Lip retouching is boom, techniques that work (including Russian Lips)

Kate Middleton, Jennifer Aniston Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Jennifer Lopez they are proof that there is a lot of beauty in thin lips. Alongside them, however, a movement made its way, led by Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid, convinced that the extra-large is instead the feature that makes a face really attractive. And that shows no sign of going out of fashion. “During the pandemic, the requests for volume and definition have more than doubled,” explains Andrea Armenti, a specialist in plastic surgery.

“It’s a trend that started about three years ago in Russia. Soviet women are considered little in their society, and it almost seems that increasing the volume of the mouth by putting it in the foreground hides a message: “We are here too!” ».

Before giving in (or succumbing, it depends on the point of view) to the charm of the full and seductive mouth, it is always important to know the proven methods to redraw the contours and create shape and fullness. Ideally, the best result is one that aims at proportion and not excess and shuns the “Instagram lips”.

TO LIFT
Lip Lift is the minimally invasive surgical procedure (and alternative to the cheiloplasty additive which consists in the grafting of dermal tissue taken from the person into the labial mucosa) and which gives a permanent and fuller appearance to the drooping and very thin upper lip. “A small incision is made under the nose, and after a small detachment, a lifting and removal of the excess skin fold is performed”, explains Juri Tassinari, specialist in reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery. It is a complex procedure that requires some skill on the part of the person performing it. The cost is around 3,000 euros and the result is forever.

TO REDESIGN THE EDGE
The thin line that separates the skin and the labial mucosa is called the vermilion border, also called the crest, and this is where hyaluronic acid is inoculated. One of the most used is Juvéderm Volift formulated with a technology that makes it suitable for this area. «Conveniently positioned with extreme precision and in small doses, it restores definition to the nonexistent contour. You can also act on the filter, the little pigmented micro-line that runs along the upper lip, to give volume. A well designed mouth is a sign of youth and gives an almost invisible but effective improvement », underlines Juri Tassinari. It costs around 350 euros and lasts around 6 months.

TO INCREASE SIZE
The most used procedure to obtain volume and softness also in this case is the lip filler based on hyaluronic acid. «There are different brands and those specific for this area always have a soft and elastic consistency capable of correcting and improving the appearance of the labial mucosa without thickness. The filler is inoculated with fine needles into the soft tissues and over the entire surface of the mouth », explains Tassinari. It costs 350 euros and lasts about 6 months.

Alternatively there is the Lipostructure. «This is a minor surgery and consists of a volumetric increase with injections of autologous fat taken from the abdomen or hips, then purified and re-injected. The fat cells taken can be further fragmented and then, depending on the size, inoculated by means of needles or small cannulas »specifies Tassinari. The cost is 3,000 and the result has an almost unlimited duration.

TO OBTAIN VOLUME WITHOUT POINTS
For those who do not feel like resorting to injections to add turgor and increase size, there is the Permalip. “It gives a definitive solution and consists in the insertion of small prostheses made of silicone, such as those used for the breast, where it is necessary”, underlines Tassinari. These elements can be removed and is therefore a reversible method. It costs from € 2,500 and lasts forever.

TO CHANGE SHAPE
Is called Russian Lipsmedicina the method that consists in giving the mouth the characteristic shape reminiscent of a little heart, just like that of dolls. There are different implantation techniques, and the most common consists in performing multiple injections of hyaluronic acid, released in very small quantities, in the internal part of the labial mucosa. “Generally, very few holes are made and the needle moves in the direction of the edges. The goal is to raise the Cupid’s bow in order to obtain a harmonious and graceful projection », says Tassinari. It is a rather elaborate protocol, which tends to lift rather than thicken and requires considerable skill on the part of the specialist. Cost 500 euros, duration 6 months.

TO ERASE WRINKLES
The approaches are diversified according to the stage in which lines and folds are found. For the furrows that are beginning to be evident, the new generation biorevitalizers are used. “The newest and most effective system involves injections of an aqueous substance based on cocktail of vitamins and protein components, such as amino acids and nucleic acids, using the Nanosoft Fillmed, a particular instrument equipped with microscopic needles for its release. Today it is the best solution to restore smoothness to the perilabial area », explains Andrea Armenti, specialist in plastic surgery. «The advantages are many: it is not painful, it gives an almost invisible result and, most importantly, the components are dynamic, because they give a regenerating boost that is renewed with regular applications». Cost of the session from 180 euros to 250 euros with cycles of 4/5 meetings to be repeated once a year.

For slightly more evident signs, hyaluronic acid fillers with a slightly denser consistency are used. «The filler is injected on the sides and below the wrinkle, in order to lift them significantly and create a sort of smooth mat that attenuates them» specifies Andrea Armenti. The cost is 350 euros and lasts 6 months.

For the barcode, that is the deep vertical wrinkles that form on the upper lip, there is a specific treatment: GC Styler 600 by Seventy. “It is a transparent gel based on biomimetic peptides, molecules that make up proteins, associated with a minimum dose of hyaluronic acid that serves as a vector: once deposited along the entire length of the skin furrows, it fills and stretches them, preserving the elasticity and softness of the whole area », explains Professor Lucio Miori, specialist in dermatology. Once inoculated, these substances give a regenerating boost to the collagen fibers, restoring tone and firmness. The cost is 200/300 euros and lasts about 4/5 months.