What's better for Lip Enhancement- fat or injectable filler?

Both "artificial fillers" and fat are used in our practice for lip volume enhancement.

Juvederm has proven a popular choice with our patients for plumping and sculpting the lips. It is easy to inject, and after doing a virtually painless nerve block, patients don't feel a thing during the injection. This injectable filler can be put right into the vermillion border (the border between the red and white lip) and also can accentuate the philtrum ( the little vertical lines from the nose to the cupid's bow of the lip). When injected into the lower, deeper portion of the lips, juvederm (or Restylane) add significant volume . It can also be used to correct the corners of the mouth, where creases and lines tend to appear, and can also be injected into the vertical lines around the lips caused by smoking and sun exposure.



Fat grafting is a terrific way to add volume to the face, and is a procedure we add onto many of our facelifts to give a "3 - dimensional rejuvenation." There are two major benefits to fat:

1. It is relatively cheap (volume for volume) compared with fillers: whereas 1-2 cc of filler may cost between $400-$1200, a typical fat grafting session may involve 40- 100 cc of fat and only cost 3-4 times as much.

2. The results you have at 4-6 months are considered permanent.


In most areas of the face the fat is retained very nicely. The cheeks, lower eyes, temple, and jawline all do very well and our patients are very satisfied. The lips and smile lines are a bit less predictable, and occasionally require touchups. These areas of the face are mobile- they move when we smile and talk, and this makes it harder for the transplanted fat to attach and become permanent.

Bottom line is: if you are planning a full face fat grafting session (to correct several areas of volume loss or hollowness), it makes sense to use fat in the lips. If the lips are your only area of concern- consider using an injectable filler like juvederm or restylane. The treatment is quick, easy, and relatively cheap. The only downside- you may have to pop in once a year for a touchup.