The lips are the most expressive part of the human body. Beautiful lips are defined by their pout, fullness and by the movement and interaction of the interlocking flattened M and W curves of the upper and lower lips. Lips may be described as expressive, pale, innocent, pouting, smiling, seductive, erotic or quivering. In western cultures, a woman's narrow lips project restraint and lack of desire while fuller lips, especially when held slightly apart, are associated with sexuality, passion and voluptuousness.
With time and recurrent exposure to sun and smoke, the lips age. They lose their elasticity, the muscles around the mouth start to thin, and vertical lines appear where they never existed before (especially in smokers). The lip may have gradually thinned to where the pink of the lip is less and less seen (and may be made up for by application of increasingly more lipstick on the upper lip skin).
Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not the color,
but to accept God's final decision on where your lips end
Jerry Seinfeld (1955 - ____) US comedian
The lip may have also elongated so the upper teeth are no longer seen on smiling. The upper lip may have deep perpendicular lines (smoker’s lines) which undesirably frequently seep and draw lipstick into them. Finally, the corners of the mouth may have turned down, and in some, deep grooves have formed along the cheeks, termed "Puppet (or marionette) lines" or worse, "drool grooves".
Rejuvenation of the lip depends on what an individual's specific combination of aging features a particular patient's lip has and demonstrates. Lip procedures can balance the upper and lower lips, correct irregularities or deformities, or enlarge lips for a fuller, more youthful look. The approach to each lip is customized both to the aging hallmarks noted and to the INDIVIDUAL patient’s personal wishes. In choosing a particular lip rejuvenation procedure, serious consideration should be given to make the lips more proportionate to the face.
Lip Augmentation and Filling - The thinned lip and the Puppet lines at the corners of the mouth can be filled by any of several soft tissue fillers (i.e. Restylane etc) for a full, soft natural augmentation. (Please, see the section on Wrinkle Correction on this web site).
The Results are Immediate and Long-Lasting
Click on any of the images below to zoom in and see larger Before-and-After images from Q-Med of Restylane treatments. |
