We’re not into pouting at Costhetics, but we are into pouty lips. (We also like potty mouth, but that’s another article altogether).
You can imagine how excited we were to learn about Lip Flips, a trending lip-plumping treatment that’s really taken off, so we made a point to learn more about the treatment Allure Magazine says will give you a “fuller, sexier pout.”
Why Mouths Say Yes to Lip Flip
Anti wrinkle injections recently celebrated two decades’ as the world’s favourite way to “freeze” facial muscles and erase wrinkles. Now, at age 20, the Big B has found a new career…as a lip enhancement treatment. A single round of injections can
- Enhance the UPPER rather than lower lip (this is known as the Lip Flip)
- Elevate the corners of your mouth
- Erase marionette lines at the side of your mouth
- Correct a gummy smile
- Reduce creases in the upper and lower lip area
“As someone who has received the lip flip – I’m telling you right now it’s the quickest, easiest beauty treatment I’ve ever undertaken,” journalist Chantelle Schmidt reported on Pedestrian TV. “(It gives a) more subtle result than filler. It’s also a good choice for someone not wanting volume, (but just) a slight poutiness to the top lip.”
The Lip Flip Treatment: How’d They Do It?
A clinically tested anti-wrinkle injection is now commonly used to make lips more full. When injected strategically into a complex of muscles encircling the mouth (the orbicularis oris), this injectable dramatically changes the appearance of your lips to “flip” the upper lip up, giving the appearance of more volume without filler. The treatment takes just a few minutes, but it’s quite complicated due to the demands of placing each injection just-so.
Only the superficial layers of muscle on each side of the lower and upper lip should be treated. When used properly, anti-wrinkle injections relax the muscle fibres just enough to “flip” the upper lip outward. This makes the lip appear larger and fuller, without affecting its ability to function. The secret to success is in the depth of the injections.
For the Best Lip Flip, Choose a Pro
The aesthetic skill, medical knowledge, and real life experience of the injector have a bigger impact on cosmetic results than the injectable itself. For example, too much anti-wrinkle injection will give you a smooth, attractive lip line, but will also prevent your mouth from functioning properly. It can make it difficult to pucker up for a kiss, whistle, and use a straw (Bye-bye smoothies and milkshakes.) Poorly placed injections can even affect speech and enunciation. These problems are not associated with lip fillers.
On the flip side, Lip Flip treatments are more affordable than fillers. Only a small amount of the anti-wrinkle injection is necessary, far less than is required with other injectables. Lip Flip injections last from two to four months versus about a year for filler injections. However, due to the low per-injection price, they are still easier on your wallet than dermal filler.
Anti-Wrinkle Injections vs. Fillers for Lip Augmentation
Dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections come from two different worlds:
- Anti wrinkle injection – a purified protein that temporarily paralyses facial muscles
- Dermal fillers – made from a filler that is metabolised by the body (most often) adds subtle volume
Because fillers and anti-wrinkle injections work differently, some aesthetic professionals combine the two treatments to help patients achieve one set of beautiful lips.
Don’t Flip Out: Ask These 3 Questions Before Lip Augmentation
Choices, choices, choices! With so many ways to enhance your lips, you may be wondering which is best for you. Stop wondering and ask an expert. During your consultation, you will decide on the best option together, based on your medical history, your physiology, and three key questions. Have your answers ready before you schedule your appointment:
- What type of look do I want? (Natural looking, subtle, dramatic, etc.)
- Do I want to define the edges of my lips?
- Do I want my lips to look larger and filled in?
Are Larger Lips Here to Stay?
“The American Society of Plastic Surgeons highlighted an increase of 50% in lip augmentation for 19 to 55-plus-year-old patients between 2000 and 2016,” reports Elle Magazine in an article titled The Age of Lip Fillers – Why’re We So Obsessed with the Perfect Pout.” Now, with the Lip Flip added to a list of mouth-centric treatments, women can choose whether they want to go ‘natural’ or full-on Kylie Jenner.
Costhetics thinks that’s great!