Collagen

While a great variety of skin plumpers are now available -- their usage should be made based on your specific skin needs. Collagen remains the worst workhorse of lunch type lip enhancement or wrinkle filler. Derived from cattle hide, collagen can fill up facial creases or plump up the lip ridges. While usually quite satisfactory, collagen augmentation will persist for about three months. Occasionally some people become allergic to collagen and will necessitate an alternative such as Cosmoderm (collagen derived from human skin) or synthetic material such as Restylane and Perlane (hyaluronic acid). Collagen requires testing performed a month prior to the injection. The side effects are minimal.

Before	After

Perlane and Restylane

Recently approved by the F.D.A., these products are synthesized but do represent a natural skin component. Their basic ingredient, hyaluronic acid, is used in this country in certain knee conditions. While injection of Perlane and Restylane require some local anesthesia, their effect is similar to collagen and is longer lasting. The swelling of the lip after injection is temporary, but may last a couple of days. The plumping effect can last 8 to 9 months.

Radiance and Sculptra

Radiance is a mixture of coral-like material and cellulose gel. Similar to collagen in its effect, it can plump the lip line and remain quasi-permanent. Like Restylane and Perlane, Radiance needs a local anesthetic prior to injection. Swelling can last for a few days. Occasional nodule formations have occurred after injection of Radiance; therefore, it is not recommended for lip augmentation, but rather to enhance the lip. Sculptra, a very promising skin and tissue plumper shown to last 2 years or more, is now available in our clinic. Some nodule formation has been reported as well.

Fat Injection

While fillers are only injected along the lip line, producing an illusion of a larger lip, fat on the other hand is extremely versatile and can be injected along the lip line and into the substance of the lip, adding definition and volume to the lip. Fat injection is a minor outpatient procedure requiring numbing of a donor area (inner thighs, knees, etc.) and reinjection with the patient's own fat into the portions of the lip that require augmentation. Fat is not totally predictable and the percentage of reabsorption may vary. To remedy this potential reabsorption, additional fat is kept frozen for up to 2 years and can be used on demand for touch-up reinjection. Fat can also be used quite successfully to help sunken cheekbone, uplift cheeks, brow areas, correct facial asymmetry and depressed scars. Subtle skin texture improvement is also often seen after injection.

Our VY and Fat Combination

For some women the mere injection of fat or collagen is not sufficient since they show virtually no vermillion (pink portion) in the upper lip. A small procedure, therefore, is required to provide the vertical height in the lip necessary to produce a pouting, attractive upper lip. Our Doctors have developed a unique combination of fat injection and tissue lengthening (VY and fat combination) that can provide a permanent correction of a thin or disappearing lip. Similar to fat injection alone, this procedure is performed under local anesthesia. A healing time of about two weeks is necessary for the lip to recover a totally normal appearance.

For a personal and confidential consultation with one of our Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, call the Clinique of Plastic Surgery at 800-942-1606 to schedule your appointment today!

As with any medical procedure, there are certain inherent risks that should be discussed. Costs vary depending upon the extent of the surgery and areas treated.

many models, actresses & successful women around the world have already been using to secretly create incredible voluptuous, luscious looking, lip balm