The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Lip Augmentation - Thursday, October 30, 2008

Full lips are generally thought to be more youthful-looking and sexy. As we age and the body slowly shrinks and becomes drier, the lips grow thinner. This can be accelerated by sun exposure and poor facial care over the years.

To correct thin lips, we offer the injectable fillers Restylane and Perlane, which plump up the lips temporarily and must be repeated for ongoing enhancement. They are very popular – they are quick and easy treatments with immediate results and little or no downtime. Both fillers are based on a non-animal, stabilized form of hyaluronic acid, so there is no requirement for a skin test for allergies.The great advantage of hyaluronic acid is that it attracts water, which gives volume and plumps up the lips.

Another excellent option is AlloDerm, made from donated human tissue. It is processed for safety and retains the structures you need for full, youthful lips.

The Collagen and Elastin Matrix

The skin's middle layer, the dermis, contains many essential structures such as hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and blood vessels. It also contains a three-dimensional structure made of collagen and elastin fibers. When we're young the body creates plenty of collagen and elastin and this interwoven matrix in the dermis provides solid support for the skin, retaining its smooth surface.

As we age, the body produces less collagen and elastin, so that the matrix develops some little gaps and becomes weaker. This contributes to wrinkle-formation. The lips acquire those fine vertical lines around them as we age.

How Alloderm Works

Alloderm is donor tissue with all the viable cells removed and contains a collagen and elastin matrix. Using local anesthesia, it can be placed into the boyd of the lip to create more volume and fill in the gaps. It also encourages the skin to grow more of its own collagen and elastin. The natural tissue integrates with the Alloderm tissue and gives a new plumpness that looks entirely natural.

If you would like to know more about lip augmentation and whether it would be a good option for you, please call or email our office today for a personal consultation.