July for us is all about the ladies. We are trying to focus on a few topics that we think are relevant to the ladies and the things that you might want to know more about.

So, we are kicking off ladies with a section about lip fillers. I thought it was quite apt as we are mid season in Love Island, the official home of the OTT lip enhancements there. It is a topic that intrigues people and interests people, sometimes not necessarily for the right reasons. So I am here to set the record straight and give you some reliable information about lip fillers.

The Misconception

There are lots of things I have talked about before in the aesthetics industry that are perhaps a little bit misunderstood, lots of misconceptions out there, often held by people that have never experienced any treatments. Understandably so, we look to what is going on in the media to make judgements that are not necessarily depicted as accurately as they could be. The treatments that you notice in the media, on TV, in the magazines, across the spectrum of aesthetic treatments, are the people that have had things done to excess or badly.

So, for people that are not very experienced themselves, it makes them think, “Oh, okay, I know what lip fillers are. Lip fillers are for people have those really kind of overinflated, unnatural, shapeless, excessive looking lips, or, oh, I know what Botox is. Botox is when people look really unnatural, they cannot move their face, they look strange, they cannot express themselves.”

Reality Check

As I have said here many times before, and as I say to clients when I see them in a consultation, actually those are the people that you notice on TV and in the magazines, because their treatments are very, very obvious. Often those people have chosen for them to be very obvious, it is a current fashion at the moment whether you like it or not. However, for all of those people in the public eye that have had those very obvious treatments, there are a plethora of people from, news presenters, sports presenters, men and women alike, who have had treatments, but much more subtly, achieving a much more natural enhancement.

To the untrained eye, you may not spot it. That is the whole point. For me, my client base really are people that are looking for a more natural look. The real core of my clients are people that are working as lawyers, or accountants or in media, office based jobs working in the corporate world, where they need to look good, but they definitely do not want to look ‘done’. They do not want to Instagram their latest enhancement, but they do want to feel confident and at their best when they are at work, interacting, with colleagues and clients.

I think lips are particularly one of those treatments which has quite negative connotations for those that are not in the know.

What would I gain from lip enhancement?

For those of you that do not categorise yourself as wannabee Love Islanders, here are some reasons that people like you seek lip enhancement treatments:

Having naturally very thin lips

Having lips that disappear on smiling

Asymmetrical lips

Ageing lips (lines around the mouth, thinning, down turning, dryness)

Lip treatments have a surprisingly rejuvenating effect on the whole face. I will have this conversation with lots of my clients who are in their 40’s, because a soft lip treatment can really give the face a good lift, a good refresh, by softly tweaking the lips to give them that little bit of hydration, to add back that little bit of definition that perhaps might have been there when you were younger, maybe it never was, or to add that little bit of volume, if you’re someone who has always had very, very thin lips.

Fillers

There are different ways of achieving different lip results. I work mainly with a product called Juvéderm. Juvederm is a brand name. Juvederm has a long history of quality and research and development, and therefore is a very safe and reliable products.

Juvéderm a Hyaluronic Acid based filler, which is a gel-like substance found naturally in the body. We have it in high quantities when we are younger, and as we start to get older, our levels will deplete.

Within the range itself, there are different options. With regards to the kind of product we might inject into the lips, we can consider the kind of result we are aiming for. So in a younger client who is looking for that more ‘plumped up’ look, there is a product that we would go for.

In the more mature client, who is looking for a little bit more definition, a little bit more subtlety, but still wants to see something, then there is a different product that we might use. So in terms of results, it is not a ‘one size fits all’.

So, product choice is one part of it. I have said this numerous times before, but with everything that we do, the best thing in life is to have options. Options are always a good thing. Sometimes they can be overwhelming if we do not know how to choose, but it’s always nice to have options. Your practitioner’s job is to kind of help you whittle down which options are going to be for you.

How much?

So, product choice is our number one decision. The next question may then be ‘how much product should I use?’

For many clients 1ml is the right amount. For some, this may prove too little but can be built on as little as two weeks later. For some, it may be 0.5ml is just enough to get a feel for the treatment process and I am always keen to ensure that people feel as relaxed and comfortable as they can about having a treatment. I am a great believer in, the fact that it is very easy to add more once we have established that you are happy and comfortable.

That being said, we have a package here, which we did a little kind of prelaunch back in February, but we are launching properly now.

Love your lips package allows to you to purchase 1.5ml of your chosen product at a reduced rate. The rules are that the treatment is given over 2 sessions. 1ml at your first treatment, then 0.5ml at the second. If you feel 1ml has not quite taken you where you want to get to the, the 2^nd 0.5ml can be given around 2 weeks later.

If 1ml has been the perfect treatment for you, you can use your 0.5ml 3- 9 months later depending on which treatment you opted for.

The only exception to the ‘Love Your Lips’ package is Volbella as this is only available in 1ml syringes.

Love Your Lips Package

1.5ml Juvederm Smile £380

1.5ml Juvederm Volift £500

This package can be administered over 2 sessions only.