Lip Implants

Lip fillers can be temporary or permanent. Most of the lip plumping products are temporary. The most commonly used are Restylane and Juvederm. They are very safe and look great, they produce a smooth filling without lumps or bumps. The only problem is that they don’t last forever (8 months to one year). Another temporary product is radiance, which has the consistency of toothpaste and lasts 3 to5 years.

Other products like silicone last forever. Permanent products that are injected tend to cause more problems in the long run because your body creates a little scar tissue around it, and it can create a little bump or lump. It can be visible, painful, and it can be very annoying. Once you put something permanent into your lips, it can only be removed surgically. There’s no injection that can get rid of it.

Available implants for lip augmentation can be classified as liquid form (collagen, Restylene, Juvederm, Radiance) or sheet form (Alloderm, Dermaplant, fascia, Gore-Tex). Collagen can be extracted from cows and injected into the lips. There's a risk of allergic reaction. The results are temporary lasting four weeks to three months. Alloderm and Dermaplant are freeze-dried collagen (acelular skin dermis) obtained from deceased human donors. Its placement results in soft, natural, and pliable lips. The main disadvantage is they can be resorbed after one year.Gore-Tex is a synthetic material, it may be slightly stiff but will never shrink and always maintain its size. One disadvantage is that it may potentially push its way out of your lips.Fat can be harvested from your body and injected into your lips for augmentation. There will be some initial shrinkage during the first 3 months. Thereafter, your result will be long lasting. Swelling and bruising may last 2-3 weeks; and there is a limit to how large the lips can be made. “FulFill” lip implant is a new product that has just been approved. It’s like a little saline breast implant. It’s basically a tiny lip-shaped implant that is inserted through a hidden incision. The procedure takes about 30 minutes. The implant fills up with saline, so you can adjust it to the volume you desire. The lips can actually be tailored with the patient awake, looking in a mirror to give you the exact augmentation that you want.

Most lip fillers can be placed with local anesthesia or intravenous sedation. If a donor site is needed (fascia or fat) the patient have the choice of intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.