Lip Thinning FAQs
Q. What is lip thinning?
A. The lips begin to thin and lose fullness as we go through our adult years. Besides the lines that form in the skin perpendicular to the upper and lower lips, there is also a tendency to lose the definition of the Cupid’s bow area with flattening of the pillars of that area.
Q. How does lip thinning occur?
A. This is a very interesting question. This occurs as a result of the action of the muscles of the lips, natural aging, sun exposure, and sometimes smoking. This causes a reduction primarily in collagen and less so other substances in the second layer (dermis) of the skin.
Q. What can I do to treat lip thinning?
A. Our providers treats lip thinning with a variety of modalities. Most commonly with Juvederm or Restylane filler, also, frequently a very small amount of Botox is added to hold the filler in place longer.
Q. How long does Juvederm or Restylane last around the lips?
A. Depending on exactly where the treatment is used in the lips, the movement of the lip muscles may cause Juvederm or Restylane to be reabsorbed more quickly than normal. Therefore, there are patients where minimally relaxing the lip muscles with Botox allows Juvederm or Restylane to last the normal amount of time approximately, nine months.
Q. Are these injections painful?
A. The lips are a more sensitive area. To minimize discomfort, a topical anesthetic may be prescribed to apply prior to your appointment or a local anesthetic will be injected above the area prior to treatment. To optimize your comfort during this procedure, we may also apply an ice pack before and/or after the treatment.
If you would like more information on the treatment of lip thinning, please contact us to schedule a visit at our conveniently located offices.