Lip augmentation is a cosmetic procedure that can create fuller, plumper lips.
These days, injectable dermal filler is the most commonly used method of lip augmentation.
There are many types of dermal fillers that can be injected into the lips and around the mouth. But the most common fillers today are products containing substances similar to hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in the body. Helps increase lip volume.
These types of dermal fillers are sometimes called "hyaluronic acid fillers."
- Collagen, once the most common dermal filler, is used less and less today. The new options are safer and the effects last longer.
- Fat injections and implants are another way to plump your lips. But they are not used as often today because results vary and there is a greater risk of side effects.
Using fillers with hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid fillers can improve the appearance of your lips by adding:
- form
- compound
- volume
The effect usually lasts about six months. After this, you need to give more injections so that your lips do not change.
There are several hyaluronic acid fillers on the market. Among them are the following products:
- Restylane, Restylane-L, Restylane Silk
- Juvederm Ultra, Juvederm Ultra Plus, Juvederm Volbella XC
- Belotero Balance
- HylaForm
- Elevess
- Prevelle Silk
All of these products are administered the same way and produce the same results. And some contain lidocaine, a local anesthetic.
How does the procedure work?
After thoroughly cleansing the skin of cosmetics and impurities, the doctor begins to gradually, in small doses, introduce the biorevitalizant under the skin.
These are real microinjections. They don't cause pain. At the request of the patient, a local anesthetic is applied to the skin before the procedure. At the injection sites, papules appear - temporary bumps that disappear in a couple of hours or a couple of days - depending on the drug and the individual characteristics of the patient’s body. At the end of the procedure, the skin is treated - an antiseptic is used for this. The patient receives recommendations and leaves the clinic. A normal consequence of the session is swelling and redness of the skin. Small bruises may appear at the puncture sites.
Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
Once injected, the gel in the filler supports and shapes the lip tissue.
The benefits of using hyaluronic acid fillers include:
- Control of lip volume. The amount of substance injected can be controlled so that the doctor can better control the volume of the lips.
- Gradual pace of treatment. The injections can be given gradually over different appointments until the desired results are achieved.
- Irregularities are easily dissolved. Any lumps or lumps created by moving your lips will easily dissolve.
- Less bruising. There may be less bruising and swelling compared to other dermal fillers.
- Quite stable results. The results are quite long lasting, but not permanent.
- An allergic reaction is unlikely. Because hyaluronic acid fillers are made from substances similar to those found in the body, they are unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. But if you are allergic to lidocaine, tell your doctor before treatment.
How dangerous is the disease for a child?
Bartholin's glands are a paired organ whose ducts are located at the entrance to the vagina. It is through these ducts that the infection penetrates into the organ, causing an inflammatory complication.
The causative agents of bartholinitis can be the following microorganisms:
- staphylococci;
- streptococci;
- enterococci;
- coli.
Inflammation of the glands may be a consequence of the progression of sexually transmitted diseases caused by trichomonas, chlamydia, and gonococci. Signs indicating inflammation of the Bartholin glands:
- swelling of the labia minora;
- formation of a tumor in the vaginal area, the size of which can vary from a small pea to a chicken egg;
- pain, discomfort in the area of the inflamed area, increasing during walking, intimacy;
- increase in body temperature;
- general intoxication, accompanied by weakness and nausea.
Bartholinitis during pregnancy occurs in 4 stages:
1. Canaliculitis. At the initial stage, the ducts of the gland are affected. The woman is worried about redness of the mucous membrane, pain, which becomes more intense during walking, urination, physical activity, and sexual intercourse.
2. False abscess. The infectious-inflammatory process spreads to the gland, but the pus itself is not yet released.
3. Formation of a cavity with purulent contents. The gland gradually increases in size, pathological symptoms worsen, and the woman’s condition worsens.
4. Opening of the abscess and chronicization of the inflammatory process. If there is no treatment, the abscess ruptures or opens on its own. If the affected tissues are not cleared of pus, the pathogenic microflora remains in the gland, which leads to the development of chronic bartholinitis, characterized by periodic relapses.
Even at the initial stage of development, the disease poses a threat to the health of the unborn child. Bartholinitis during early pregnancy can disrupt the formation of the main organs and systems of the child and cause intrauterine death. In later stages, the risk of infection of the fetus during movement through the birth canal increases. During contractions, the purulent capsule that forms with progressive bartholinitis can rupture at any time, and its contents can enter the child’s body. This, in turn, leads to infectious damage to the organs of the visual, respiratory, and auditory digestive systems. Therefore, the disease must be treated as soon as possible, without allowing it to become chronic.
Side effects and risks
The side effects of hyaluronic acid fillers are temporary and should only last a few days. These may include:
- bleeding from injection sites;
- swelling and bruising;
- redness and soreness at the injection site;
- reactivation of cold sores or blisters (herpes simplex) on or around the lips.
More serious side effects or risks may include:
- severe and prolonged swelling or bruising lasting one week to 10 days;
- lip asymmetry (parts of the lips of different sizes);
- lumps and unevenness on the lips;
- infection;
- injection into a blood vessel causing tissue loss
- ulceration, scarring, or hardening of the lip;
- an allergic reaction that causes redness, swelling, or itching around the lips.
If you develop a fever or severe swelling, you should call your doctor immediately.
Early stage therapy
To diagnose the disease at the initial stage, you need to pay attention to suspicious symptoms and contact a gynecologist as soon as possible. At the appointment, the specialist will conduct a gynecological examination of the internal and external genital organs, identifying swelling of the posterior or middle part of the labia, which displaces the vestibule of the vagina to the side. To confirm the diagnosis, additional diagnostics are carried out, including the following procedures:
- Laboratory examination of gland secretion. This diagnostic method will help identify the infectious pathogen that provoked inflammation of the Bartholin glands.
- Analysis of a vaginal smear to determine the nature of the microflora.
- Bartholinitis during pregnancy responds well to conservative treatment, but provided that the disease is not advanced and a purulent capsule has not yet formed. To stop the inflammatory process, applications with the Miramistin bactericidal solution are used. Decoctions of chamomile, calendula, oak bark, and sage are well suited for washing.
The following medications may be prescribed:
- "Polygynax". It has a bactericidal, fungicidal and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used in the form of suppositories according to the scheme: 1 suppository at night. The drug is safe for children.
- "Levomekol". Antibacterial ointment characterized by a pronounced antiseptic effect. It is used in the form of applications to the area of the inflamed gland.
- Vishnevsky ointment. The effect of use is the same as that of Levomekol. Used in the form of lotions.
Is lip augmentation right for you?
To answer this question, you must first ask yourself why you want to change your lips. You should not undergo this procedure unless you really want to change your appearance.
If you're considering lip augmentation to make someone happy or to try to create the perfect look, think twice.
It is also important to have realistic expectations about the outcome. Extended lips can make your lips look plump and full, but you'll still be yourself when you step out of the doctor's office.
Before undergoing lip augmentation surgery, you must be healthy and not smoke. You may not be a candidate for lip augmentation if you have:
- active infection, such as oral herpes;
- diabetes;
- lupus;
- problems with blood clotting.
Antibacterial therapy
If the disease is advanced and cannot be treated sparingly with the use of bactericidal ointments and solutions, then the doctor decides to use antibacterial drugs. The treatment regimen is determined individually, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the stage of progression of bartholinitis, the presence of associated complications, and the type of pathogen that provoked the inflammation.
To destroy a bacterial infection, the following drugs are often prescribed:
- "Amoxiclav";
- "Augumentin".
The course of therapy and dosage are individual. Also safe for the fetus are drugs belonging to the group of cephalosporins:
- "Ceftriaxone" in the form of injections;
- "Cefexin" for oral administration.
If inflammation of the Bartholin glands occurs with complications, the pregnant woman is prescribed the antibiotic Sumamed. The course of therapy is carried out under the strict supervision of a specialist. The doctor monitors the condition of the unborn child, as well as the effectiveness of the drug used, and adjusts the regimen if necessary.
What you should tell your doctor before lip augmentation
Your doctor can discuss the pros and cons of your lip augmentation options with you and help you decide which method or product is best for you. But you should also tell him all the information about yourself:
- if you have ever had herpes in the past;
- known allergies or allergies to lidocaine;
- about any medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medications;
- as well as herbal supplements.
The most important thing is to find a doctor who is qualified and experienced in administering injections and who you trust.
Don't go to just anyone. Lip augmentation poses a real risk, especially if the person doing the injection is inexperienced. When deciding which doctor to see, ask about his or her training and education. How many injections did he have? Are they a board-certified physician or member of a medical association in their specialty? Also ask to see before and after photos of patients the doctor has treated.
Why is it not recommended to undergo cosmetic procedures during pregnancy?
Women who regularly resort to the injection of hyaluronic acid, fillers, Botox, and laser procedures find it difficult to understand why they should be abandoned during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The fact is that some of the hormonal and physical changes that occur in the skin and body during this period can cause complications. Therefore, experts recommend temporarily abandoning them.
In addition, it is not known whether injected drugs can cross the placenta and pass into breast milk. Large-scale scientific studies on this issue have not yet been carried out, and most likely they will never be carried out. The reason is the ethical difficulties associated with clinical trials involving pregnant and breastfeeding women.
According to Nina Naidoo, MD, many medications and procedures that may be safe for pregnant women simply cannot be recommended due to a lack of data on their safety for mother and baby.
This is why pregnancy is considered a contraindication to many cosmetic procedures due to possible unexplained complications.
How can a pregnant woman protect herself during COVID?
During pregnancy, even if you have been vaccinated against COVID in advance, you should follow sanitary rules that will help reduce the risk of infection:
- maintain a distance of at least 1.5 meters;
- wash your hands or use sanitizer;
- do not touch your eyes, mouth and nose with unwashed (untreated) hands;
- ventilate the premises;
- avoid crowded places.
When the first suspicious symptoms of a new coronavirus infection appear, you should immediately contact a medical facility. It is easier to prevent complications than to eliminate them later.
