More and more women are posting about their recent lip augmentation. So much so that fall’s most popular fashion trend appears to be the perfect pout.
Lip augmentation is one of the fastest-growing segments of cosmetic surgery at the moment, and that’s more than a casual observation. Last year, nearly 31,000 procedures were done in the United States, not including injectables. That’s a 4% increase over 2017 and a 19% increase over just five years ago.
The massive celebrity of Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson is a big reason for the new interest, especially among very young women. But there’s more to it than envy. Lip augmentation itself has undergone a pretty dramatic makeover in recent years.
Fillers
For one, it’s not just a single procedure. It can be anything that enhances your lips, but the use of fillers and the injection of one’s own fat into their lips are the most popular forms. The likes of Restylane Silk and Juvéderm Ultra, both thinner, more versatile fillers, have been game-changers for lip augmentation.
Lip implant or fat-grafting surgery was once a fairly extensive process. Both have become much more efficient (more on that in a moment), but with injectables, the procedure lasts 15 to 20 minutes, and the recovery time is minimal, if there even is any.
Not to mention, plastic surgeons—make sure you find a board-certified with extensive experience in the procedure—have become so adept with the injections that they can produce very subtle, natural-looking enhancements. The days of the overdone lip augmentation are long gone.
Fat grafting
Fat grafting, also referred to as fat injections, is a longer-lasting treatment. Fat is removed from one part of the body, usually through liposuction, and used as a lip filler. The entire process can be done without a single incision.
Beyond the duration of the results, fat grafting is also popular because it creates a very natural-looking lip contour, and, without fear of an allergic reaction, it’s a very safe procedure.
Lip implants
If you can’t seem to shake the troubling image, from several years back, of a celebrity who very obviously had her lips done, know that today’s implants are very different. They’re made from a soft, pliable silicone rubber or biodegradable substance. And the procedure takes only about a half-hour.
That said, if lip augmentation is something you’re considering, start with a filler. It’s less of a commitment. The results typically last from six months to a year. It’ll also give you the chance to experiment with some different looks. (Injection technique and placement matter as much as the filler.) Then, if you like what you see, graduate to fat injections or implants.