Lip filler is a treatment many of us are tempted by but have been put off by the many horror stories we have heard and witnessed around us. Who can forget the Lesley Ash trout pout? However, the treatments have moved on and vastly improved since those days. But, it is still vital that you choose carefully and know the key rules.
Read these essential rules before you get lip fillers
We asked Dr. Paul Munsanje of Amara Aesthetics and Beyond MediSpa at Harvey Nichols to provide his advice on how to get it right, and avoid any pitfalls with this treatment.
"9 times out of 10, when people come into me looking for a prettier pout, they tell me they want 'just a little in the top'. I will then explain what makes lips luscioius and the golden rules which must be obeyed when having this procedure."
The 4 Golden Rules!
Rule 1: The top lip should be half the size of the bottom lip.
Break this rule at your peril! Generally people make the top lip too big. Why, I don't know- it looks bizarre when the top lip is as big or, even worse, bigger than the bottom lip. The circus look is out. Natural wins every time.
Rule 2: Your lips should generally get no more than 30% bigger than our natural size.
Sometimes people want a big pout but begin with less than average lips. I have to remind people that although it is possible to make lips twice the size, it is almost impossible to do it naturally. The main factor that determines how much air you can put in the tyre is the width of the lips. The wider they are at rest, the more they could increase in size without getting the dreaded trout pout look. Less is more.
Rule 3:Define first, then volume.
The shape of the lip is the first port of call. Generally as we hit our thirties (and younger if we smoke), the outline of our lips becomes less defined and the cupids bow becomes lost. A gorgeous lip definition has two little mercedes signs (the centre of each of these is known as the Glogau-Klein point). It only takes 0.2mls to define this area well so best not to waste filler on other areas when often this can be all you need.
Rule 4: No duck faces!
Or put another way, the projection of the lips should not be too great. Steine's S line is a line from the midpoint of the columnella of your nose to the pogonion (midpoint of the chin). The lips should fall on this line and any deviation from this is a deviation from the average, giving the impression of too full or too small lips. Lips should not be any more than 3mm beyond this or they are perceived as less attractive.