Fillers (Restylane Juvederm Perlane Radiesse), Home, Lip Enhancement/Augmentation

March 20, 2013

Lisa Rinna has had a very successful Hollywood career which she credits, in part, to her large, Augmented Lips. When it comes to a beautiful face, the lips are second only to the eyes. Subconsciously, we associate fuller lips with youth and fertility. Larger lips are a big contributor to the “glow” of a pregnant woman’s face. As we age, so do our lips, and gradually they become thinner and thinner. Lip augmentation can be an integral part of facial rejuvenation.

Lisa Rinna is putting her lip troubles behind her.

Lip Augmentation with Silicone Injections

Lisa Rinna had been very forthcoming with the fact that her lips were enhanced with injectable silicone. Liquid silicone injections are problematic, and her honesty has helped other young women avoid the same fate. Right after silicone injections everything looks great, but with time, the body creates scar tissue around the globs of silicone. The result is palpable, and often visual, lumps and lip distortions. Lisa does not regret her decision, but 20 years after the Silicone Injections, her lips were a lumpy mess. She underwent surgery to remove as much of the silicone and scar as possible. Here is the story in her own words:

“Here’s the story: 25 years ago, I had my lips injected with silicone. Stupid thing to do at 24. I saw ‘Beaches.’ Remember that movie ‘Beaches’? I did it with my best girlfriend, so she and I go and we get our lips done. Fine. I have it like that for my whole career, right? So then cut to a couple of years ago, I have a doctor remove as much as they possibly can because it got to the point where they were yucky. You know, they get hard. It’s gross. They are now whatever that was after they took out as much of the silicone as they could.”

Surgical Correction after Silicone Injections to the Lips

Lucky for Lisa, her lips still look fine. Twenty-five years ago, the risks of silicone injections were not as clear cut, and the only approved injectable was Collagen, which was hard and completely gone in a month or two. Today, we have much better alternatives. Lip Augmentation can be performed with injectable HA’s like Restylane and Juvederm in a few minutes in the office. The results do need to be maintained; however, the results are full and soft, something that has not been possible previously without surgery. How long the results last is variable. Average results are 4-6 months and if you decide you not longer need it, after the plateau phase, the lips gradually return to their original size.

Permanent Lip Augmentation

Since lips thin as we age, there are no Permanent Lip Fillers. Even the perfectly sized lips will need a little maintenance to counteract the normal aging process. Inserting permanent fillers, like silicone, promotes the formation of chronic scars and foreign body reactions like granulomas. HA fillers are made from Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a normal component of skin and joints. Unlike free silicone injections, our bodies recognize HA as a normal component of the skin, and we have natural hyaluronidase, an enzyme that can clean up HA.

Lip Augmentation Before and After Pictures

Lip Augmentation Before and After Photos: Lip enhancement performed with HA filler.

Lip Enhancement Consultations

If you are considering Lip Augmentation, especially if it is your first time, consider a brand name HA filler like Restylane or Juvederm. They can give a soft natural result, which is easy to maintain. Swelling is minimal, and with ice and elevation, the appearance is normal in 24-48 hours. Longer lasting alternatives are available, but they require a longer recovery, and are best when the goal size is well known.

Other Lip Enlargement Resources

Other articles on lip augmentation are available on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog and my main web site. Here are the links:

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