I want beautiful, natural-looking lips – what are my treatment options?

Celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, who share pictures of their perfect pouts on Twitter and Instagram have made lip augmentation hugely popular.

But the look doesn’t have to be huge pouting lips.

Last week, Harley Street’s Dr Tijian Esho claimed to have come up with the ideal lip ratio – a thicker bottom lip, with the top lip ‘dipped low’ in the middle – such as Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.

There is a whole range of cosmetic procedures that can enhance lips in a natural way, improving shape and volume subtly.

Lip augmentation increases fullness and creates younger looking lips, with materials that are either permanent or temporary; options include dermal fillers, fat transfers and lip implants.

Experts say that our lips reach their maximum volume in young adulthood and, for many of us, they begin losing their fullness between the ages of 30 and 40.

According to one study, women who have fuller and firmer lips are seen as younger than they really are – and so subtle and natural lip enhancements are a great way of looking and feeling more youthful.

Lip augmentation can make a difference should you wish to shape lips that have become thin with age, wish to boost volume, improve symmetry or if you are looking to get rid of ageing lines or wrinkles around the mouth.

Before you commit to any treatment, we recommend you find of a more youthful you to any clinician who will be able to advise on what treatment you will require to achieve your desired look. You will also need to discuss if your look is realistic as well as any other options and any risks.

With fillers, the primary concern is an allergic reaction, prolonged swelling and inflammation scarring and infections.

With fat transfer, the risks can involve lumping in the fat cells, causing them to group together in one area. However, this can be resolved through massage and/or steroid injections.

And with implants can be rejected by the body’s tissue and migration is also a possibility, but all these risks are a lot less likely if precautions are followed post-procedure.

However, it is important that you seek injectable treatments from a qualified clinician, particularly because of the risks.

Sadly, there are an increasing number of unqualified practitioners offering the treatment of social media sites so always choose a qualified clinician who is trained in this procedure.

Remember, the procedure should always take place in a clinical setting so never accept lip augmentation at a party, in a hair salon, at an exhibition or in beauty spa.

Last week comparethetreatment expert and foudner of #safetyinbeauty campaign, Antonia Mariconda, highlighted the fact that the Ideal Home Show was playing host to a company that is offering anti-ageing treatments on a stand in an exhibitition hall at London’s Olympia. She tweeted: ‘@ideal_home_show‪ why are you allowing this person to carry out injections with needles to the public for cash ? Hardly a Sterile place eh?’

If you are considering getting any cosmetic procedure, it is important that you find the best cosmetic doctor for you. Firstly, you should make sure they are certified and a member of a professionally recognised organisation as well as experienced in the procedure.

It's vital that you understand what can be achieved with lip augmentation and – just as importantly – what cannot. You also need to learn about recovery time, dos and don’ts the possibility of scarring and any risk of complications and what these may be.

Your clinician will need time to understand what beauty means to you, and then assess how best to achieve this with you.
Find a safe, experienced and qualified dermal filler practitioner