Unless you’ve been living in the woods, you’ve probably caught wind of the recent lip filler craze. Hyaluronic acid-based standards like Juvéderm, Belotero, Restylane, and Volbella have blossomed into household names, supposedly touting results that can make thin or downturned lips look as exceptionally pouty as those of Scarlett Johansson or Angelina Jolie. Given the quality and negligible recovery time of injectable tweaks, it’s no wonder the number of filler enthusiasts has ballooned; after all, who wouldn’t like to have plumper, more attractive kissers in just a few minutes?
But while fillers can somewhat reshape the lips, they don’t boast particularly dramatic or long-lasting outcomes, as they are only able to mask, instead of resolve, underlying cosmetic issues. Worse, all lip fillers last only about 4 to 6 months regardless of brand or material composition (lip movement rapidly degrades filler), which means that patients who want to keep their lips full must return to their doctor every few months for upkeep, which in the long run can become exhausting and expensive. Longtime filler users can also experience a phenomenon known as filler fatigue, which is best compared to repeatedly filling and emptying a balloon of air; over time, the face, repeatedly stretched out with product, loses its tautness and droops prematurely. The lips are no exception, and may accordingly become wrinkled, thinner, and more pursed.
For filler aficionados, this may sound like bad news, but there is a silver lining: it is possible to get a permanently plush pair of lips without the constant upkeep and risk of filler fatigue. All it takes is a nip and tuck in the form of a lip lift or lip augmentation.
During a lip lift, the surgeon cuts between the nose and upper lip before removing a strip of skin and tissue, tightening the muscles, and raising the upper lip to its new and more aesthetically desirable position. This shortens the distance between the nose and lips, reveals a broader smile, and gives a fresh plumpness to the upper lip. While recommended for people of all ages, the lip lift can make older patients look years younger without any extra surgery, as changing the position of the mouth elevates the entire visual aspect of the face.
“The lip lift is one of my favorite procedures to perform,” says Dr. Andrew Jacono, a dual board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon based on Manhattan’s Park Avenue who has performed over 1000 lip lifts and is known as one of the best lip lift surgeons in America. . “It’s a perfect example of how a few small tweaks can have a major impact on the overall harmony and symmetry of the face.”
The lip augmentation, on the other hand, aims to add fullness directly through what is called a dermal fat graft. The surgeon cuts a thin strip of skin and fat from just above the bikini line and places it in the upper and lower lips via an invisible cut in the inside corner of the mouth, making the lips appear rounder and fuller. Amazingly, the graft can be custom designed to fulfill a patient’s specific desire for shape, so satisfaction rates among people who have undergone this procedure are usually very high.
As with any surgery, there are a number of issues to consider, namely price and the risk of scarring. Lip lifts and lip augmentations are quite a bit more expensive than an ordinary filler session, but many people who eventually undergo lip surgery are those who have already spent thousands of dollars on years of repeat injections. As for scarring, though both procedures require an incision, neither leaves behind noticeable scars, as the cuts are extraordinarily small and hidden along natural folds and creases.
So why risk dissatisfaction and the horrors of filler fatigue when you can permanently look your best with a few simple changes?