Lip augmentation and correction has been one of the most common aesthetic procedures for decades. On the other hand, it is also one of the most difficult decisions in patients who prefer natural look.
Lips are the most sensual part of our appearance, and their correction significantly increases the attractiveness of both men and women. Full or plump lips are a sign of youthfulness and freshness, of desirability. However, sometimes it is difficult to strike a balance between the patient’s desire for lip augmentation, lip correction options based on the patient’s anatomy and a completely natural look. Therefore, there are several techniques that can be used in order to perform an adequate lip correction.
Lip anatomy
Although lip augmentation and correction seem very simple, this procedure requires exceptional knowledge of anatomy as well as adequate training. Usne imaju različite vrste sluzokože, mišić, masno tkivo, okolnu kožu.Lips have different types of mucous membranes, muscle, adipose tissue, surrounding skin.
With age, the adipose tissue of the lips is lost, the muscle becomes thinner and the lips gradually get a withered look, they retract towards the teeth and lose their plumpness. The consequence of this process are vertical wrinkles that intersect the lip, as well as a decrease of the lip angle.
It is possible to correct the lips only in such a way that the lips regain their plumpness while retaining the identical shape as the natural lips.
At the border of the muscle and mucous membrane, there are branches of the facial artery which, in addition to the lips, supply blood to the nose and eye, and their small branches also penetrate the very muscle of the lip. They must be kept safe. Clogging or pressure on the branches of the lip artery can lead to deterioration of the lip tissue but also of the nose tissue and tissue of parts of the face.
Lip augmentation and correction – Techniques
Lip augmentation techniques differ depending on the depth of material application as well as the density of the material used.
- Russian lips technique involves lifting the middle part of the lips in order to get lips that resemble the lips of Russian stacking dolls. Very thin, low-density hyaluronic acid is applied from the edge of the lips to the junction of the mucous membrane in lines. The volume is added mostly to the middle part of the lips, imitating the shape of the heart. In this way, the edges of the lips are emphasized and the entire lip becomes more open.
- Mona Lisa is a lip augmentation technique that involves adding material parallel to the edge of the lip by using a retrograde technique exclusively in the lateral third of the lip. This easily lifts the ends of the lips, hence it is often used in mature women to lift the corners of the lips.
- French technique (French lips) involves adding material in small boluses without touching the edge of the lip. The lips gain in volume and the shape of the lip remains the same. Lips become more sensual.
- Hollywood technique emphasizes the edge of the lip as well as the accentuated volume. The final result is the shape of kissing lips.
- Linear injection technique can be performed with a cannula or a needle and involves applying the material along and below the edge. This emphasizes the edge and reduces the volume. It is rarely used as a stand-alone technique because it can give a duck-like appearance to the lips.
An experienced doctor will combine all the above techniques in order to make a correction tailored to each patient’s anatomy.
Lip rejuvenation
Lip rejuvenation involves a combination of several techniques whereby hyaluronic acid is applied to the lip and its surrounding area. Lifting the edge of the lips and the middle part of the lips, restoring the volume while preserving the shape of the lips and filling the skin above the lips are necessary. In order for the lip area to retain its appearance, laser treatments (fractionated CO2 laser) are combined, which can iron out part of the wrinkles and restore firmness to the skin. Lip flip is a procedure that involves injecting a small amount of Botox into the lip muscle. Relaxation of the muscle opens the lips and makes them more sensual without changing the size of the lip.
Complications of lip augmentation
Complications of lip augmentation differ depending on the material used for this purpose.
In previous years, durable materials, liquid silicone and methacrylate were popular. Over the years, they have caused complications in almost all patients who have used them. The mildest complication is the constant formation of a capsule around foreign material, which in all patients leads to the appearance of lumps, lip drooping and duck lips. Complete rejection of the material gives a deforming swelling, and since durable materials cannot melt, surgical intervention is necessary to correct the appearance of the lips. The use of liquid silicone, the so-called biopolymer, is prohibited in all European Union countries.
Hyaluronic acid fillers are the safest materials that can be used for lip augmentation and correction.
Short-term side effects include bruising, swelling that lasts 7 to 14 days, triggering a herpes infection, and the appearance of small lumps.
More serious complications include:
- Allergic reaction to hyaluronic acid components
- Infection
- Clogging of blood vessels
Each of these reactions can be solved in a very short period of time by injecting hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid in a few seconds. It is important to realize on time that a complication has occurred.
Lip augmentation is very popular and seems quite simple but changing the shape of the lips can significantly change the patient’s appearance. If the patient is not satisfied with the result, the problem can be solved very easily and quickly by melting the hyaluronic acid.
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