When you start to notice fine lines and wrinkles forming on your face, your immediate reaction may be damage control — slathering on extra sunscreen, adding an extra moisturizer to your skin care routine or hopping on the latest anti-aging dietary bandwagon. But you may want to take a step back and visit a plastic surgeon’s office: temporary injectable treatments like fillers or Botox can be a much more direct way to treat these early signs of aging while still allowing you to avoid the complexities of cosmetic surgery. Injectables are also particularly helpful in one area of your face that is difficult to target even with surgery: the lips, where loss of volume and skin puckering are common concerns. Injectables can reach this area with precision, plumping and smoothing your lips to restore a more youthful look. At Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery, we offer a range of injectables including Botox and Juvéderm — two of the most popular treatments for correcting lip concerns.
What is Botox Treatment?
Botox Cosmetic is a common and popular solution for treating facial wrinkles caused by natural aging and repeated facial expressions. The active ingredient in Botox is a naturally-occurring chemical called botulinum toxin, which is a muscle relaxant. When you have a Botox injection, your plastic surgeon expertly places the botulinum toxin into overworked muscles that are causing wrinkles and creases. It is commonly used to treat frown lines, crow’s feet, lines around the upper lip, and moderate to severe forehead lines. The treated facial muscles lose their tension, leaving your skin looking smoother and younger. Results typically last three to six months before you may require further treatments.
Juvéderm Dermal Fillers: Ultra XC and Volbella XC
Juvéderm, on the other hand, is part of a category of injectables known as hyaluronic acid fillers. The main ingredient in many fillers, Juvéderm included, is hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance that helps with hydration and filling the spaces between your skin cells. These fillers can smooth wrinkles that are present even when your face is at rest, including laugh lines and deep wrinkles on the face and neck.
Different Juvederm filers are made with specifically designed gel properties to fill in areas like the cheeks, undereye area, and lips. Juvéderm Ultra XC or Volbella XC are excellent volumizers that work to plump your lips without relying on artificial ingredients or lip implants, so you can feel confident that you won’t experience a bad reaction or complications. On average, clients report that the results of Juvéderm last approximately six to nine months.
What Can Botox & Lip Fillers Treat?
Botox and Juvéderm treatments offer unique benefits for lip treatments. For optimal treatment, patients can consider them in combination to treat various concerns like:
Lip Wrinkles or Lipstick Lines
Wrinkles around the mouth are a common reason our clients seek a lip injection treatment. The thin vertical lines that form around the outside of your lips or deeper wrinkles that appear when you purse them can be a frustrating part of aging. Wrinkles can make wearing lipstick difficult, cause your lips to look thinner than they are and age your whole face even if you take good care of your skin. If wrinkles around your lips are your concern, Botox might be a better lip injection for you. Releasing tension in the muscles near your mouth can smooth your skin and allow your lips to remain in a relaxed, fuller-looking position.
Loss of Lip Volume
Your lips can lose volume over time much the same way that the rest of your face can: as you age, proteins like collagen and elastin start to break down and are not produced quickly enough to replace the lost structure. When this occurs in your lips, you may notice that they appear much thinner than they used to or that you have many very fine lines forming on and around your lips due to skin laxity. If this is the case, an injectable filler like Juvéderm is likely the better lip treatment. Adding the Juvéderm formula to your lips will bring back youthful plumpness while minimizing the appearance of wrinkles caused by loose lip skin.
What to Expect During Lip Injections?
Lip injections are quick and minimally painful. Before receiving Botox or Juvederm injections, Dr. Andrews will also about all your medical conditions and history of allergic reactions to make sure this is a safe treatment for you. At the time of treatment, patients should not have an active skin infection around the planned injection site, muscle or nerve conditions, or be pregnant. Patients should also inform our team if they are taking herbal supplements, blood thinners or other prescription medicine.
Lidocaine is found in the Juvederm formula, but a topical numbing cream can be provided around the treatment site to help you feel more comfortable. Injections only take 30 minutes or less, after which time you can return to work or other activities. However, mild swelling can occur around the injection site, so patients are advised to avoid strenuous exercise for about 24 hours. Results will develop within a couple weeks, and can be enjoyed for several months. Patients love their natural-looking results that refresh their youthful appearance and enhance their unique features.
Schedule a Consultation for Lip Injections Near Des Moines, iA
Botox and Juvéderm are both able to treat signs of aging around your lips, and a board-certified plastic surgeon can best determine which one is right for you. Your surgeon will be able to identify what the underlying causes of your concerns are and then let you know which injectable treatment is likely to fix them more effectively.
For more information about lip injections in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area, contact Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery. Dr. Andrews and his staff are ready to help you achieve your aesthetic goals with the right treatment or treatments for your individual needs. Call us at 319-500-4072 to schedule your consultation today.
