beauty addict

...

The latest trends, techniques, and insider secrets—revealed.

Plumper Up
Inflation usually isn’t a good thing. But when it comes to lips, size matters and flatters.
By Erin Roop

Long before Angelina’s infamous tryst and newly sprung love child, the actress was known far and wide for her impossibly full, luscious lips. Are they natural? No one knows. But either way, the popularity of plump pouts has skyrocketed over the past decade, and today, voluminous lips are almost universally associated with youth, desirability, and sex appeal. Not surprisingly, the cosmetics industry has responded with an array of options—from topical glosses and suction devices to injectables and surgical implants. The bottom line: Those who weren’t blessed at birth with a big mouth no longer have to suffer a thin-lipped future.

But how far are women willing to go to achieve plumper results? Well, that all depends. In a recent Beauty Addict poll, 18 percent of women said they would consider surgery and/or injections; 31 percent said they’d be open to any topical treatment; and 43 percent said they’d try topical treatments, as long as they were reasonably priced. However, most women we spoke with were also quick to point out that, when taken too far, the trend can look “ridiculous,” “alienlike,” and “inhuman” (“it looks like you’d be kissing an inner tube,” one woman said). Still, perhaps the most telling statistic was that only 6 percent of those surveyed reported that they didn’t want plumper lips at all. For the rest of us, here are the options.

Lip Smackers
What they are: Over-the-counter lip glosses, creams, balms, lipsticks, or pencils. Popular versions include DuWop Lip Venom, Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme, Pout Plump, and LipFusion XL.
How they work: Topical plumpers contain irritants that cause temporary lip swelling, such as synthetic forms or derivatives of red pepper, cinnamon, ginger, menthol, caffeine, or wintergreen. Many newer treatments also include palmitoyl-oligopeptide, L-arginine, or other patented ingredients that are designed to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen.
Ease or difficulty: Most topical plumpers can be swiped on in seconds, anytime, anywhere. A few treatments require overnight use or a few steps, but they’re all quick and easy.
Price: Approximately $5 to $55 per tube, depending on the brand and formula.
Longevity: “Results can last up to a few hours but are never permanent,” says Bruce Katz, dermatologist and founder of the Juva Skin & Laser Center and MediSpa in New York City.
Risks/ouch factor: Because topical plumpers are formulated with irritants, most women report a mild stinging, burning, and/or cooling sensation on application that quickly subsides. The products are relatively risk-free, unless you’re allergic to an ingredient, but those with chapped or cracked lips are usually advised to steer clear of plumpers containing irritants until their lips are in better condition.
Rewards: While it’s tempting to believe that a single swipe of gloss can inflate your lips to Hollywood proportions, most women report subtler enhancements: a little increased plumpness and/or a slight reduction in fine lines around the mouth. Unlike other forms of lip plumping, the results of topicals are rarely, if ever, unnatural looking, and some women are disappointed that the effects aren’t more noticeable. But the greatest frustration with these products is the lack of longevity. Although some topicals claim to yield a cumulative, lasting fullness with repeated use, we’ve found little independent evidence to support that. “Patients who want fuller, longer-lasting results should consider a procedure such as Restylane,” suggests Dr. Katz.

Get-Fat Gadgets
What they are: Vacuum devices designed to temporarily plump lips. Product names include Cynthia Rowland Luscious Lips and Igiá Lip Enhancer.
How they work: The devices call on suction to inflate the lips with moisture.
Ease or difficulty: You can use these devices at home (some versions are portable, but trust us, you’d look rather odd using one in public). The process, which takes from 10 seconds to two minutes a day, is a little tricky at first but can be mastered with a few tries, and the devices must regularly be cleaned and lubricated.
Price: $19 to $60.
Longevity: From two to 12 hours, depending on duration of use, lips’ existing fullness, and moisture content (individual face shape and the presence or lack of facial hair can also play a role).
Risks/ouch factor: Temporary bruising, discoloration, and/or ecchymosis, a pattern of broken blood vessels resembling a hickey (according to the companies, these side-effects will only occur if the products are used incorrectly). Little is known about the long-term risks, although the companies claim that doctor-supervised studies prove the products are safe and effective when used as directed. Still, it’s best to consult with your dermatologist about the long-term effects of suction devices before you invest in one.
Rewards: Results vary greatly among users, but most report plumper results than they were able to achieve with topical treatments and less dramatic results than they saw with injectables. Because the devices also entail a lip-conditioning step, lips may temporarily feel softer and more hydrated afterward.

Fillers Up
What they are: Animal- and non-animal-based temporary fillers, such as Collagen, Perlane, Hylaform, and Restylane.
How they work: Temporary fillers are injected into the lips to add volume, shape, and “fill in” fine lines.
Ease or difficulty: Fillers can be administered at a dermatologist’s or plastic surgeon’s office; the procedure generally takes 10 to 30 minutes.
Price: Approximately $500 to $800 per session, depending on the doctor, region, and filler used.
Longevity: Results typically last from three to six months.
Risks/ouch factor: Discomfort associated with injections can range from mild stinging to full-blown pain. In some cases, local anesthesia is administered in advance, but it’s more common to simply apply ice or a numbing cream. Right after the procedure, you may experience excessive swelling (think Howard the Duck), which, thankfully, subsides in a few days. Each filler has its own risks associated with it, but in general the greatest potential concern is an allergic reaction to an animal-based product (such as animal-derived collagen fillers); human-derived collagen fillers and synthetics such as Perlane, Hylaform, and Restylane reportedly carry fewer risks.
Rewards: Temporary injectables offer more volume than topical treatments and don’t require maintenance throughout the day (you’ll need to return to the doctor every three to six months to maintain the look, though). Assuming you’ve chosen a reputable, experienced doctor, fillers can be sculpted to yield a more customized, natural-looking shape. That said, not all fillers are created equal. According to Pennsylvania dermatologist and dermasurgeon Marlene Mash, collagen injections have declined in popularity over the years “simply because it doesn’t last very long.” She points to Restylane and permanent fillers as more popular options for those who don’t want to return every few months for touch-ups.

Stay-Plump Solutions
What they are: Semipermanent and permanent fillers, such as silicone and fat injections; implants, such as Alloderm, Advanta, and Gore-Tex; lip lift surgery.
How they work: Liquid injectable silicone triggers the formation of collagen, which plumps the lips. Fat injections use excess fat from the patient’s own body for augmentation (“When I harvest the excess fat through liposuction, I take enough to freeze for a year,” explains Dr. Mash. “Then, about every two months, the patient can come back in for the injections. The first injection will absorb about 60 to 100 percent back into the body. On the fourth or fifth visit, it’s basically permanent.”). Implants such as Alloderm are threaded through the lips and kept in place with sutures until the mouth has healed. Lip lift surgery shortens the space between the nose and the top of the upper lip, defining a new lip border is and creating the illusion of fuller lips.
Ease or difficulty: It depends on the procedure. The administration and downtime associated with silicone and fat are similar to that of temporary fillers (although the materials used and the results are quite different). Implants and lip lifts are performed in a doctor’s office, medical center, or hospital, and they’re more involved, taking a few hours to complete and requiring local, twilight, or general anesthesia.
Price: $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the doctor, region, and procedure used.
Risks/ouch factor: The risks of these procedures vary greatly, from lack of efficacy to the buildup of scar tissue to potentially serious health hazards, so it’s important to discuss them extensively with your doctor in advance.
Rewards: The greatest advantage and disadvantage of these procedures is that they’re permanent, says Mash: “It’s both a blessing and a curse. You have to make sure you select a doctor that knows exactly what they’re doing. It’s a big decision and something that ultimately you have to live with for the rest of your life.”

Photo credit: Big Zen Dragon

Discuss this story on our forums.

Home | Site Map | About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service