In Los Angeles and other cosmopolitan areas, lip injection procedures with hyaluronic acid are often preferred to permanent implants.  Results can last around 9 months and up to two years for some people.

Hyaluronic acid is a lubricant that is naturally found in our bodies. It has unique properties that make it ideal as a  lip injection filler. This compound can augment tissue. It can also hold numerous water molecules up to a thousand times its own weight.  The lips look fuller and hydrated as well.

Lip injection brands made of hyaluronic acid include:

1) Juvederm- This is available in two consistencies

– Juvederm Ultra (i.e. regular Juvederm)

-Juvederm Ultra Plus (thicker than regular Juvederm)

2) Restylane

Juvederm Ultra Plus is not always offered by dermatologists as a lip injection filler. It is quite thick with the tendency to clump. However this is often contingent on the doctor’s skills. Some physicians have been able to create successful results with it.

Generally Juvederm and Restylane can be used interchangeably. Restylane may be better suited for patients who want more definition in their final lip enhancement results.

Best Practices in Lip Injection

Lip injection procedures can be thought of as both an art and a science.  There are technical considerations that the doctor must keep in mind. These involves balance, proportion and symmetry.

While many patients prefer more volume in their upper lip, physicians must be careful not to inject too much filler.  A good test is to shine a light on glossed lips.  The reflection should hit the top vermillion border (cupid’s bow). If the light shines below this point, this indicates that too much of the  lip injection was applied.

The top lip should roughly be two thirds the size of the bottom lip.  However some people naturally have lips where the volume is about the same in the top and bottom.  So the overall attractiveness of the outcome is usually more important than precise proportions.

Symmetry in lip injection procedures is also an important consideration. The left and right sides should look the same.  Doctors use imaginary regions on the lips to help ensure this. The top lip can be thought of as three sections of equal length. The middle section falls along the central line of symmetry in the face. The physician needs to inject the same amount of filler across all three regions. Likewise, the bottom lip can be imagined as two equidistant sections. And equal amounts of filler should be administered to each.

Los Angeles Lip Injection

This Los Angeles lip injection procedure involved the use of Juvederm. The patient wanted very subtle looking lip enhancement results. Although pillow lips are a popular shape coveted by many women, she wanted to keep a natural looking cupid’s bow. At the same time, she wanted sufficient volume in this region.

Here are before and after pictures:

Los Angeles patient with lip injection results.*