Most lip enhancement options involve an injection of a facial filler to increase the size of the lips, although implants may be used as well. Some of the options commonly used for lip enhancement include:

• Collagen injections
• Patient's own fat from another area of the body
• Artecoll injections (synthetic material)
• Autologen injections (patient's own collagen from another area)
• Dermalogen injections (donor material)
• Fascia injections (donor material)
• HylaForm injections (similar to natural hyaluronic acid)
• Restylane injections (similar to natural hyaluronic acid)

Each of these different types of lip enhancement offer patients some kind of benefits over others. You can discuss these options further with your doctor in order to determine which procedure is best for you.

Lip enhancement procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and can usually be done in your doctor's office in less than an hour. Anesthesia may or may not be used for this procedure, depending on how the procedure is performed. Injections may only require a topical anesthetic, while implants usually require a local or general anesthesia. An allergy test may be needed if synthetic materials are being used, to ensure that the patient is not allergic to the material.

Once anesthesia is applied and the risk of allergies is eliminated, the filler is injected directly into the lips through a minimally invasive procedure that takes just a few minutes to perform. Proper placement is important in order to achieve optimal results.

For lip implants, the synthetic implants are inserted into the lips through tiny incisions at the corners of the lips. The most commonly used implants include Gore-Tex, SoftForm and AlloDerm. Once inserted, your doctor will close the incisions with stitches, and the implants will remain in place with permanent results.

After a lip enhancement, patients may experience mild discomfort and swelling for a few days, although these side effects usually subside on their own. The lips may appear to be overfilled at first, since some materials, such as collagen, lose much of their volume within a very short period of time. The exact results for your procedure will depend upon the type of augmentation performed and your desired results, although most patients are satisfied with their results.

Most patients can return to work and other normal activities within one to two days after the procedure, although exercise and other strenuous activities should be avoided for a bit longer. Recovery from fat grafting procedures may take longer.

Depending on the type of material used, patients may require multiple treatments over time to maintain their desired results. Many injectable materials, especially natural ones, are not immune to the effects of aging and will gradually deplete.

Although lip enhancement is considered a safe procedure, there are certain risks associated with any surgical procedure. These risks may include bleeding, infection, asymmetry, numbness, nerve damage, swelling and scarring. Most patients undergo this procedure with no complications.

You can reduce the risk of complications by choosing a doctor who is skilled and experienced in performing this procedure.

The chin implant procedure is ideal for patients with a weak chin and/or prominent nose, as this procedure helps to balance the facial features and the appearance of the nose and chin are related to each other. Candidates for this procedure should be in good overall health with no pre-existing medical conditions that can affect this procedure. Patients who have taken Accutane® within the past six months or who are taking anticoagulants should not undergo this procedure.

It is important for patients to have realistic expectations in order to achieve successful results from this procedure. While chin implant surgery can improve the balance of the face and may improve self-confidence as a result, it should only be performed based on the patient's individual decision, not on the influence of others.

The chin implant procedure takes less than an hour to perform and can be done under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the patient and doctor preferences. During the procedure, an incision is made inside the mouth to eliminate visible scarring. A pocket is created when the implant is then placed and positioned in front of the jawbone. Once in place, the implant is secured with sutures and the procedure is completed. Patients can return home the same day.

For some patients, an incision made in the mouth may not be possible. In these cases, the incision is made on the skin underneath the chin so that scars are not apparent.

After the chin implant procedure, patients may experience tightness and swelling in the chin. Any discomfort can be relieved with pain medication, although most patients report pain subsiding after just a few days. A compression garment may be taped to the chin in order to reduce swelling during the healing process. Patients will be restricted to a soft diet for several days until the gums have healed from the incision. For incisions made under the chin, sutures are removed after four to seven days.

Since the incision was made inside the mouth, no scars will be visible after this procedure and there will be no obvious indication that plastic surgery was performed.

Although the chin implant procedure is considered safe for most patients, there are certain risks associated with every surgical procedure. These risks may include:

• Prolonged bruising and swelling
• Reactions to anesthesia
• Infection
• Migration of implant
• Numbness

These risks are considered rare and can be further reduced by choosing an experienced surgeon to perform your procedure. Most patients experience successful results from their chin implant procedure with no major side effects.