Kelowna Lip Augmentation

JUVÉDERM^® injectable gel is an excellent treatment for a variety of skin problems as well as for cosmetic enhancement of lips and other areas.

I have used JUVÉDERM^® injectable gel for many years now, even before the company was bought by Allergan who also brings us Botox Cosmetic.  Juvederm is a state-of-the-art cross-linked Hyaluronic Acid “Filler” that creates volume and support in the skin where none existed before.  Here is a list of possible treatments with JUVÉDERM^® injectable gel that I use regularly at our clinic in Kelowna. (Juvederm Fillers in Kelowna)

1. Volume enhancement for Cheeks, replacing what time has done to our skin and facial features (saggy, loose skin that gravity  pulls downward)

2.  Treating and eliminating lines and creases in the face that make us look tired, angry or just older.

3. Lip augmentation.  This is a tricky topic because most of us see all the over-plumped lips on television and the news.  These are improperly treated patients in my opinion.  Lip augmentation should be subtle but noticeable and be an enhancement of your lips, not an overdone look that screams “fake”.  Most injectors do not understand the subtle way to approach lips, sometimes less is more!

4. Combining Juvederm with Botox for a Soft-Lift.  Avoid unnecessary surgery.

Injectable fillers such as Juvederm are excellent treatment options for most patients wish little to no downtime and immediate results.

Thanks for reading my little blog.

Cheers

Dr. Craig Crippen
DermMedica

I thought that it would be good to walk you through the entire process so that you know exactly what to expect when getting a Kelowna lip augmentation treatment.

Firstly, call and book an appointment.

We try to make your visit from when you arrive to when you leave as warming and comforting as possible.

Upon arriving at the office, you will need to check in and then from there you will be brought in to meet with one of our consultants.

During the consulting session, we will sit down and answer any questions or concerns.  During the meeting feel free to let them know what are interested in getting done or information you would like.  Remember, we are here for you, so the more questions you ask, then the more answers we can give to ease your comfort.  From what you are looking at doing, we will then give some recommendations about some of the lip enhancement treatments and then talk you through what the process is and how it works and what to expect.

The next step is to meet with myself.  Here, I will review the notes of the consultant and then answer any additional questions or concerns you may have.  Please don’t hesitate to ask questions, as silly as you may feel they are, as I want to make sure that you are as comfortable about the process and procedure as possible.  Once again, I will walk you through the procedure, as I am the one that will be administering it and to let you know what to expect before and after the treatment.

Next is the lip augmentation treatment itself.  There is very little discomfort in the treatment itself and the entire process is pretty quick.  It will be over before you know it.

Once completed, you will be given information on the lip enhancement treatment you had that you can take home and read, and then we will book with you a follow up appointment in 2 weeks.

Try to avoid squeezing or manipulating the lips harshly for 1-2 weeks.  There are no restrictions after the treatment. You can drink liquids, eat food, kiss, do everything you normally.  Your lips will be slightly larger than the final result because of the swelling an injection causes.  Expect your lips to decrease about 20% in size over the next couple days.  If you feel little bumps in your lip, you can massage them gently with a thumb and forefinger, this will normally cause them to subside in one to two days.

If you have any questions or concerns, please always feel free to contact us or leave a comment.

Dr. Craig Crippen

DermMedica

The most common fillers used in kelowna’s lip augmentation treatments are made with hyaluronic acid.  The reason why is because it can create a great degree of hardness (cross-linking) of the gel which helps determine the longetivity of the filler.  On your lips, you want to have a fairly thin filler that lasts between 6-9 months.  The reason for not using a thicker filler is because the thinner fillers will not clump and cause bumps in the lip as often.  This, obviously, is an undesirable side-effect and is much more common with harder/thicker fillers.

This procedure is simple to perform with an experienced physician.  Normally the procedure can be completed in 10 minutes with no downtime.  I would usually apply a topical anesthetic cream to the lips, and in some cases perform a nerve block similar to the dentist to completely eliminate any pain or discomfort.  The results are immediate and you can return to normal activities immediately.

The most common side effect that I see in my patients during a Kelowna lip augmentation treatment is bruising.  The lips have many blood vessels and an injection into this area can sometimes cause small bruises that last a few days.  Very rarely allergic reactions to the filler can occur, but this is not something I have yet to see after injecting thousands of patients.  I usually recommend to patients with many different allergies to avoid injectable products as they are more susceptible to this potential side-effect.

Dr. Craig Crippen

DermMedica – Kelowna Lip Augmentation

Sometimes learning about a subject’s history can give a better understanding.  So, before diving into kelowna’s  lip augmentation treatments, I thought it would be beneficial to look at the history of the enhancement of lips.

Women of all ethnic and social backgrounds have applied cosmetics to their lips to define or alter their appearance since the Stone Age.   Although some early African tribal ceremonies included the practice of introducing various metals into the upper and lower lips to enlarge their lips, it wasn’t until the years around 1900 when surgeons started to experiment with the injection of paraffin, a form of wax used for candles, to try to enhance and enlarge the lips.  These messy endeavours were not successful and included an obvious amount of pain as it was done without anesthesia.

In the early 1960’s, liquid silicone was starting to be used for lip enhancement, but was abandoned thirty years later due to general and later, unfounded fears about the effects of silicone on general health.

Around 1980, injectable bovine collagen was introduced to the cosmetic surgery market and became the standard for injectable fillers.  Collagen is a foreign substance from another mammal and so carries a very large risk (30%) of allergic reactions.  The product also did not last very long requiring multiple treatments and more opportunities to become sensitized to it.

Today, fillers containing hyaluronic acid like Juvederm have captured the attention of consumers and physicians in Europe, North America, South America and Australia.

According to the American Society for Plastic Surgery, in 2009,  1,209,217 hyaluronic acid injections were performed in the united states.  That represents a 9% increase over the year 2008.  This number continues to grow and is approaching the total number of Botox procedures which for the year 2009 sits at 4,795,357.  There are an amazing number of people having these treatments done, most of which you wouldn’t even know because their results are fantastic.  It’s only the poorly done procedures that we see on television as examples of what not to look like.

Kelowna’s lip augmentation procedure is best performed using injectable fillers under local or topical anesthetic.