Thank you for your question.
You are getting a lip filler for the first time and the doctor you’ve chosen has recommended
Juvederm Ultra Plus XC and you are getting some conflicting comments as to whether or
not it is right or whether it might be too thick and at risk for creating lumps.
Well, I think that certainly it is understandable to be a little confused about the best options
in terms of the fillers that would be right for you especially since this is the first
time you are doing lip filler.
Just a little bit of background, I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and Fellowship-trained oculofacial
plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
I’ve been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years and injectable fillers
are a very big part of what we do in our practice and lip enhancement is a very popular treatment
in our practice particularly for people who are noticing the volume loss with facial aging.
So when you think about your own lips and since you did not submit a photo, may I ask
you to just look at your lips in the mirror or take a photo and look at the different
elements.
When we look at a lip for enhancement, I look at the following: I look at whether or not
there are some lines around the lips.
I look at the lip border.
I look at the area called cupid’s bow.
I look at the pillars.
I look at the volume of the pink part of the lip.
I look at the proportionality between the upper and lower of the lip.
I look at the lines around the corner of the mouth.
Essentially, there is both a gestalt and from a doctor’s point of view, you’re looking
at different elements of the lip and customization of fillers is important.
Now generally, I find that it is my practice and experience to use softer filler for people
who are getting injectable fillers for their lips for the first time and for that, I typically
use a filler called Restylane.
What I am able to do with Restylane is not only add volume to the body of the lip but
also to place it at the superficial lines.
I am able to place it along the vermilion border and I am able to really sculpt the
lips and be conservative and be minimally traumatic.
And the goal is, especially when you are trying this for the first time, is to really make
this a positive experience.
It is also important that they feel natural and that they look natural.
And I think that it is important that you feel comfortable with the doctor.
You know, we all have our go-to materials that we like using for what we do based on
experience.
So it might be your doctor’s experience that Juvederm Ultra Plus XC is a material
the doctor likes to place maybe at the deeper level of the lips so that the volume is more
robust and maybe so that the material lasts.
You know, there is a spectrum of the filler that it’s offering whether it is from the
Restylane family or the Juvederm family.
They all have different viscosities and different lengths of time that are generally perceived
based on the FDA trials the companies went through to get their fillers approved.
However there is a wide spectrum also of the longevity of these fillers in the real world.
That being said, I feel like because the lips are sensitive and tend to swell and there
is a tendency to be very aware if there is a lump, I tend to go towards the more conservative
and use a softer filler.
This is in no way to disparage your doctor and the decision your doctor is making.
But I think given that you’ve done this type of research, you should discuss this
with your doctor and ask about this type of an option and really understand what you want
to see improve after you are done with this first-time procedure.
So I hope that was helpful, I wish you the best of luck and thank you for your question!