The Science Behind Lip Fillers

News has been floating about that Kylie Jenner has had her lip fillers removed.

So I guess now we wont be able to play this game:

Image source:https:me.me

Jokes apart, (this is a serious blog ;) ), the science behind lip fillers is a lot cooler. I'm going to walk you through the whole process, so lets begin:

What are lip fillers?

Lip fillers are organic compounds that are injected in to the lips to give them a fuller look. They are directly injected in to the tissue to 'shape' the lips to become more voluminous.

Before and After Images of Lip Augmentation Procedure. Source: PMC.

Whats their composition?

Collagen derived from a bovine source was the first to be used as a lip filler and was marketed as Zyderm®/Zyplast®. However, possible concerns over allergic reactions forced surgeons to use human derived collagen, which was commercially available as CosmoDerm®/CosmoPlast®. The collagen was derived from a human-fibroblast cell culture.

Through the 1980-1990's collagen was the way to go as far as lip fillers were concerned, however the development of hyaluronic acid as a lip filler, revolutionized the industry. Currently, it is the most commonly used lip filler and several variants of hyaluronic acid are available. Hyaluronic acid is a compound that is found naturally in the extra-cellular fluid (called extracellular matrix) of all animal species. The reason for hyaluronic acid being so successful is because it rarely causes any strong allergic reactions. Hyaluronic acid is commercially available as Hylaform®, Restylane® and Juvederm™.

How is the Procedure Done?

The procedure normally takes about 15 minutes. First, the lips are covered in a numbing agent so that there is minimal pain during the procedure. Next, the a very fine tipped (sometimes flexible) micro-needle is used to 'fill-in' the lips. Finally, ice is applied to the lips so that there is minimal redness and swelling. Of course bleeding may occur during the procedure.

A post shared by Nicole Smith PA - Claremont (@lipsandlattes) on Jul 1, 2018 at 11:22am PDT

How to Get rid of a Messy Lip-filler?

Sometimes a 'lip-job' can have less than desirable results such as uneven or overly filled lips. Luckily, enzymes that digest hyaluronic acid can be injected in to the lips to reverse the procedure and bring the lips back to normal. The filler gradually dissolves over-time.

Final thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . 

So what do you think guys? Is it worth it to get a lip injection? Does it really beautify the face or natural beauty is preferable?