INJECTABLES
Lip augmentation with dermal fillers can enhance volume, definition and symmetry while keeping the lips in proportion with the rest of your facial features.
Lip Shape & Definition | Personalized Treatment
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Some patients want more volume. Others like the size of their lips but want better definition, improved symmetry or a subtle change in shape. Lips can also become thinner and less defined over time.
That is why our aesthetic providers don’t begin with a syringe or a predetermined amount of filler. They begin by looking at your lips, facial anatomy and proportions and asking what you actually want to change.
The objective isn’t simply to make the lips bigger. It is to make the right change for your lips and your face.
Lip augmentation starts with understanding what you actually want to change. For some patients, it is volume. For others, the concern is shape, definition, symmetry or changes around the mouth that have developed over time.
Naturally thin lips or lips that have lost volume over time can be enhanced without dramatically changing their character.
Filler can be placed strategically to refine the shape of the lips and improve definition along the lip border.
Small differences between the two sides of the lips or between the upper and lower lip can sometimes be improved with carefully placed filler.
Changes around the mouth are not always a volume problem. Our aesthetic providers evaluate the lips and surrounding area together before deciding where filler belongs.
The right treatment depends on what is creating the concern, not simply where filler can be placed. By evaluating the lips together with the surrounding features and overall facial proportions, our aesthetic providers can determine where treatment can make a meaningful difference and where filler may not be necessary.
A natural-looking result doesn’t mean that every patient receives the same small amount of filler. It means the result makes sense for that patient’s face.
Jo Ann and Debra’s approach to injectables is to look at facial balance with fresh eyes, understand what the patient sees and determine what actually needs to change. With lips, that can mean paying as much attention to shape, symmetry and proportion as volume.
The best result should still look like your lips.
One milliliter isn’t a treatment plan. The amount of filler that looks appropriate in one person’s lips can look completely different in another person’s. Existing lip volume, upper-to-lower lip proportion, projection, facial structure and the change the patient wants all matter.
Our aesthetic providers evaluate the lips as part of the face rather than treating them as an isolated feature. Sometimes the appropriate change is additional volume. Sometimes it is a small amount placed strategically to improve shape or definition.
And sometimes the best decision is not to add more filler.
Thin lips do not necessarily need to become large lips. For patients who naturally have less lip volume, filler can be used to create a subtle increase while respecting the existing shape of the mouth and the proportions of the face. The goal can be as simple as adding a little volume, improving definition or creating better balance between the upper and lower lip.
For patients whose lips have become thinner with age, treatment may also involve restoring some of the volume and definition that has changed over time. The endpoint is determined by the patient’s anatomy and goals, not by a predetermined idea of what lips should look like.
BEFORE AND AFTER
Lip filler can produce very different changes depending on the patient’s starting anatomy and goals. These Balikian Plastic Surgery patients show how treatment can enhance volume, shape and definition while maintaining individual lip proportions.
Lip augmentation is a non-surgical injectable treatment that uses dermal filler to change the volume, shape or definition of the lips.
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, hyaluronic acid fillers from the JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® families can be used for lip enhancement. Different formulations have different characteristics, which allows our aesthetic providers to select a product based on the lips being treated and the result they are trying to create.
Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the body and attracts water. When formulated as an injectable gel, it can provide soft volume and structural support in precisely selected areas of the lips.
There isn’t one lip filler that is automatically right for everyone.
JUVÉDERM® is a family of hyaluronic acid fillers used to add volume, enhance shape and provide support in different areas of the face. For lip augmentation, specific JUVÉDERM formulations can be used to enhance lip volume, definition and the lines around the mouth.
Restylane® is a family of hyaluronic acid fillers with formulations designed for different treatment goals. Products such as Restylane® Kysse are designed for lip augmentation and can be used to enhance volume, shape and definition while allowing the lips to move naturally.
The JUVÉDERM and Restylane families include products specifically indicated for lip augmentation and lines around the mouth. The choice depends on the patient’s anatomy, existing lip tissue, desired change, previous experience with fillers and the characteristics our aesthetic provider wants from the product.
The cost of lip augmentation at Balikian Plastic Surgery depends on the filler selected and the amount of product used. Hyaluronic acid fillers commonly used for lip enhancement currently range from $650 to $700 per syringe, with Volbella® available as a half syringe for $450.
You do not need to decide how much filler or which product you need before your appointment. Our aesthetic providers evaluate your existing lip volume, shape, proportions and goals before recommending a filler and treatment amount.
Treatment begins with a conversation about what you want to change and any previous lip filler you’ve had, including what you liked or didn’t like about the result. Our aesthetic provider then evaluates your existing lip shape, volume, symmetry and facial proportions before selecting the filler and determining where it should be placed.
A topical anesthetic can be used for comfort, and many hyaluronic acid fillers formulated for the lips also contain lidocaine. The filler is then placed strategically according to the treatment plan.
Swelling is expected after lip injections and can temporarily make the lips appear fuller than the eventual result. Tenderness, firmness and bruising can also occur around injection sites.
Because of that initial swelling, the appearance immediately after treatment should not be treated as the final result. The lips need time to settle before the outcome can be properly evaluated.
Lip augmentation can be considered by adults who want to change the volume, shape, definition or symmetry of their lips without surgery.
You don’t need to know which filler you want or how much you need before your appointment. Our aesthetic providers evaluate your lips, facial proportions, previous injectable treatments and goals before developing the treatment plan.
The more useful question isn’t simply “Am I a candidate for lip filler?”
It is:
Some patients want an almost imperceptible change. Some want visibly fuller lips. Others want to restore volume they previously had.
Those are different goals, and they should not receive identical treatments.
Lips are highly visible, mobile facial features. Small changes in volume, projection, shape and symmetry can affect the appearance of the entire lower face.
Our aesthetic providers approach lip augmentation with the same philosophy they bring to facial injectables overall: understand the anatomy, listen to what the patient actually wants, select the appropriate product and use only what is needed to create the intended result.
At Balikian Plastic Surgery, that means the goal isn’t a recognizable “filler look.” It’s a result that belongs on your face.
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about lip filler, including how treatment can enhance shape, definition and volume, what to expect afterward and how we approach natural-looking proportions.
How much lip filler do I need?
There is no standard amount that is right for every patient. Existing lip volume, shape, symmetry, facial proportions and the amount of change you want should determine how much filler is used.
Is 1 mL of lip filler a lot?
Not necessarily. Studies of lip augmentation commonly report treatment volumes in the 1 to 2 mL range, but the appropriate amount depends on the patient’s anatomy, treatment goals and injection plan.
Which is better for lips, JUVÉDERM® or Restylane®?
Neither is automatically better. Hyaluronic acid fillers differ in properties such as elasticity and cohesiveness, so our aesthetic providers select the formulation based on your lip tissue, movement and the result being created.
Can lip filler look natural?
Yes. Natural-looking lip augmentation depends on respecting the anatomy, proportions and movement of the lips rather than simply adding volume. This is why our aesthetic providers evaluate the lips as part of the entire face.
Can lip filler improve asymmetry?
Filler can be placed strategically to improve certain differences in lip volume, shape and definition. Because some natural asymmetry is anatomical, the goal is better balance rather than making both sides artificially identical.
How long does lip filler last?
Results are temporary and vary by product and patient. A meta-analysis found that improvement in lip fullness declined over time, with measurable treatment response still present in some patients at 12 months.
How long will my lips be swollen after filler?
Swelling, tenderness and bruising are common after lip injections and are usually temporary. Because swelling can temporarily exaggerate lip volume, the appearance immediately after treatment is not the final result.
Can lip filler be dissolved?
Hyaluronic acid filler can be reduced or dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase when clinically appropriate. It is used for concerns such as unwanted HA deposits and is also an important tool for managing certain filler complications.
Is lip filler safe?
Hyaluronic acid lip fillers have a generally favorable safety profile when appropriately administered. Temporary swelling, tenderness and bruising are common, while serious complications are uncommon but possible, which makes anatomical knowledge and appropriate injection technique important.
How do you decide where to place lip filler?
Placement begins with the anatomy rather than simply filling wherever a patient sees a line or wants more volume. Lip shape, tissue, movement, vascular anatomy, proportions and the desired change all influence the injection plan.
Patients love the Med Spa at Balikian Plastic Surgery for its welcoming atmosphere, advanced technology and natural results.
Continue Learning
Learn more about injectables, skin rejuvenation and other non-surgical treatments available at Balikian Plastic Surgery, including how our aesthetic providers approach treatment planning and natural-looking results.
