Lip Augmentation
Lip Augmentation at a Glance
- Average Cost:
- From about $750/syringe (injections); from about $6,000 (surgery)
- Discomfort Level:
- Typically mild
- Anesthesia Options:
- Local Anesthesia or numbing cream
- Recovery Period:
- Usually minimal downtime required after injectables; surgical patients should avoid strenuous activities for about two weeks
- Potential Benefits:
- Fuller, plumper, more pronounced lips
Pouty, lush lips are attractive, but only some are naturally blessed with this feature. Our lip augmentation in Philadelphia with dermal fillers can add volume to the top or bottom lip, plumping thin or aging lips or creating a more defined “Cupid’s bow.” For those who want more dramatic or longer-lasting effects, our facial plastic surgeons are also proficient in lip augmentation surgery.
Topics On This Page:
- What Is Lip Augmentation?
- Why Choose Dr. Pontell and Dr. Weng for Lip Augmentation?
- Lip Augmentation Benefits
- Lip Augmentation Before-and-After Photos
- Lip Augmentation Treatment Goals
- Lip Augmentation Candidates
- Lip Augmentation Consultation
- Lip Augmentation Options
- Lip Augmentation Recovery
- Lip Augmentation Scars
- Revision Lip Augmentation
- Lip Augmentation Cost
- Additional Lip Augmentation FAQs
- Combining Procedures
What Is Lip Augmentation?
Some people are not naturally blessed with full lips, and aging can cause the lips to lose volume. Many people are bothered by their thin, undefined lips and yearn for a longer-term solution.
Lip augmentation can be performed with fillers or surgical procedures to create fuller lips while diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. With many different techniques offered, patients can receive a personalized lip augmentation treatment from our experienced facial plastic surgeons.
Why Choose Dr. Pontell and Dr. Weng for Lip Augmentation?
The care with which lip augmentation is performed matters. Double board-certified with over 39 years in the highly specialized medical field of facial plastic surgery, Dr. Jonathan Pontell and Dr. Catherine Weng are meticulous with lip augmentation procedures and strive to provide a lovely, natural-looking outcome that never looks overfilled. They have a great deal of experience performing these treatments and focus on producing results that can achieve patient goals while still looking very natural.
Dr. Pontell and Dr. Weng offer patients the highest quality of care in our state-of-the-art Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery Center in the Philadelphia area. They provide detailed customization for each patient’s aesthetic journey. While in the care of our facial plastic surgeons, you should always feel taken care of because they strive to make themselves available and accessible for patients throughout the treatment and recovery experience.
What Are the Benefits of Lip Augmentation?
Lip augmentation offers a number of benefits for patients who would like to achieve youthful, supple, appealing lips, including the following:
- Enhances your natural beauty with a more youthful, full-lipped smile
- Fewer lines and wrinkles around the mouth
- Improved confidence
Additional benefits for injectable lip augmentation include the non-surgical nature of those procedures (which typically do not require downtime), the brief length of treatment (typically about 20 minutes), and immediate results that can last six months to a year.
For patients who choose surgical lip augmentation, an additional advantage is the fact that results are typically permanent. This can be of great benefit to individuals who would like to avoid the need for ongoing “maintenance” treatments to keep their lip augmentation results going for extended periods.
What Can Lip Augmentation Improve?
FULLER LIPS
By adding lip volume with facial fillers or surgical procedures, Dr. Pontell and Dr. Weng can help patients achieve lips that look and feel fuller and more youthful. A more voluminous pout can also create more harmony with the other facial features.
REDUCED WRINKLES
While lip augmentation is mainly performed to add fullness to the lips, many patients will notice its anti-aging benefits. By creating plumper lips, the appearance of lip lines and wrinkles can be smoothed out.
REGAINED CONFIDENCE
When one area of the face is not satisfactory or in harmony with the rest of the facial features, a person can feel self-conscious of their overall look. They may avoid taking pictures or have difficulty putting on makeup such as lipstick. After lip augmentation, patients will smile proudly with confidence and no longer shy away from appearing in photographs.
Am I a Candidate for Lip Augmentation?
Patients who want to improve their lips’ shape and size are usually candidates for lip augmentation. Patients must meet the following requirements:
- Are 18 years old or older
- Are not pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have no active skin concerns in the area, such as cold sores
- Are not allergic to the ingredients of the filler (in cases of injectable lip augmentation)
Those who seek surgical lip augmentation must be in good health and avoid smoking at least a month before and after the procedure for optimal healing.
What Does the Lip Augmentation Consultation Involve?
During your consultation with our facial plastic surgeon, you can share your goals and they will evaluate your lips. Lip augmentation can be performed with products from the Restylane® line, JUVÉDERM®, fat transfer, or a subnasal lip lift. Dr. Pontell or Dr. Weng will review each procedure and help you determine the best option for achieving your goals. Our doctors often use computer imaging to give patients a better idea of the results facial cosmetic surgery can offer.
What Are My Lip Augmentation Options?
Dermal Fillers
Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® are soft injectable tissue fillers made of hyaluronic acid, which can be found naturally in the body. These fillers are deemed safe and effective for lip augmentation, posing little to no risk of allergic reaction.
The procedure takes between 15 and 30 minutes and involves first numbing the region with a topical numbing cream followed by several injections along the lip area. These products can also target facial wrinkles and lines around the eyes, mouth, or forehead.
FAT TRANSFER/INJECTIONS
This involves harvesting fat by liposuction from another area of the body, processing this fat with special instruments and filters, and reinjecting the fat into areas where volume is insufficient, such as the lips. Fat injected in this manner may partially be resorbed during the first year, but typically more than half of the volume of fat injected—once it establishes a strong blood supply in its new home—is permanent.
Subnasal Lip Lift
The subnasal lip lift involves the surgical removal of a strip of skin from the crease between the upper lip and the base of the nose. Removing this piece of skin and closing the incision lifts the upper lip and makes it appear fuller.
By shortening the distance between the nose and the upper lip, the subnasal lip lift enhances the lip shape, improves the smile, and balances the proportion of the lips. The procedure can also be combined with volumizing fillers to restore volume and revitalize the lip contours.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from Lip Augmentation?
Our injectable lip augmentation in Philadelphia requires little to no downtime; patients can immediately return to work and regular activities. Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® patients may experience bruising and swelling at the injection sites that diminish within a few days.
Fat transfer and subnasal lip lift patients should avoid strenuous activities for the first two weeks after surgery. The sutures will be removed nine days after the procedure. There may be some minimal discomfort along the incision sites; however, this should subside within a few weeks.
Will I Have a Scar From Lip Augmentation?
The subnasal lip lift is a surgical procedure and does involve some incisions, which can lead to scarring. Depending on the patient’s level of healing, scarring should become less noticeable over time and blend with the natural border of the lips. Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® treatments will not result in any visible scarring.
How Soon Can I Get a Revision Lip Augmentation?
If you received unsatisfying results from your last lip augmentation procedure with another doctor, you will be advised to wait until your face is fully healed before undergoing a revision. Dr. Pontell or Dr. Weng can evaluate your results and create a treatment plan to suit your needs.
How Much Does Lip Augmentation Cost?
At The Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery Center, Inc., injectable lip enhancement with Restylane® or JUVÉDERM® is priced at approximately $750 per syringe. For patients pursuing a surgical solution, pricing begins at approximately $6,000.
The total investment depends on the amount of product or extent of surgery needed to achieve your desired level of fullness and contour. During your consultation, Dr. Pontell or Dr. Weng will discuss your aesthetic goals and formulate the most appropriate treatment plan. A member of our team can then provide a personalized cost estimate and answer any questions you may have about payment and financing options available at our practice.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions About Lip Augmentation
IS LIP AUGMENTATION PAINFUL?
There may be some pain or discomfort during Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® injections; however, it is manageable and can be numbed with a topical anesthetic. Surgical lip augmentation is generally performed using local anesthesia or general anesthesia with minimal to no pain. Any discomfort following the procedure can be controlled with pain medication.
WILL I STILL LOOK LIKE MYSELF AFTER LIP AUGMENTATION?
Lip augmentation aims to make subtle changes that correct aged or undefined lips without looking like there was work done. Our doctor will perform lip enhancement using advanced techniques to provide the most natural-looking results possible.
HOW LONG WILL MY LIP AUGMENTATION LAST?
The duration of your results will depend on the technique employed. Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® can last up to one year. Vermillion lip enhancement and subnasal lip lifts are designed to be permanent; however, changes to the lips can occur due to poor health habits, such as smoking and the natural aging process.
WILL I HAVE TO STAY OVERNIGHT IN A HOSPITAL?
No, patients can return home immediately following their lip augmentation treatment.
WILL LIP AUGMENTATION MAKE ME LOOK YOUNGER?
One benefit of undergoing lip augmentation is that it can smooth out the skin on the lips and mouth, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Combining Procedures
Lip augmentation is often combined with other facial procedures for a complete facial makeover. These options may include facelift or neck lift surgery, eyelid surgery, or rhinoplasty.
At The Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery Center, Inc., our approach is centered on comprehensive facial harmony. Our double board-certified facial plastic surgeons develop customized treatment plans designed around your unique anatomy and aesthetic goals. Every recommendation is made with careful attention to proportion and long-term results.
Key Takeaways About Lip Augmentation
- Lip augmentation can enhance lip shape, volume, definition, and contour using either injectable fillers or surgical techniques.
- Dermal fillers such as Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® offer a minimally invasive option with little to no downtime and results typically lasting six to twelve months.
- Surgical options, such as the subnasal lip lift, can provide longer-lasting structural enhancement.
- Treatment is highly customizable, allowing patients to refine fullness, improve symmetry, and enhance the “Cupid’s bow” while maintaining natural-looking results.
- When performed by experienced facial plastic surgeons like Dr. Pontell and Dr. Weng, lip enhancement is carefully balanced with the surrounding facial features for harmonious outcomes.