Men and women's lips are aesthetically very similar. Both look best with full, plump lips giving a soft, sensual appearance to the mouth. This is perceived as soft and gentle-in stark contrast to the thin or asymmetric lips that exude a sense of being stern, mean or untrustworthy.

Ideal lips have a certain size and shape. On profile, the lips should have a gentle S-shaped curve between the lips and chin-with a 4mm depression existing between these two structures. The illustration in figure 1 shows this relationship. Although, the nose and chin typically set the strength of your profile, Lip Augmentation does have the ability to add balance to this area. Enhancing the size and shape of the lips may aesthetically improve the entire lower 1/3 of the face.

The arrow, in figure one, indicates the 4mm groove that should exist between the lips and chin on profile (mento-labial groove). Lip Augmentation can achieve a balanced, more aesthetic profile These should be the cornerstone of any Lip Augmentation and Enhancement treatments or procedures. If these Aesthetic principles are violated, the lips may appear to large or out of balance with the entire face resulting in a less desirable outcome.

Imaginary vertical lines drawn down from the inner colored portion of the eyes delineate the overall width of the lips. The ideal fullness, of the lips is achieved when the upper lip is approximately 75% (and not larger) as full as the lower lip. This assures an overall pout to the lips-no matter how plump or full they are. Should this aesthetic ratio be violated, the lips will look out of proportion and odd.

The lips typically loose volume with age giving the illusion of an increased space between the upper lip and nasal tip. This gives the lower face an aged and stern look that is not aesthetically pleasing. The sole purpose of Lip Augmentation, Lip Enhancement or Lip Enlargement treatments and procedures is to add volume and mass to the lips that otherwise appear to small and thin.

If you don't have perfectly shaped lips, there are several methods of augmenting or plumping the lips to achieve a soft, naturally attractive appearance. These can be organized into two types of Lip Augmentation procedures, ones using injectable materials and those requiring a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of the Lips. Let's look at each of these Lip Augmentation methods:

Lip Augmentation/Enhancement using Injectable Materials:

Lips can be Augmented, Enhanced and Enlarged using this material that is injected along the borders of the lip (Vermillion Border is the edge of the lips where the red portion of the lip meets the skin). This material is hyaluronic acid (HA) derived from bacteria and as such does not require skin testing before treatment. Treating the lips for augmentation entails an office treatment where Restylane is injected along the borders of the lips for Augmentation. The effects last about 6 months after which time the injections need to be repeated to maintain the augmentation and enhancement.

Lip Enlarment using adipos (unwanted fatty tissue onyour body) tissue:

Lips can be augmented using your fatty tissue that is injected troughout under the red portion of the lip to Augment.This method (fat transfer) is effective and permanent.This can be done as Office procedure.

Lip Augmentation/Enhancement Surgery using lip Implants (Permanent and Semi-Permanent):

Fascia Lata Transfer: Fascia is the tough outer covering of muscles that has been used for Lip Augmentation. This can be done as an office procedure where the muscle is injected with Novacain and a small strip of the fascia is removed. The fascia is then placed under the red portion of the lip to Augment, Enhance and Enlarge the size of the lips. As with fat transfer, it's the predictability and reliability of the fascia that is in question. Experts may differ on their opinion of using fascia for your Lip Augmentation.

Dermal tissue transfer: This is another example of a type of tissue transfer to the lips to create Augmentation and Enhancement. In this case a segment of skin is removed and the dermal layer is isolated and removed. The dermal layer is then placed through the lip tissues to create the Lip Augmentation. As with all tissue transfers, predictability and reliability are the main concerns when using these materials for Lip Augmentation.

If you are interested in Lip Augmentation, Enhancement or Enlargement and are looking for semi-permanent solutions to thin lips, this will involve the placement of some type of reliable tissue into the lips. Recovery time is minimal, if any, bruising, swelling or discomfort. The patient is advised to eat a soft diet and limit the use of their mouth for about 1 week. Ice, applied to the lips, will decrease any swelling that may occur.

Indications for Lip Augmentation/Enhancement/Enlargement Procedures and Surgery are:

Thin Lips

Asymmetry of the lips. One lip is smaller than the other beyond the ideal aesthetic limits.

Small amount of red portion of the lip(s) visible Area(s) of the lips are not full and plump. In some instances, this may require a V to Y procedure where the red portion of the lip is advanced to eliminate indentations of the lip shape. Dr. Demir prefers to perform any V to Y procedure after the lips have been augmented to their ideal size as this often eliminates the need for the V to Y completely.

Men and women's lips are aesthetically very similar. They look best with full plump lips that give a soft, sensual appearance to the mouth. This is perceived as soft and gentle-in stark contrast to thin or asymmetric lips that exude a sense of being stern, mean or untrustworthy. Lip Augmentation should be performed in a subtle and artistic manner. Why don't have the beautiful, full lips that you've always wanted?