Treatments
Everything you need to know about lip rejuvenation
Oct
Have you always longed for fuller, smoother looking lips that ooze sensuality? Lip rejuvenation is a non-surgical treatment that plumps the lips using an injectable dermal filler. In this blog, Dr Emily discusses the reasons why people have lip rejuvenation, what’s involved, and why she believes a subtle approach is the way to go.
1) Why do people have lip rejuvenation?
Individual reasons vary, but it all centres on improving someone’s confidence. Common motivations include:
To add volume
There are those who already have a nice lip shape but would like to enhance what they have by increasing the volume for fuller lips. Then there are those with very thin and almost non-existent lips who struggle to apply any lipstick and their lips disappear when they smile.
To correct unevenness
Some people have unevenness and need a correction, which can be due to asymmetry from one side to the other, or the top & bottom lip ratios being out of proportion.
To achieve a more youthful look
As we age, we gain lines, lose volume and definition of the lip border. The lips can start to curl inward and disappear, and the mouth corners can downturn and start looking sad. These clients want to restore how their lips used to look, upturn the sad corners and often address lines around the mouth to refresh their appearance.
2) What age groups typically get it done?
There is a wide range from 20s to 70s and occasionally even beyond! People never stop wanting to look their best.
For me, I have an ethical dilemma when faced with a girl in her early 20s, which I feel is too young. Sometimes there is nothing wrong with their lips, they simply want “big lips” to get the Instagram selfie look. I’m not the right doctor for this type of client and will decline a treatment if I feel uncomfortable with the situation. I’ll talk to these girls instead about how they should embrace their own unique, natural beauty while they have it and delay cosmetic enhancement until they’re older.
3) What’s involved?
At the first consultation, we take a medical & medication history, talk about the procedure and possible side effects, sign consent forms and take before photos.
We apply local anaesthetic gel to the area for about 20 minutes and use an ice pack for pain relief. Despite this, the lips are very sensitive and it can still be a bit painful. After disinfecting the area, we use a series of injections with a fine needle across the lips.
There is no real preparation on the client’s behalf, but we recommend they come with no makeup on. We also recommend they don’t book a procedure on the day of an important event, as there is likely to be some degree of redness, swelling and bruising for 1-2 days. It’s also advised not to do any vigorous exercise for 24-48 hours afterwards.
4) What’s the secret to getting lip rejuvenation right?
The secret to getting it right is choosing the right volume of filler and technique for the particular lip. I think also matching the right client and injector is important, as our definitions of “right” and “beautiful” can vary, as can client expectations and the practitioner’s interpretation of the client’s expectations.
I’m all about natural looking, gradual enhancement and using techniques to achieve that. If a client came asking for “huge duck lips”, I simply wouldn’t do it! Thankfully that hasn’t happened yet, but I see them walking around and online, so some practitioners are doing it for whatever reason. It’s the LA look where bigger is better and obvious cosmetic enhancement is seen as a status symbol. This scares a lot of clients enquiring about lip fillers for the first time, so I need to do a lot of explaining to reassure them that I simply don’t do this look. Thankfully the Australian market prefers a natural, more subtle look.
5) Do you have any tips for taking care of your lips generally?
Keep your lips hydrated with a good-quality lip balm. I always use a lip balm with high SPF during the daytime to avoid premature ageing and potentially skin cancer.
If you’d like to find out more about lip rejuvenation or book in for a treatment, please get in touch.
Southern Cosmetics
324 Bluff Road, Sandringham
P: 03 9533 1100