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Long gone are the days when you have to just accept the tell-tale signs of aging. Today there are a wide variety of injectable treatments designed to reduce problems like wrinkles and volume loss. And it doesn’t just end there. Injectables can be used to treat everything from scarring to increasing the volume of lips.
These days Botox is so common that it’s practically a household name. Yet many people still don’t really understand how it works or how it differs from dermal fillers. So what IS the difference? Fillers are designed to smooth the appearance of wrinkles by restoring volume to the face. You could think of these injectables as “filling in” the wrinkles, hence the term “filler.” The most common fillers are Juvederm® Ultra, Juvederm Voluma®, Radiesse® and Restylane®. Freezers, on the other hand, are designed relax the movement of muscles in a given area, which smooths fine lines and wrinkles. The most common freezer, a.k.a Neurotoxin, is Botox®. However, Dysport® is another option that has been used for years and has been gaining popularity in the United States. Dysport® is designed to relax the targeted muscles while still allowing for natural facial expressions. Botox®, on the other hand, is known for fully relaxing the area with little movement for expression. It’s important to note that none of these treatments are permanent. Nor would you want them to be. As the face ages, your provider will need to modify the treatments to make sure that you’re maintaining the most natural results. Freezers like Botox® and Dysport® typically last anywhere from three to six months, whereas most fillers last between six and 24 months. The length of time these injectables last is also dependent on how fast the body metabolizes the product. People who work out frequently and have a fast metabolism may find that the results don’t last as long as it does for others.
While fillers are a great solution for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, they can also be used to treat other areas with volume loss, such as the lips. There’s no denying that plump, luscious lips are a sign of youth. However, the reality is that regardless of our age, many of us were not born with the perfect lips. For some of us, our lips are thinner than we would like and for others they may lack symmetry. On those occasions, we have to rely on lip fillers to achieve the look we desire. When you look in the mirror, do you see any of the following:
It’s not uncommon to have a lip segment with less volume than you would like. If this is the case, adding a filler to the upper lip can give your lips better proportion and help you achieve the results you’re looking for.
Thevermilion borderis normally a sharp demarcation between the lip and the surrounding skin. However, sometimes this border isn’t very well defined and needs enhancement. If this is the case fillers can be added to increase the fullness of the upper lip and improve the overall appearance.
If your lips have always been thin or you have lost volume as a result of aging, a filler can be added to the upper or lower lips, or even both, to increase fullness.
The two most common fillers for lip augmentation are Juvederm® Ultra Plus XC and Restylane® Silk. Restylane® Silk is a hyaluronic acid-based injectable that has been FDA approved for increasing volume in the lips and filling in the lines around the mouth, commonly referred to as smokers’ lines. Hyaluronic acid may sound scary, but it’s actually a substance that occurs naturally throughout the body. It works by binding to water to create volume, hydrate the surrounding tissue, and keep the collagen healthy. Juvederm® Ultra Plus XC, known for its smooth gel consistency, is also a popular option for correcting wrinkles in the cheek area, including parenthesis or marionette lines, lower face and lips.
While most injectables on the market are designed to increase volume or smooth wrinkles, there is one that is designed to reduce volume: Kybella. Relatively new to the market, Kybella is made of a naturally-occurring molecule called Deoxycholic acid, which breaks down and absorbs fat cells. Deoxycholic acid is a naturally occurring liver enzyme that breaks down fats cells which are then flushed out of the body through the lymphatic system. As dermatologist Macrene Alexiades explains, “It basically up-regulates a chain reaction that causes the fat to dissolve, which is really handy. I was principal investigator of the trials that led to FDA approval, so I worked with it. What I love about it is that it’s artistic, it’s customizable. So you see the fat, you know where it is, and you just inject where the fat is.”
If you’ve decided that you’re ready to move forward with your lip injections, the very first thing you should do is find a provider who is licensed, specializes in injectables and is highly experienced. Because while many people can legally provide the service, many of them aren’t properly trained, which means your results may not be what you expect. Trust us, the last thing you want when getting lip injections is to have results that are unexpected! Here at AOB Med Spa, we pride ourselves on the training and experience level of our staff. Sarah Dornik, for example, is a licensed RN and graduate of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics with 12 years of experience. What it is important to us is our client experience and we invest in the most experienced, credible and professional staff to perform these types of services at AOB Med Spa. If you’re looking for lip injections in Denver, we would be happy to set up a complimentary consultation for you. Contact us today at info@aobmedspa.com or 303.731.2149.
