With age comes some changes to our looks, like wrinkles and fine lines. However, what many people don’t talk about is that our lips also begin to thin with age. In fact, thinning lips can often be one of the first signs of aging you see in your face. Luckily, there are many non-surgical, non-invasive aesthetic treatments available to help you plump thinning lips. Let’s talk about age-related lip thinning and how lip fillers can come to the rescue.
When you look in the mirror, does it look like your lips are thinner than they used to be? Are you tempted to overdraw your lip line to get a little extra volume? Let’s face it – thin lips can make us feel self-conscious, particularly when you used to have voluminous lips when you were younger. Add that to wrinkles on and around your lips and it’s easy to feel like your lips are giving your age away.
Don’t worry, though. Lip fillers are aesthetic injections that can help you increase the volume in your lips to help counteract some of the signs of aging. Lip fillers can help make your lips look plumper and smoother without surgery. Fillers are a natural, semi-permanent option to help you achieve a more youthful appearance.
Before we get into the specifics of lip fillers, let’s first talk about why you might need lip filler aesthetic treatments as you age. The problem is that lips tend to get thinner with each passing year. In fact, our lips reach maximum fullness around age 16 before steadily declining in volume at a rate of about 1% each year after.
The main culprit behind thinning lips is collagen loss. Collagen is a protein that is responsible for making up the main structure underneath the skin. However, we start to produce less with age, which can lead to common signs of aging like wrinkles, hollow areas in the face, and, you guessed it, thin lips.
Over time, you might notice your lips look thinner overall, that your cupid’s bow looks flatter, and that the corners of your mouth look downturned. All of these are usually due to loss of collagen from aging. Other things can also make you lose collagen faster, like UV damage, chronic inflammation, and smoking. Whatever the case, collagen is to blame for thinner lips as we get older.
Lip filler aesthetic treatments can help you combat lip thinning that can prematurely age your face. These are a type of dermal filler specifically for the lip area and can help not only increase fullness, but also address fine lines and wrinkles on and around the lips. The two most common types are Juvéderm® and Restylane®.
Juvéderm and Restylane are brand name dermal fillers. These aesthetic treatments use hyaluronic acid injected into problem areas like the lips to increase fullness and fill in wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the skin and is an effective option for increasing volume in the lips, as well as other areas.
Both of these brands have FDA approved options specifically for the lips. For instance, Restylane Silk which can help with fullness and wrinkles, Juvéderm XC which is typically used for lip plumping, and Juvéderm Volbella XC which is primarily for fine lines around the lips.
Juvéderm and Restylane fillers both use hyaluronic acid. One of the main differences between the two is how long they last. Restylane typically lasts about ten months while Juvéderm options typically last about one year. Juvéderm also is typically slightly more expensive, but, yet again, it lasts longer. Therefore, the costs may even out for these two options, depending on the specifics of your treatment.
There are many things you should know about lip fillers before scheduling an appointment for treatment. Our providers can discuss the pros and cons based on your specific situation to determine if these are a good treatment option for you to help with age-related lip thinning. However, there are a few key things to know about these aesthetic injections.
Lip filler treatments are a pretty fast procedure. In fact, many people call these a “lunch break treatment” because they are so quick and you can return to most of your daily activities immediately. Lip fillers typically take just 15-30 minutes to complete, and you can head right back to your day immediately after, with just a few aftercare instructions.
Lip fillers are a semi-permanent option for improving lip fullness. Fillers generally last between six and twelve months, though individual results vary. As we mentioned earlier, Juvéderm tends to last longer, with an average of one year before needing retreatment, while Restylane typically lasts about 10 months on average. To maintain the same results, you will need more fillers at regular periods.
Most people can return to their day-to-day activities right after getting lip fillers, with just a few exceptions. First, we typically recommend avoiding strenuous exercise, alcohol, and makeup or lip products for at least 24 hours after filler injections.
You may experience mild discomfort, swelling, redness, or bruising. However, these typically clear up in just a few days. Serious complications with lip fillers are rare, especially when you choose a qualified professional for your aesthetic injections.
Another great advantage of hyaluronic acid lip fillers is that they are reversible. First, your body absorbs the hyaluronic acid over time and metabolizes it, which means they only last about a year or so after treatment. However, if you want to reverse results faster, your provider can typically do so with an injection of the enzyme hyaluronidase, which breaks down the filler. This helps many people feel peace of mind in the off chance they don’t like their results.
Just like any other aesthetic treatment, lip fillers aren’t for everyone. Our team can discuss whether we believe these fillers are a good option for you based on your individual circumstances and health history. However, there are a few good things to know. For instance, you may not be a good candidate if you:
Talk to our providers for more detailed information on whether you’re a good candidate for lip filler injections.
Our team at HerKare is here to help you be the best version of yourself through quality health care and aesthetic treatment options personalized to you. We’re revolutionizing health care for women through our convenient, affordable treatment solutions. Whether you’re struggling with menopause symptoms or are looking for aesthetic treatments to help you age more gracefully, our team is here for you. If you’re considering lip fillers or other non-surgical aesthetics options, contact us today to make an appointment!