Maximum volume or restoring natural shape?

It really isn’t a case of one method for all – there are many ways in which lip filler can be used to change the shape of your lips. Today we talk to Jayne Taylor and Caroline Hill, two of our Registered Nurse Practitioners about the differences in what can be achieved and why every patient is an individual.

Before your first treatment, you will have a free consultation where we will discuss at length your particular concerns and what you would like to achieve with lip filler.

Restoring the lost volume that occurs as we age…

Many patients come to us because they feel that their lips have lost their youthful look. Perhaps they have lost volume, the edges of the lips are no longer defined or blur into the skin. They also often say that they feel that they no longer have a top lip or that the structure of their philtrum has gone. They usually ask for lips with a natural shape, enhanced edges and with more volume. They don’t want their lips to look particularly ‘enhanced’, it’s more that they want to reduce the appearance of ageing.

“Many of my patients feel that their lips are ageing them and they would love to wear lip liner and lipstick again with confidence” says Jayne.

For these patients, we will often use Juvéderm Volift or Volbella, which are both long-lasting products that can achieve a soft and natural look. We will inject the lip filler along the edges of the lip line to improve definition and we will also inject into the central body of the lips to add moderate volume where necessary.

“The lip architecture (the natural shape of the lip) can be restored by using filler to re-contour the philtrum and lip edges. We take great care to preserve the natural shape of the lip, so that the final result is flattering for the individual” says Caroline.

If perioral or ‘smokers’ lines are a concern for the patient, we can inject the filler using a very fine needle directly into these lines. The filler attracts water to the area to hydrate and soften.

Max volume for a glamorous look…

The average age for a lip filler patient at Good Skin Days is just below 30, but there is a recent trend within younger groups of people for a full and glamorous look.

Most younger patients haven’t lost any of the lip volume that occurs as we age. They also tend to have better defined lip edges and a stronger upper lip structure. The general trend within this age group is to increase the volume of the lips, creating an attractive ‘side projection’ and a ‘full’ look.

Images of Kylie Jenner or Lauren Goodger are often brought to the clinic as inspiration. These images often show lip shapes that are slightly out of natural proportions. Whilst we can achieve a full glamorous look, it is important to remember that this is best achieved over a period of time. Our payment plans are ideal for this situation, where you can split the cost of treatment over 12 months. Click here to read more about lip filler payment plans…

To achieve a higher volume look, we will often use Juvéderm Ultra. Generally we will inject centrally into the lips within the zone that lies directly below and within the nostrils as shown on the picture below. This is where the natural volume of the lips is found. Injecting outside these areas can cause the outer edges of the lips to curl.

About Lip Architecture

The structure of the lips and surrounding area is important to consider when creating a naturally enhanced look. The lips should ideally follow the proportions in the image here; the bottom lip being larger than the top lip at a ratio of 1:1.6. The borders, philtrum and cupid’s bow should also be well defined. It is a technical process and definitely should be undertaken only by Registered Nurse Prescribers with the relevant training and experience.

“One thing that both groups of people agree on is the fact that their biggest worry is that they will end up with a ‘trout pout’ (younger patients) or ‘looking like Leslie Ash’ (older patients). We hear this time and time again. Patients needn’t worry, we wouldn’t allow that to happen”  says Jayne.

It’s important to ensure that any Nurse injecting you has the experience and technical knowledge to do so safely and effectively. Meet our registered medical team by clicking here…