Which method is right
Not all “thin” lips need volume. Sometimes the issue is a long distance between the nose and the upper lip, which makes the lip look thinner and hides the teeth when you smile. In other cases the outline has faded with age, and a small, well-placed amount of volume is enough.
Hyaluronic acid
The most widely used method. Hyaluronic acid is injected in small amounts for volume, definition or hydration. The result is immediate and usually lasts 6–12 months. It can be dissolved with an enzyme (hyaluronidase) if needed. More on the page about hyaluronic acid.
Your own fat (fat transfer)
Fat harvested with a small liposuction is injected into the lips. The result feels more natural and lasts longer, but part of the fat is reabsorbed and the final volume is harder to control than with hyaluronic acid.
Upper lip lift
A small surgical procedure under local anaesthesia that removes a narrow strip of skin under the base of the nose. The distance between nose and lip becomes shorter, the upper lip turns out slightly and becomes more visible, and a little more of the upper teeth shows. The result is permanent, and the scar is hidden at the base of the nose.
Recovery
- Hyaluronic acid: swelling for 1–3 days and possible small bruises; avoid saunas and intense exercise for 24–48 hours.
- Fat transfer: more swelling, for 1–2 weeks.
- Lip lift: swelling and tightness for a few days; stitches come out after 5–7 days; the scar fades over a few months.
Risks and things to know
- asymmetry or lumps (after injections);
- reactivated cold sores; tell the doctor if you have a history of them;
- rare but important: blockage of a blood vessel by the injected product, which needs immediate treatment. That is why injections are done by a doctor who knows the vascular anatomy of the area;
- with a lip lift, a visible scar in rare cases.
Results vary from one patient to another.
