Within all races and cultures, certain features of the female physique have been considered attractive. One of those features? Large, full lips. Since the beginning of time, women have applied covering agents to them and, more recently, lipstick, to enhance the appearance of this body part. Yet the quest for the perfect lip continues.
Nicely shaped lips?
Eyes are the window to a person's soul, but it is lips that are the central feature of the lower third of the face. When they are full and well defined, they portray a sense of youth, health and attractiveness. It is critical to understand something called “lip architecture” –- the important balance of shape and fullness and its place and proportions within the facial contours. The lips should form a line parallel to the line drawn between the pupils of the eyes. From the profile, there should be slight elevation or ski jump that is formed by the junction of the skin portion of the upper lip and its red portion.
Your pout's peak years
Lips reach their fullness in our late teenage years or early twenties. From that time, as the lips age, they lose volume and become thin and flat. For instance, with advancing age, your skin becomes less elastic and sun damage will contribute to the loss of lip edge definition, wrinkles and irregular pigmentation.
Volumetric lip enhancement
What started in 1981 with the introduction of collagen for enhancing lips has since evolved into better treatments ever since. For instance, injectable collagen lip therapy evolved into the new, longer lasting products available today. In addition, the introduction of hyaluronic acid (HA) products has expanded the choices for soft-tissue augmentation (like your lips). HA products you have probably heard of are Restylane [Jessica Simpson openly admitted using it], Juvederm, and Teosyal are treatments that offer flexibility of use, safety and importantly, a natural feel for the tissues treated.
It's not just how big your lips are, it's the contours that count
I can't overemphasize the need for understanding the proper aesthetic characteristics of the lip. It is not only the fullness that counts but also the shape and contour of the lips that make for an optimal aesthetic look. Some patients only require a small adjustment rather than overcompensation whereas some patients can benefit from rebalancing of the lips such as enhancement of the upper or lower lip alone.
Today's treatment options offer excellent results that satisfy both physicians and, more importantly, patients. The safety of volumetric lip enhancement continues to improve resulting in more and more patients seeking those elusive perfect lips.
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