3 Ways to Enhance Your Lips in Time for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day says “pucker up,” but are your lips ready to celebrate? Maybe you think they’re too thin or too flat or not enticingly shaped. Whatever the reason, you may be looking to give them a boost.

At Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi in Flowood, board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Michael Nichols and our staff are experts in lip augmentation procedures that enhance your lips. From dermal fillers to lip implants to fat grafting, we offer numerous options that will make you happy with the way you look. Here are three ways to enhance your lips just in time for Valentine’s Day.

3 lip augmentation options

When it comes to enhancing your lips, you have three good options.

1. Dermal fillers

Injectable dermal fillers are the most common method to give volume and definition to your lips. The results last a few months, meaning they’re a good option for people who want to see what their lips can look like before they commit to something more permanent, like an implant. They’re also quick to administer and relatively inexpensive.

Fillers come in different forms, but most are gels made from a synthetic version of hyaluronic acid (HA), a substance that naturally occurs in your body and gives volume by retaining moisture. HA fillers have a number of benefits:

Volume control: Dr. Nichols can control how much he injects and where he places it
Gradual treatment pace: we can administer the injections gradually until you achieve your aesthetic goal
Less swelling and bruising than other types of dermal fillers
Longer-lasting results: up to 6-8 months before you need a booster
Tolerated well since HA is natural to your body

The most popular brands to enhance the lips are Restylane®, Voluma, Perlane, and JUVÉDERM®. All fillers are used only on patients over 21 and are not recommended if you have inflammatory skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis, rosacea, or eczema) or a bleeding disorder.

During your consultation, Dr. Nichols looks not only at your lips, but also at your overall facial balance to determine where you need augmentation and how much filler he needs to inject. He performs the procedure in the office, and it takes only about 15-30 minutes. You can go home immediately after.

2. Lip implants

Lip implants are a permanent type of lip augmentation that uses plastic implants instead of an injectable gel. The two types of implants used are:

Silicone
Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene

Either choice is safe, but since the polytetrafluoroethylene is softer and easier to compress than the silicone, it’s less noticeable and feels more natural.

Good candidates:

Have relatively symmetrical lips
Have sufficient lip tissue to hide the implant
Don’t want frequent procedures
Want a permanent solution
Want to save money long-term

Dr. Nichols performs the procedure with IV anesthesia. First, he makes an incision at the corners of the lips. Next, he places the implant where you want the lips augmented, then he uses dissolvable sutures to close the wound.

You can expect mild-to-moderate bruising and swelling during the first seven days. Once those subside, you’ll be able to see your full, shapely lips, and they’ll last for a long time to come.

3. Fat grafting (autologous lip augmentation)

If you want something more permanent than dermal fillers but don’t want an implant, Dr. Nichols can use your own fat tissue to enhance your lips, a process known as autologous lip augmentation. Fat transfer is performed as an in-office procedure under local anesthesia, and Dr. Nichols has complete control over how much material he injects.

Fat grafting uses fat obtained from your abdomen (around the belly button) through liposuction. Once it’s harvested, Dr. Nichols cleans it, processes it, and injects it into your lips. The entire process takes around 60-90 minutes, and you can go home directly afterward. Fat-grafted lips retain their size and shape for five years or more.

Good candidates need to have enough fat in the abdominal area so the doctor can remove what he needs for the augmentation procedure without compromising your health.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so now’s the perfect time to enhance your lips to ensure you’re looking your best. Give Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi a call at 601-282-9290 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nichols.