The basic care consists of keeping them always well hydrated and making a gentle exfoliation every 15 days or every month, depending on the season of the year and the particular conditions of each person. It is also important to use a sunscreen in summer and in winter if you practice sports with a lot of exposure to the sun and wind, such as skiing.
If we talk about aesthetic medicine treatments, when necessary, we inject hyaluronic acid that gives us a special hydration and turgidity without the need to increase the volume.
When the lips are thin or asymmetrical, we can also use a specific hyaluronic acid for these cases, which allows us to define the profile, improve the thickness or correct asymmetries in a very natural way.
What is the difference between a lip augmentation and a filler?
Dr. Dr. Alicia Fernández Hidalgo, renowned specialist in Aesthetic Medicine and director of the Alicia F. Hidalgo Medical Center, clarifies that a filler does not imply an increase in thickness. The doctor understands the filler as something generic that consists of injecting a certain material in an appropriate and compatible area of the face. In the case of the lips, a specific hyaluronic acid can be used to hydrate or improve the appearance without the need to cause an increase in volume.
When the person wants to increase the thickness of their lips, another type of hyaluronic acid is used specifically for that purpose.
Are the results immediate and do they last?
The first step before starting the treatment is to photograph the lips from various positions. This point is very important to evaluate the results, since there are cases in which the person does not appreciate the change and may demand a greater volume that could be excessive.
In the case of Dr. Fernandez Hidalgo, she always resorts to topical anesthesia beforehand to minimize the discomfort caused by the injection. She chooses this type of anesthesia over infiltrated local anesthesia because it can cause excessive relaxation, modifying the lip structure, which hinders modeling.
On the other hand, when it is a question of volume augmentation, she prefers to perform two sessions spaced about 15 days apart. The specialist is always prudent in the first session, injecting a small amount to ensure that she understands the patient’s wishes and above all to avoid complications or side effects that can occur in an area as delicate as the lips. In cases of hydration or contouring, one session is enough.
The duration of the results is variable, hydration lasts about two months while the profiling and volume increase can last up to 8 or 10 months.
The result is immediate, but varies after a few days. Simply because of the swelling caused by the injection we will have a greater volume that disappears in a few hours, leaving the appearance corresponding to the amount of product injected. For this reason, the doctor usually makes a final review after a few days in which new photographs are taken to assess the final result of the treatment.
How is a natural result achieved?
By being prudent, with experience and very good technique, the doctor reminds us. In addition, it is essential to have knowledge of facial proportions, not only look at the lips, but the whole face to give balance and harmony, in short, beautify the person.
It is also a matter of judgment, her own criterion is always to provide a natural, harmonious and elegant beauty, avoiding very artificial results, not very credible and disproportionate.
How important is it to “convince” the patient that he/she should expect realistic results?
For the specialist, it is very important because of what has already been mentioned, especially in reference to the structure of the lips, which should not be modified excessively so as not to produce a result that breaks the aesthetics of the natural harmonic proportions. In addition, remember that it is necessary to explain to the patient how the process will be and what results will be obtained according to their facial features.
There are also anatomical particularities that may prevent the treatment from being carried out according to the patient’s wishes. Therefore, we must make them understand that we can improve their structure and give more harmony and beauty, but always within the limits of their anatomical configuration.
Otherwise, we will obtain an unnatural and unflattering result that can become grotesque. Fortunately, the products currently available are resorbable, such as hyaluronic acid, which can be removed or will disappear on its own in a few months in the event of a poor result.
This was not the case before, when the materials used were permanent, which could cause permanent problems when the results were excessive or poorly performed.