Just like with any beauty, aesthetic, or personal service- you have choices.
Eyebrow waxing or threading.
Latisse® or eyelash extensions.
Balayage or foil highlights.
Personal trainer or online fitness guide.
Choices where both options get you to (relatively) the same place, whether it be cleaner brows, longer lashes, lighter hair, or a better bod. The same goes for enhancing your lips.
It’s easy to know what you want, but not nearly as easy as it is to get lost in a sea of options (ever been to a chain restaurant? Then you know what we’re talking about. Why on earth anyone could possibly need an *eight* page menu is beyond us.)
For the purposes of this blog, we’ll be going over two common methods for lip enhancement:
Lip Implants and Lip Fillers.
Both increase volume of the lips, but the nature of each procedure is very different. So which is right for you?
We’ll present you with a couple of questions and then some facts on both options, hopefully clearing the way for you to decide which fits your needs best.
Let’s begin, shall we?
- Are you happy with the current shape and structure of your lips?
- Are you looking for a natural-looking volume enhancement?
- Are you on the fence about liking your end-results?
- Do you have an aversion to surgery?
- Have you had lip fillers in the past and weren’t happy with the outcome(s)?
- Are your ‘goal lips’ different than your own in more than just volume? (ie. shape or length)
If you answered ‘yes’ to questions 1-4, lip fillers may be a great place for you to start!
If you answered ‘yes’ to questions 5 & 6, a consultation with a skilled and expert plastic surgeon may be your next step. But! if you don’t think you’re quite ready to consider surgery, finding a different Injector to better suit your aesthetic needs may be all you need to do to achieve the lip enhancement you’re looking for.
Now for some key facts about lip fillers and lip implants:
Lip Fillers
Here at Skin by Lovely, we specialize in lip enhancement with the use of dermal fillers. Dermal filler is one of our favorite products to enhance the natural beauty of our patients and restore volume to facial features.
Dermal filler is the Jack to our Rose, the peanut butter to our jelly, the cream to our coffee.
You get the picture. We really love dermal filler. It’s incredibly versatile and so beautiful when injected by expert hands. Lip fillers:
- are hyaluronic acid-based gels that are used to add volume to the lips. Common brand names are Juvederm Ultra XC and Restylane-L.
- are administered non-surgically using only a needle. There are no scalpels or scissors in sight.
- require no downtime and typical healing consists of only minor bruising and swelling.
- appointments take around 30 minutes from start to finish.
- are temporary and last anywhere from 6 months to over a year.
- are dissolvable with the use of the product Hyaluronidase, so you’re never ‘stuck’ with results you don’t love.
Lip Implants
Lip implants must be performed by a licensed and expert plastic surgeon, as it involves performing an invasive procedure. We do not perform lip implant procedures here at Skin by Lovely.
Lip Implants:
- are surgical implants. Common brand names are SurgiSil Permalip® and Gore-tex® Implants.
- are administered surgically under either local or general anesthesia (depending on doctor and/or preference). Cutting of the lip tissue is required for placement of the implant.
- downtime is dependent on wound healing and the type of suture used to close the implant site.
- surgery procedure length is dependent on surgeon, type of implant used, as well as whether one or both lips are being treated.
- are permanent. Implant removal is possible but does require additional surgery.
- typically have a higher up-front cost than lip fillers.
If you’re still unsure whether lip fillers or lip implants are right for you, that’s completely understandable! We’d love to help in any way we can, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and one of our team members will be happy to discuss our treatment options with you.
Decided lip fillers are the way to go? Skin by Lovely offers complimentary consultations at each of our locations with one of our expert Injection Specialists, so you can rest assured that you are going to LOVE your lip enhancement results.
Whatever your choice, fillers or implants, trust your gut and choose an injector or surgeon that is experienced and shares the same aesthetic goals as you. At the end of the day, this is a personal decision and only you can know what’s best for you.
Stay confident, lovelies. ?