioner.
What Lip Fillers Ensure the Natural-Looking Volume and Shape?
Based on all the above-mentioned information, let us come up with the list of top-eight lip fillers that ensure natural-looking volume and shape.
P.S. Please note that such lists of top products are oftentimes subjective and based on the individual experience of either a health care practitioner or a patient.
So, these dermal fillers will allow a patient’s lips to move freely and feel natural after the injection procedure:
- #1. Juvederm Volbella;
- #2. Juvederm Ultra XC;
- #3. Restylane Silk;
- #4. Restylane Kysse;
- #5. Radiesse;
- #6. Bellafill;
- #7. Belotero Lips Contour;
- #8. Belotero Lips Shape.
P.S. Due to the fact that a vast majority of the products in the list are based on hyaluronic acid, we might state that it is probably the most suitable active ingredient to rejuvenate and enhance lips.
All above-mentioned lip fillers will smooth vertical lip lines, add lip volume, and define lip shape in an extremely natural way. As a result, a patient is expected to achieve attractive lips that will look as if they have never been touched by a health care practitioner.
A Bottom Line
All in all, rejuvenated, enhanced, and natural-looking lips are no longer a far-fetched dream but rather an easily-achievable reality, all thanks to safe, long-lasting, and efficient lip filler products. So, give one of the above-mentioned preparations a try and enjoy your new attractive lips!