Lip Tips You’ll Love

Luscious Lips Will Leave You Smiling Seductively
Prepared for you by Mark Berkowitz, M.D.

Could finding the right shade of lipstick also help you find the right man?

An interesting question… and if the answer is yes, imagine what finding the right lip shape could bring your life?

Lip augmentation is the enhancement of the lips. The procedure leads to fuller, plumper lips and can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 8,700 surgical lip augmentations were performed in the U.S. last year.
Surgical lip augmentation procedure can provide better definition and shape for full lips or volume for those with thin lips.

If you’re not ready for surgery, you also have great options—in fact more today than ever before!

Keep reading this fact-filled information to learn more!

Beauty Boosting Cosmetic Injections: Plump up your lips without surgery

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates, last year more than 1.8 million injectable fillers were given in the U.S. - many of which surely were used to redefine wrinkled lip borders, plump up thin lips and improve symmetry of mismatched upper and lower lips. Using cosmetic injections is a popular option for many of Dr. Berkowitz’s female patients—regardless of their age.

Dr. Berkowitz tends to perform far more injections than lip implants because fillers are easier and cheaper.

There are many products available in the United States for cosmetic injections. Some of the products are FDA-approved for use in the lips and others may have FDA-approval for other cosmetic uses, meaning that when used in the lips it is considered “off-label.” Many other products are commonly used in other countries, but here’s what is available in our country:

Collagen. Collagen is a natural protein found in the body. It can be derived from cows or taken from the body, processed and injected into a target area. Collagen injections last about three to four months. Bovine collagen carries a risk of an allergic reaction—and requires allergy testing several months prior to treatment.

Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in connective tissue as a lubricating and cushioning agent. Several synthetic versions have been developed for use as soft tissue fillers. They last six months or longer.
Examples of popular hyaluronic acid based cosmetic injections include: Restylane, Perlane, Hylaform and Juvederm

Synthetic fillers. Three synthetic fillers are currently approved by the FDA. Sculptra® (Poly-L-lactic acid) is used off-label to add volume and fullness for cosmetic enhancement and offers the ability to cost-effectively, safely, and satisfactorily make larger corrections than other products. It also boasts the ability to make longer-lasting correction. It is not commonly used to plump up thin lips.
Radiesse® (calcium hydroxylapatite) is approved for treatment of fine lines and wrinkles. Like Sculptra, this product is not commonly used in the lips because it often results in lumpy looking and feeling lips. Radiesse last about 12 months or longer.
ArteFill® is the only long-lasting injectable filler, lasting five years or more. Since it is suspended in Bovine collagen, there is a slight risk of an allergic reaction.

Surgical Lip Enhancement: rapidly growing in popularity

Just like enhancement with cosmetic injections, the goal of surgical lip augmentation is to create fuller, plumper lips, a smoother border surrounding the mouth, and a more attractive and balanced appearance.

For years, cosmetic surgeons have been implanting collagen or transferring fat from one part of the body to the lips. These options - much like the cosmetic injections discussed on page 2 - are absorbed by the body over time and the results fade away unless treatment is repeated.

Newer, longer-lasting options include implantable materials like AlloDerm and SoftForm. This type of product in inserted through tiny incisions that may require a suture. These products should look and feel smooth—though it is very common for them to feel firm when first placed before eventually becoming softer to the touch.
AlloDerm is a collagen sheet made from donated skin. It has been used for many years with some patient satisfaction. The procedure is reasonably straight-forward though recovery may time a week or so. Over time, AlloDerm becomes integrated with the natural tissues for a more natural look and feel.

Some additional implant options include Gore-Tex, SoftForm and soft ePTFE.

Many other products/procedures are available but are not commonly performed or preferred by surgeons or their patients at this time. These include: Autologen (an injectable dermal implant material made from the patient's own skin), Dermalogen (an injectable Human Tissue Matrix (HTM) procured from donor tissue), Fascia (an injectable donor tissue made from the dense white connective tissue that supports body structure).

In addition to the more expensive nature of surgical lip augmentation, patients must understand there is more risk when compared to injections, including:

Allergic reactions
Prolonged redness, swelling or itching and firmness at the implant site
Difficult to correct lip asymmetry
Migration and extrusion of the implant
Soft-form is a foreign body and may become infected or be rejected

Laser resurfacing of the skin surrounding the mouth will tighten the skin and create a more youthful appearance.

Laser resurfacing of the skin is a unique method of improving skin’s texture, tone and overall appearance. And, it may work beautifully for the skin surrounding your mouth.
Dr. Berkowitz offers both traditional and fractional CO2 laser peels. (To learn more about these technologies, please visit his website and click on the procedures tab.) Laser resurfacing may be a great option if you are bothered by fine lines around your mouth. This procedure can be used to rejuvenate your entire face or can specifically target wrinkles around your mouth or eyes.

You’ll notice a marked improvement and will love your lips appearance.

Laser resurfacing, however, is not without risk, discomfort, or downtime. Also, laser peels will not add volume to thin lips though injectable fillers can be used simultaneously.

Give Yourself Medspa Lip Treatment at Home!

Healthy skin and a good home care regimen are important to your lips appearance.

Be sure to use good products regularly and wear sunblock. Your lips have very little ability on their own to protect against sun damage.

When exfoliating your face 2-3 times weekly, be sure to buff the built-up debris and dead skin cells from your lips. This will keep your lips smooth and lipstick will apply & wear more evenly.

Hydrate your lips. Slather on a product with lots of moisturizing emollients like beeswax and enriched with vitamins before bed or when your lips are exposed to lots of sun, wind, or water. Avoid licking your lips and don’t let them get chapped feeling.

Switch lipsticks from time to time.

If your lips are feeling supple and plump, matte shades may be great for you. These non-lustrous products offer more color and tend to wear longer without reapplication but have fewer moisturizing ingredients. Glossy, shimmering and radiant lip colors may actually help your lips retain moisture… so consider these during the hottest and coldest months of our year.

Treat unattractive lip lines and never let your lip color feather past the lips border.

Sunblock! Sunblock! Sunblock! Don’t let your lips get damaged in the first place. But, once you see signs of aging lips, products that contain retinol are an effective tool and are a bargain at any price if you can ward off unwanted lip lines. Retinols are effective in the war against wrinkles, but be wary of inexpensive products that may not be potent enough to truly work.

Apply a lip liner carefully and correctly.

Use a liner slightly darker than your lipstick shade and outline the shape you desire (going outside your lip line slightly will make lips look fuller). Then use the side edge of the liner tip or a lip brush to feather the color inward. Finally, fill in with a lighter lipstick.

Pick an appropriate lip color—not the newest shade or the color you wore in high school.

When selecting a color, try it on your lips… what sense does applying it to the back of your hand make? About as much as seeing a particular color in a magazine… you still don’t know if it is right for you. Most neutral shades with a beige-pink undertone will work for lighter skin while choosing a neutral with a beige-brown hint may be better if you have darker skin.

So, now what? What will your next step be?

If you really would appreciate looking in the mirror and liking what you see, I know I can help. I have had patients telling me for years how great they feel about their appearance with just a quick, in-office Restylane treatment to plump up their lips. They enjoy smiling more. They love trying new lip colors and the wonderful shape of their lips after treatment. And, they feel more attractive.

So, stop reading and call my office. Hillary would be happy to help schedule your consultation or treatment. Please call her at (586) 254-7692 so you can enjoy a more seductive and alluring smile by this weekend.

Truly,
Dr. Mark
Mark Berkowitz, M.D.

P.S. Be sure to visit my website to see lots of remarkable before and after photos of women just like you. Check it out at: www.AccentsCosmeticSurgery.com