What happens to our lips as we age?
With age, the general facial deflation we experience also affects our lips. They gradually become thinner, less ‘rosebud’ plump, and develop fine vertical lines both on them and around the contours. This is greatly accelerated in smokers, but occurs in non-smokers, too.
What is the profile of the average woman opting for lip enhancing procedures?
The typical age for lip plumping at Eudelo is surprisingly not twenties (as in many other clinics), but 40s and 50s (but there is no upper limit, we have many patients in their 60s and 70s seeing us for lip treatment).
That’s because we are known for the ‘Lip Smoothie’, a 100% natural looking lip plumping that simply reverses the natural, age-related lip deflation with development of lipstick bleed lines that starts in our 40s.
Is there a rise in demand for lip plumping?
Yes, very much. In particular a rise in demand for natural looking lip plumping in women in their 40s upwards, who previously would have not opted for this, as understandably, there’s a certain amount of fear around lip augmentation, especially the dreaded ‘trout pout.’
However, women from midlife onwards are now starting to find out that this does not have to be the case, so we are seeing many more women coming for lip plumping to Eudelo, leaving absolutely delighted with the natural looking outcome. We even have women in their 70s having a lip treatment for the very first time!
What should someone thinking about lip augmentation consider before taking the plunge?
Firstly, I would strongly recommend to only see a medical professional, ie doctor, nurse or dentist for this treatment. Secondly, make sure to look at before-after images of their real patients (not stock images of the filler companies, which often are seen on clinic websites!), to ensure the result is as natural as you are hoping for.
There are two things to avoid when having a lip treatment in my opinion:
a) overfilled lips, AKA the renowned ‘trout pout’
b) lips with an overly steep contour between them and the surrounding skin (some practitioners are even proud to create this steep step, don’t ask me why…)
– both are dead giveaways for fillers and should be avoided like the plague. The latter can also happen, if the lips are treated in isolation, rather than including the area surrounding the lips, which in my opinion is crucial to include in any treatment for deflating lips.
I see before-after images posted on social media by colleagues (and sometimes patients themselves) nearly on a daily basis, where the practitioner proudly presents their before-after images, commenting on how “natural” their results look. However, more often than not, it’s far from natural looking and I end up stunned about how obviously artificial and overdone they look. So, just because they say it will look natural, it often wont’ – don’t just take their word for it.
What actually happens during the procedure?
Usually the skin is numbed first to allow a painless treatment. This can happen with an injection, just like at the dentist, or with a numbing cream. Here at Eudelo, we use an extra strong numbing cream from Germany, which means there is no need for numbing injections, which is great for the patient.
After the numbing a sterile hyaluronic acid (HA) gel is injected. This happens with either a blunt cannula from the corners of the mouth, or with a needle injected directedly into the red of the lips. At Eudelo, we use a cannula for the vast majority of our lip treatments, as it’s more comfortable, and there is less swelling and lower risk of bruising after the treatment.
Are all lip augmentations done with a filler?
All our lip treatments are all done with a sterile HA gel, either a soft HA filler or an even softer HA ‘skin booster’ (the latter is called the ‘Eudelo Lip Smoothie’).
The Lip Smoothie plumps and rejuvenates lips by boosting hydration and adding a subtle roundness for a soft, natural look. We do this by injecting a skin booster containing HA (a softer version of the usual HA filler) with a gentle cannula. Inspired by keyhole surgery, we create a tiny entry point for the cannula next to each mouth corner. This avoids pricking a needle directly into the sensitive red of the lips, so there’s a lower risk of bruising and less swelling after treatment.
An even more advanced lip treatment that we’ve developed here at Eudelo is the ‘Lip P-Booster’. This is a treatment that not only plumps, but has an anti-ageing action, too. The first step is to create rejuvenating platelet rich plasma (PRP) from the patient’s own blood. This growth factor rich solution which, when mixed with an HA-containing gel to give an all-important, instant plumping effect, helps slow down further lip deflation over time.
Whether you have a medical skin condition which needs treatment or simply want to look your very best, our specialised dermatology team will help you achieve the very best result.
