Lip Augmentation

Introduction to Lip Enhancement

The lips are centers of affection and verbal communication, smiles, frowns, and kisses. For many men, but most especially women, voluptuous lips are one of the most alluring parts of the face. Some people are born with lips that are kissable and shapely, yet have been disappointed to find that they have diminished with age. Others are born with lips they always wished were fuller. Either way, luscious lips are forever in style and will always be attractive. A full set of lips instantly enhances an already attractive face—from pursed and aged to youthful and sensual. It is very easy to get the lips you've always wanted by simply adding volume.

Lip Fillers

For short-term volume enhancement of the lips, an array of temporary soft tissue fillers can be used:

Juvederm® is made of naturally occurring substance called hyaluronic acid. It is an injected filler that provides volume and hydration. Because hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body, it does not cause allergic reactions.


Restylane® is also a hyaluronic acid filler. It maintains its shape by binding itself to water that is already present in the lips. 


Evolence® is a new filler made of collagen that is designed to mimic the body's naturally occurring collagen. Because of this, the filler is able to join the current structure of the lips and support the existing collagen. It adds strength and volume to the lips for a natural, longer-lasting result. 

These fillers can last from a few months to a year.

Lip Implants

For longer lasting enhancement, there are two options: fat transfer or an AlloDerm® graft.

The fat transfer process uses fat taken from another region of the patient's bodyuses the patient's own fat from another area of the body and it is re-injected evenly into the lips for a natural, complication free enhancement. There are no allergic reactions involved.

An AlloDerm® graft is like a lattice structure that lets vines grow in your garden. It is a piece of skin that has been stripped of its living cells; all that is left is a soft, collagen structure. The collagen structure is inserted into the lip where it allows the patient's own cells to attach and grow, which provides the enhancement. The graft is placed easily through small, inconspicuous incisions in the corners of the mouth. The result is a very natural look and feel for long term enhancement.

Because both AlloDerm® and fat transfer use human tissue for enhancement, there is no chance of inflammation or an allergic reaction.

Enhancement Maintenance

Maintaining the enhancements to your lips is very easy. Depending on the filler that Dr. Shapiro a Scottsdale plastic surgeon recommends for you, your enhancements will need to be maintained approximately twice per year with a quick visit to his office.

Upper Lip Lifts

For some patients, losing upper lip volume also means gaining unnatural distance between their nose and top lip. The unusual distance gives the face a long and unbalanced appearance. An upper lip lift can easily remedy this situation by raising the upper lip to its original height, increasing the volume, and give the lip a more delicate upturn in the center.

The procedure is performed through an inconspicuous incision placed at the base of the nose.