Botox for Lip Lines
Botox works by relaxing the muscle of facial expression which through repetitive movement forms a wrinkle in the overlying skin. The orbicularis oris is a circular muscle which puckers the lips. Precise administration of botox into the orbicularis muscle with soften the vertical lip lines. Generally, about 10 units of botox is necessary for this area. Both upper and lower lip lines can be effectively treated. Botox is a simple office procedure taking about 10 minutes with minimal pain and downtime. Botox takes about 5 days to work and lasts up to 4 months in this area. Botox can also be combined with another modality such as filler or resurfacing for a better effect.
Facial Filler for Lip Lines
Facial filler works by filling in the deeper lip lines. Only a very soft and pliable filler will work in this area as it needs to be injected very superficially into the dermis. Volbella is a new generation filler designed specifically for lip lines. Volbella utilizes newer cross linking technology (VyCross) to maximize longevity and minimize side effects such as swelling. Volbella is a very fine, soft, and pliable hyaluronic acid filler which can be injected intradermally without bumps or contour irregularity. Volbella is a simple office procedure with minimal downtime. Volbella lasts up to 18 months.
Before and After Photo: Treatment of Lip Lines with Volbella and Botox
*All patients are unique and results may vary
Resurfacing for Lip Lines
Resurfacing treats lip lines by smoothing the skin and thereby decreasing the appearance of the wrinkles. Resurfacing options include deep chemical peels, mechanical resurfacing such as dermabrasion or microneedling, or laser. Lip lines tend to be very deep and thus generally require more aggressive resurfacing techniques. Generally, resurfacing for lip lines is more invasive than botox or fillers and is associated with a much longer recovery period to allow the skin to heal. For this reason, resurfacing for lip lines is generally done in association with a more global procedure such as full face laser resurfacing or a facelift.
Before and After Peri-Oral Resurfacing for Lip Lines with Fraxel Re:Pair CO2 Laser
*All patients are unique and results may vary