Lip Fillers vs. Lip Lift: Which is Right for Me?

If you want full, luscious lips, they’re certainly in fashion. But if nature didn’t bless you with naturally plump lips, you can get some cosmetic help to give you what nature didn’t. 

You have a couple of options for creating a fuller smile: lip fillers and a lip lift. The main difference is that lip fillers are temporary, and you must maintain the results. However, a lip lift is a minor surgical procedure that involves more than getting fillers. The Advanced Plastic Surgery Center specialists explain more about the differences between the two procedures.

What lip fillers do

Lip fillers are given by injection. The tiny needles inject a substance made of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally occurring in your body. This means that your body won’t reject it as a foreign substance. Most people do not find it too painful, although we may apply numbing creams first.

The aesthetician who performs these procedures is experienced and does so with a delicate touch, which achieves better results. We use Juvederm Volbella® because it produces the best results.

These procedures aren’t permanent, however. If you keep getting lip fillers, you’ll need to have it done anywhere from several months to even years later. But because your body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, it will eventually reabsorb it.

The lip lift procedure

The results will be permanent if you choose to get a lip lift done. But the procedure is more involved than getting lip fillers because you have to get it done by outpatient surgery. 

When you come in for a lip lift, we’ll have you change into a surgical gown, and we’ll give you local anesthesia. The procedure includes making a small incision under your nostrils and lifting the skin. Then, we sew the incision closed, which leaves you with a barely noticeable scar.

How to choose which one to get

A lip lift is more permanent, but it’s also more expensive. You usually only have to live with lip fillers for a little while. However, although it’s rare, the risk of overfilling your lips can create an unflattering “duck lips” appearance.

However, even if you’re thrilled with the results of your lip fillers–which most people are, you’ll still have to plan to come in and get them redone once your body reabsorbs the hyaluronic acid. 

If your philtrum–the space between your nose and your upper lip–is greater than 11-13 millimeters, you may find the results of a lip lift more satisfying. 

The best way to decide is to consult with one of the specialists at the Advanced Plastic Surgery Center. Contact them at their Arlington, VA office or request an appointment online.