A systemic review of clinical studies analyzes data derived from a lot of other related studies. One such study, conducted in 2019, took a lens to lip fillers—specifically how safe and effective they are. Dermal fillers, and lip fillers, in particular, have long been one of the most popular treatments at Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care. Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are the most common, providing immediate results that can last for several months depending on the anatomy treated, number of syringes, and type of lip filler. If you are considering lip fillers but worry about whether they really work and how safe they are, this study review will put your mind at ease.
Lip fillers are here to stay because lip volume is a key aesthetic factor when determining attractiveness for both men and women. Since fillers are here to stay, it’s important to understand how they work and their efficacy. The study review looked at 22 studies that included a total of 3,965 participants. According to researchers, these fillers “turned out to be an effective and safe treatment” overall. The most common “adverse” event reported was local reactions at the injection site, such as redness, swelling, and bruising, which can be expected with any injection (even a vaccine shot). However, these results are temporary and usually dissipate within a few days. The researchers report that the “majority of included subjects were satisfied with the result and their looks.”
Why Lip Fillers?
The study calls the boom of lip fillers a “social phenomenon.” Today, the vast majority of aesthetic procedures in the U.S. are non-surgical or minimally invasive (lip fillers fall in the latter category since they require an injection). Today, soft-tissue augmentation— the technical term for lip fillers—is often the most requested procedure. HA is a great choice because it has a high viscosity that mimics plumpness in other parts of the body (in fact, we make HA ourselves, but HA in fillers is a synthetic version). Most of our natural HA is in our skin, and the highest concentration can be found in connective tissue.
Some people blame Kylie Jenner and other such influencers for creating the demand for lip fillers, but people (women in particular) have been exaggerating their pout for centuries. Simply put, lips that are full and defined (both of which can be achieved with lip fillers) are linked to not only attractiveness, but youthfulness. Our lips change with time and age, getting thinner, deflated, and with borders that become ill-defined. However, the researchers remind us that aesthetic procedures require an expert understanding of anatomy, and especially the surface anatomy, which is why you shouldn’t trust just anyone with your lip fillers. Every provider here is personally trained by Zuzana Likar to exacting standards for your safety and satisfaction.
Understanding the Face of Fillers
The face is naturally divided into three sections, and the lips are the key feature of the lower trio. It’s actually the upper lip that has a big impact on how we aesthetically judge faces. The “ideal” ratio is to have the lower lip just slightly larger than the top, but it has been well-documented that lips thin with age—and sometimes the upper lip can appear to disappear altogether. When this occurs, both lip fillers and a lip flip (using Botox) may be helpful.
In this review of studies, a total of 48 articles were examined. Abstracts were manually reviewed by a secondary author so that any articles that addressed non-related issues (such as cheek fillers) were discarded. Any studies that did not use HA fillers were also excluded. Not only did most patients report that they were satisfied with their results (96.9 percent), but 61 percent reported that they were still happy with results nine months after their treatment. In total, almost 80 percent were satisfied six months after their treatment. The dwindling in satisfaction is likely due to the HA “wearing off” and perhaps the patients not being matched with the right lip filler. Different lip fillers last different amounts of time, which is why you should work with an expert to get the right treatment for you and your goals. We offer complimentary consultations on all treatments, including lip fillers. Call Palo Alto Laser and Skin Care today or, for the fastest response, fill out the online contact form.