Collagen is an especially popular cosmetic solution for those looking for appearance improvements without surgery. Of the various treatments areas, lips tend to be at the top of the list. As humans age, many things happen to the structures of our bodies. Bones start to become brittle, muscles weaken, and other internal organs also change condition. One of the most obvious parts of the body that sustains changes is the skin. Wrinkles form, the outer surface can become dry, and other parts of the face and neck can droop. Much of this skin transformation can be traced to the fact that collagen begins to degrade as we age, but there are ways to combat this change. Collagen is one way to restore a youthful look to an aging face. As you get older, the skin on your face may sag. This sagging often is seen in the neck area, but also in the lips which may appear to get thinner and less plump as we age. Collagen treatments seek to remedy this by adding collagen to the lip area, creating a firmer, plumper looking lip. Collagen that is used for lips is often taken from the tissues of other animals, making this an organic solution. As it is organic, there is also a risk of reaction to the collagen – which can include allergic reactions such as itchiness, redness, swelling and other signs of allergy.
Another organic way of filling wrinkles used frequently in the face area that is similar to collagen are fat injections. Often, the fat is taken from your own body (in an area that tends to hold more fat, such as the thigh or buttocks), which reduces the risk of any adverse reaction. The fat is then injected into the lip as a temporary plumping agent. Unfortunately, since this is only a temporary type of treatment, many patients have to repeat these treatments to achieve their desired look.
There are also synthetic alternatives to collagen lip treatments. These include Fibril, which is a gelatin powder that is mixed with the patient’s own blood to make a collagen like treatment, and Goretex. Goretex is a thread-like material that is placed underneath a patient’s skin so that it can add soft-tissue support.
While there are many different ways to surgically and cosmetically enhance your lips, collagen is still considered one of the most popular. Just be sure to consult your surgeon before having this procedure done, and know the risks of allergic reaction before consenting to collagen treatments. For more articles like this, bookmark www.CollagenInjectionsLips.com

By: Ricardo de Silva

There are many options that are currently available when it comes to undergoing a lip augmentation. The cheapest, simplest and also the short-term version of the lip augmentation is the use of injectable fillers to augment the lips. Furthermore there is also the option of using a silicon lip implant, but these are seldom done as the injection of fillers can achieve the same thing with less recovery needed.

The use of injectable fillers is a great way to plump up those thin lips, enhance the shallow contours of the lips as well as soften creases and wrinkles and improve the appearance of scars that are recessed. Unfortunately these fillers can not stop or reverse the natural aging process, only make those changes less apparent.

From injectable collagens from humans, laboratories as well as from cows to choose from, there is always an option that is available to you that will better suit your particular lip augmentation needs and preferences. Furthermore there is also the possibility of synthetic fillers like hyaluronic acids as well as fat transfers.

Regardless on your choice of fillers or implants, there will always be risks and complications associated with the procedure and some of those can include things like infections, allergic reactions to the non-human fillers, clumping, acne eruptions, asymmetry, bleeding, swelling, bruising, skin necrosis, rashes, redness, sensitivity as well as the over or under correcting of facial and lip wrinkles. While these complications and risks occur very seldom, they must be understood prior to agreeing to undergo the procedure as they are still a possibility.

The good news is that the lip augmentation does not have to be an expensive thing to have done. While the use of an implant can make the lip augmentation cost as much as $5,000, the use of various fillers are substantially less. An injection of a collagen filler can cost as low as $300 each visit and the time between visits is suggested to be 6 months which means you can maintain a lip augmentation through injectable fillers for less than $1,000 a year. For more information, visit www.CollagenInjectionsLips.com often for the latest updates!

Author: Dr. Jim Greene

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Jim_Greene

I came across DuWop Twilight Venom on Sephora.com, and could not click on it fast enough to get it into my shopping cart! I love that it claims to offer the fuller, softer lips that I want, as well as having major fun factor for Halloween…and for the Twilight fan in me!  Even beyond Halloween, this is a great product for fall, when I want to find deeper, more vibrant colors for my lips AND products that will hydrate and condition my lips.

DuWop Twilight Venom

Here is the description from Sephora:

What it is:
A shimmering, crimson lip stain suspended in a venom-laced liquid lip conditioner.

What it does:
Twilight Venom should be shaken before use (to represent the blending of the human and vampire worlds) and can be applied repeatedly until desired intensity of color has been reached and lips are plumped and revitalized. Its formula contains argan, avocado, and olive oils as well as vitamin E.

What else you need to know:
With a customizable ruby stain that captures the blood red lips sported by fashionable vampires, Twilight Venom can let you play the part!

I absolutely love the idea of having fun while seeking beauty solutions for lips!  And, for those who do not want a deep red, you can apply less stain to create a more subtle color for your lips.   I cannot wait for my Twilight Venom to arrive, and will be sure to share my results with you.  If you already have this product, please feel free to leave a comment and give us your impressions and if the product met your expectation!

Side note on ingredients:  Argan is considered one of the most therapeutic natural healing substances around the world.  Argan oil has been harvested for centuries from the fruit of the Moroccan argan tree, and Argan is incredibly rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids with a perfect omega 3-6-9 balance that the body requires. It is commonly used for skin care, not only to hydrate the skin but to act as a superior anti aging serum, preventing wrinkles and providing the skin with a stronger barrier against the elements.  With Argan in this lip stain, you are sure to find incredible hydrating and conditioning for lips, unlike other lip stains that can end up feeling dry after application.

Fine print:  I am in no way compensated by Sephora or DuWop for this article.  Just a make-up fanatic and full lip lover who enjoys sharing information and resources with like-minded beauty enthusiasts.

However, I have found a product that I love, love, love! Well, actually a lip kit with THREE amazing products that do truly create a healthier, plumper and fuller lip…without injections or other invasive procedures! The NVEY ECO Organic Lip Care Trio Kit, offered at Beauty.com for 92.00 (a $124 value!). This kit is seriously the perfect way to experience truly organic lip care at a value price. NVEY ECO, Organic Lip Care Trio includes a Lip Exfoliator, Lip Treatment and Lip Plumper in a wonderfuly organic cotton makeup case. All products full size, they are not samples or mini sizes.

You will still get a tingly sensative with the lip plumper, however, the plumping is accomplished with natural ingredients, not harsh chemicals.  NVEY ECO Certified Organic Lip Plumper  plumps, hydrates, and moisturises, temporarily enhancing the natural colour and shape of the lips using a tingly blend of invigorating ingredients including Capsicum, Cinnamon Bark Extract and Menthol.

NVEY ECO Make-up and Beauty Products are OFC Certified Organic, so unlike natural labelled products, they have had to meet a strict organic certifying standard in all ingredients and processes they use, which prohibits them from using some ingredients used in natural products such as talc.  You can feel good about using NVEY ECO products knowing that organic and natural elements are improving your skin, your lips, and even the earth!

I also adore the NVEY ECO Organic Lipsticks and Organic Lip Lustre.   ECO Lipstick delivers vibrant and natural colour compositions. An organic Castor Oil base combined with soothing safflower, beeswax and Vitamin E provides antioxidant and nourishing properties for soft, smooth lips. 

NVEY ECO Lip Lustre is a nourishing, lustrous, and rich lip lacquer enhanced by organic elements to create smooth and subtle lips. The luxurious colour glides on leaving a refreshing feel, and is enhanced by the organic beeswax providing the skin with energy, protection and harmony.

NVEY ECO Lip Lustre

Both lines offer a nice range of colors and textures.  There are lovely matte lipsticks, and shiny lovely lip lustres.  Love these products on my lips as they stay soft, supple, and sexy!

So it truly is possible to achieve the beautifully full lips of your dreams with great products from Beauty.com!  Find trend-setting makeup and skincare products from the industry’s best artists at Makeup.com Boutique.  

Some patients work with their doctors to have their fat transferred from another site in the patient’s body. This can be a natural way to plump your lips with your own tissue, potentially eliminating worries about allergic reactions or other risks that injectable filler can present. However, if you opt for collagen injections or a fat transfer, both methods are absorbed by your body over time and you will need additional treatments as needed to maintain your desired results.

Want some longer lasting options? Here are just a few other lip augmentation options that you can discuss with your dermatologist or plastic surgeon:

AlloDerm: AlloDerm is a natural collagen “sheet” that is created from donated human skin that is donated to tissue banks. Alloderm, which is also used in breast reconstruction following breast cancer, is implanted through tiny incisions into the lips through the corners of the mouth. When the AlloDerm implant is in its place in the lips, it becomes part of the natural lip tissues, helping to create a fuller, plumper and younger looking lip.

Dermalogen: Dermalogen is a type of injectable HTM, or Human Tissue Matrix, created from human donor tissue. Dermalogen is an excellent alternative for patients who have allergic reactions to collagen.

Fascian Injections: Fascian is composed of fascia, or the connective tissue in the human body that is composed mostly of collagen, that has been removed from human cadaver donor. The fascia is then processed into superfine particles which can be injected into the lips to fill and plump them with natural results.

HylaForm: Hylaform is a “viscoelastic gel” made of hyaluronic acid that will plump and fill lips without the need of a skin test. Hyaluronic Acid is a completely natural substance that exists in the human body and is biodegradable and biocompatible with human hyaluronic acid.

Restylane: Restylane is a cosmetic dermal filler thgat is made of “NASHA”, or Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid. Much like Hylaform, the Hyaluronic acid that makes up Restylane, will provide volume and fullness to the lips and mouth area.

Aside from injectable fillers and implant options, patients can also opt for laser lip rejuvenation. The laser helps to tighten the natural collagen beneath the lips to eliminate fine lines and make wrinkles less noticable. According to some medical professionals, the laser treatments may also stimulate collagen production over time, helping to create a longer term, and more natural looking, lip and mouth area.

These are just a few options, many more exist and the best option is the one that you and your doctor determine is best for you, your desired results, your potential allergies and sensitivities and, of course, your wallet! Prices can vary, but the investment you make in your personal appearance is one that can provide you with huge dividends in self-confidence, a feeling of youthfulness and how you face the world with a gorgeous smile with full, sexy lips!

The reality is that for many of us, aging can take a toll on our lips.  As we age, our lips can become thinner, even drier and fine lines appear around the mouth area.  Collagen begins to break down in the lip and mouth area, causing skin to lose its elasticity.  Over time, we also lose the fullness in our lips due to the loss of subcutaneous fat within the lips, and we can also be more prone to drier, chapped lips.   

For others, sun damage and smoking can cause even more dramatic changes in their lips and area around the mouth.  We even lose lip color and redness, due to effects of sun damage.  Smoking can cause deep lines around the lips, and impact the tiny oil glands that moisturize our lips, causing lips to become dry as well.    So, with the above causes,  thinning lips, fine and deep lines and wrinkles can certainly make a person look even older than they truly are.   

Our lips are such an important and vital focal point on our faces.  We communicate with our lips, we express many emotions with our lips, we even connect our sexuality and sensuality with our lips.  It only makes sense that we want our lips to appear full, sexy, youthful and lush. 

Many of us can use a variety of lip plumping products, lip liners, lipstick and other make-up “tips and tricks” to create fuller lips.  I love to use the Too Faced “Lip Injection” lip plumping potion for nights out or special occasions.  Other lines have wonderful lip plumping lip glosses, like the Lola Lip Tease Volumptuous Plumping Lip Glosses, that will create full and sexy lips with the wave of a lip gloss wand!  However, some women need more than a few beauty products to get the results that they desire.  And, men may not want to wear a lip gloss to get the fuller, wrinkle-free lips that they want.

 
The number of women and even men searching for lip augmentation products and procedures has grown dramatically over the past few years. While many women undergo lip augmentation procedures to simply get fuller lips, there are many women who search out lip augmentation procedures to address the reduction of the appearance of wrinkles. For whatever reason, lip augmentation can give woman (and men!) a more youthful appearance, especially when done by a licensed profession who keeps in mind the balance and proportion of the patient’s lips.  Unfortunately, we have all seen the lip augmentation procedures that have gone horribly wrong, with lips that are simply too plump, unnatural looking, even sometimes painful looking!  Make sure you seek out the best cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist in your area to get the best results.

Before you get any kind of lip augmentation it is really important that you know everything you can about the process or procedure that is recommended for your lip augmentation needs. You should have an initial consultation in which the physician or licensed professional allows ample time for you both to discuss the various procedures and injectables and you have time to ask the many questions you may have.  You should also undergo an allergy test to ensure that the augmentation will be safe for you.  If you have no reaction, the chosen and appropriate filler will be injected into your lips to make them appear fuller and even remove wrinkles.

The most common injectable fillers used are collagen and botox, and the procedure is relatively easy and painless and should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.  You should expect a fairly short recovery timeframe, with some swelling for several hours after the procedure. The swelling usually goes down after a few hours, and occasionally, some patients experience a bit of “numbness”.

The typical cost of most collagen or Botox injections can be as little as about $400 and range up to $1,200. As lip augmentation is considered an aesthetic, cosmetic and voluntary procedure, few insurance companies will cover any of the cost. However, you can ask your dermatologist or plastic surgeon if they offer or can refer you to any financing options for the cosmetic procdures that they offer.  My dermatologist, Dr. Lorrie Klein in Laguna Niguel, California, also offers specials and a Botox club in which you can buy multiple units to be used over a series of visits at a discount.

Finally, as with any cosmetic procedures, they are risks.  One of the most common risk factors for women and men who receive lip augmentation face is a experiencing an allergic reaction. This is why it is vitally important to test for allergies prior to the procedure, and if your doctor does not discuss this with you during your consultation, you should seek another physician immediately.

Another risk is that a patient may not receive the procedure from a doctor or licensed professional.  In some terrible cases, dangerous chemicals have been injected causing horrible scarring and other medical problems.  Some people have fallen prey to scam artists who set up “shop” to inject hundreds of patients with bogus injectables that do nothing but temporarily plump the lips, taking the patients’ money only to disappear and set up yet another scam in another city.  They may also not properly inject the collagen or other injectable filler and you could end up with “bumpy” or “lumpy” lips, overly full and painful lips and other problems.  Don’t take this risk, ensure that you do your due diligence and find the best cosmetic procedure specialist or doctor for your lip augmentation. 

Finally, anyone undergoing injectable lip fillers must know that their lip augmentation will not last forever once it is completed. Most injectable procedures last anywhere from two to six months, so anyone looking to go this route must understand that they will be undergoing lip augmentation procedures anywhere from two to six times a year, and think about that investment over time.  For many, the investment is well worth the improvement in their appearance, and improvement in self-confidence.

Injectable fillers are the most common method of lip enhancement. It is a quick and easy procedure, albeit not completely painless, that produces an immediately gratifying lip result. One of the most common fears of many lip injection patients is that they will end up with a lip that is too big or unnatural. This concern is understandable as society abounds with many examples of overfilled and excessively pouty lips that are the direct result of injectable filler therapy. While those women obviously wanted that result, most women that I see do not and want a more natural and less obvious lip augmentation result.

The lip injection method that I use to get the patient exactly the lip result they want is what I call the ‘Layer and Look’ technique. This is a simple method that anyone can do. Once the lips are properly anesthetized through local anesthetic blocks, I first place a layer of injectable filler along the vermilion-cutaneous border. (junction of pink vermilion with skin) This is an area that enhances the roll area of the lip and is the area that most women want enhanced. The first layer of injectable filler is not a thick layer. Then we get out the mirror and look. The patient can either say that is enough or they want more. Then a second layer is put along the vermilion-cutaneous border for a more significant enhancement. Then we look again. A new layer is only put in if the patient thinks they want more.

The vermilion-cutaneous border of the lips can only be enhanced so much without looking peculiar or like a ‘duck-bill’. If the patient still wants more volume, then I will put a layer of injectable filler into the body of the vermilion of the lip. Putting injectable filler there fills out the lip closer to the tooth level. With each new layer, the patient looks and tells me what they think. This way the lip only becomes what the patient wants and they have input as the injectable filling process goes forward.

This ‘Layer and Look’ method works well and I have yet to have a patient complain that they were overfilled or looked unnatural. In fact, in many cases of first time injectable filler patients, they usually come back the next time wanting more than the first, feeling that they were initially too conservative.

Author: Dr Barry Eppley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Barry_Eppley

Lip augmentation, making the lip bigger, is most commonly and successfully done with injectable fillers. Regardless of the injectable filler used, its instantaneous result is very satisfying in most cases. The use of injectable fillers in the lip, however, is predicated on one important concept…that there is enough vermilion (pink part of the lip ) to expand. For that is what fillers so, expand the soft tissue of the lip.

There are some people, however, that do not have or show a lot of lip vermilion. Trying to expand these thin vermilions with filling agents can create a ‘duck lip’ appearance, which creates more horizontal projection rather than a vertical increase in exposed vermilion which creates a bigger lip.

For these types of thin lips, the only way to really increase the size of the lips is to physically move the vermilion. These two surgical options for lip lifting are the vermilion advancement (lip advancement ) and the subnasal lip lift. (bullhorn or gullwing lift) Both are simple operations but they differ in location on the lip where they are performed and in what they can achieve. They are very similar in that both result in scars.

The vermilion advancement is the removal of a strip of skin to allow the vermilion to move up (in the upper lip) or move down. (in the lower lip) This simple but powerful procedure directly results in more vermilion exposure by the amount of skin removed. In the upper lip, the shape and accent of the cupid’s bow can be designed as part of the cut out. While this does leave a fine line scar at the junction of the vermilion and skin, this procedure affects the entire length of the lip from corner to corner. And its result is permanent.

The subnasal lip lift removes skin under the base of the nose in a gull wing or bullhorn fashion. This places the scar in a well hidden area. But it only creates more of a central upper lip pout as the skin excision is limited to the width of the base of the nose. Therefore, thin lips that taper down to the corner of the mouth will be unchanged. Plus, there will be some loss of the central pout over time as the upper lip relaxes somewhat. For this reason, the subnasal lip lift needs to be overcorrected to some degree.

Surgical lip enhancement is a most effective procedure that offers a permanent solution to small lips. Because of their scars, I do not perform them as the initial procedure for most thin lipped patients. One should undergo an initial injectable filler to ‘prove’ that this temporary procedure will not achieve the patient’s goals. This makes the decision to accept lip scars more acceptable.

Both procedures can be done under local anesthesia, if desired, in an office setting. Other than some temporary swelling, there is very little discomfort and no restrictions after in regards to eating or the wearing of lipstick.

Author: Dr Barry Eppley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Barry_Eppley

The most common method for lip augmentation is with injectable fillers. While other more surgical options exist such as lifts and implants, making the lip bigger by injections are quick, easy to do, and have instantaneous results. (notice that I did not say painless!) While five years ago, only two injectable filler options existed (collagen and a first-generation hyaluronic acid filler, Restylane), the choice between them was pretty clear. But as of today, there are now eight commerically-available injectable filler options and more are sure to come. With so many choices, it is impossible for any patient to know which injectable filler is best for the lips and certainly some physicians are in a quandry as well.

The simple answer is…..none of the injectable fillers is the best. Each has their own individual advantages and disadvantages although certain trends amongst them are clear. First, understand that no injectable filler has ever been FDA-approved for use in the lips in the United States although it is common practice. Technically, the use of injectable fillers in the lips is ‘off-label’ use. Why it has never been approved by the FDA is a regulatory technicality and processing issue from the manufacturer, not one of safety. Lip augmentation probably accounts for nearly half of all injectable filler use for many years so its safety track record is well established. Secondly, the composition of the injectable filler is critical to understanding its effectiveness and safety in the lip. Lip tissue is different from skin as lips are like fingers, we use them alot and they are very sensitive to touch and feel. For this reason, non-particulated fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid fillers are best suited for the lips. Those injectable fillers with particles (Radiesse and Artefill) should not be placed in the lip as their risk of irregularities and nodules (foreign-body reactions) is definitely higher.

I would say that the hyaluronic acid fillers ( boned sugar molecules) are the gold standard for lip augmentation. All of them will work and their effectiveness is the same no matter the marketing name or manufacturer. The only difference between them is……how long do they last and how much do they cost? In short, the question is an issue of value with their use. The only way to figure out how long hyaluronic acid lip injections will last is to know the concentration of hyaluronic acid in the product and how well it is cross-linked together. Both issues which a patient can not determine. As there are no studies that directly compare one hyaluronic acid product to another in a prospective lip augmentation studies (someday there will be but none exist as of now), patients have to guided by what their physician injector tells them.

In my experience, some hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers last longer in the lips than others. The range of persistence is anywhere from 4 to 12 months. For the sake of simplicity, for example, the newest hyaluronic acid filler Prevelle (HA concentration of 5 mg/ml) lasts about 3 to 4 months while Juvaderm (HA concentration 24 mg/ml) lasts around 8 to 9 months in my experience. And, not surprising, the cost in my practice is also different with the longer lasting one priced higher. (as it should be) With such an array of HA injectable fillers, I have found that it is now possible to ‘get what you pay for’. You can now choose your injectable lip augmentation result pretty much on the price you want to pay. Some HA injectable fillers cost more than others but they last longer too.

Author: Dr Barry Eppley

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Barry_Eppley

On a personal note, I have a very expressive face, and had developed a rather deep furrow between my brows at a fairly young age.  This is not terribly uncommon, yet it was something that truly bothered me, I hated seeing that line in family photos, and the turning point was a picture I took with some girlfriends in which one of the friends noted, "You look upset".  I was having a fantastic girls night out, not a care in the world, yet that darn line gave me an older appearance, and that line did create a look of concern, maybe even anger.  That was simply not me.

Discuss your concerns with your dermatologist, as I did.  While I am a great candidate for many injectable fillers and otherwise have great skin, to start a regular regimen of Botox has eliminated that nasty furrow, and brought a very natural, younger, and happier look to my face!  I do not go overboard, my face is still expressive and people guessing my age are typically…oh…about FIVE to SEVEN years off!  Find out what injectable fillers or other injections are right for you. 

Look and feel younger even as you age with the help of Botox. Botox is a toxin which gives your face an overall more relaxed and youthful look without wrinkles.
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