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These days, getting lip fillers is almost as common as getting your nails done, having your hair coloured or watching three seasons of Gossip Girl in one serving. And while we're all for doing whatever makes you feel good (go you!), it's probably worth doing some research before skipping into a clinic and getting jabbed in the face willy nilly. Mmmkay?
The most important thing is that you're well informed about exactly what you're having done, why you're having it done (you better be doing it for you. And ONLY you), and that you see an experienced professional. Cause no one wants to wind up on Botched looking like another casualty.
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So if you’re considering lip fillers for yourself, or are simply intrigued/want to have a perve as to what goes on, we cornered cosmetic injector Dr Giulia D'Anna from Dermal Distinction and asked her everything we wanted to know about lip fillers.
What are lip fillers?
Okay, first things first. What exactly are fillers? "Dermal filler is an aesthetic-based gel that is injected into an area to enhance or reshape it. They are specifically made for the enhancement of your features and the reduction of folds and wrinkles."
You know the hyaluronic acid in your serums and moisturisers? This is what dermal fillers are generally made up of - weird, right? Dr D'Anna said, "Hyaluronic acid (HA) is found in our skin and is a naturally occurring sugar chain that gives our skin plumpness and attracts water to the skin, creating hydration. However, the HA in dermal filler is made in a laboratory. HA levels in our skin do change over time, as our body changes or breaks it down with enzymes as part of our metabolic processes. Over time, this can lead to sagging of the skin and folds that never used to be there."
Sad face.
Okay, so why are lip fillers so dang popular?
Whether you want to blame Kylie Jenner, social media filters or those weird Tiktok challenges (it's 2020 and people are putting glue on their lips to make them look big - we'll just let that sink in for a moment), the era of big pouty lips is still very much upon us.
"Lips are a sign of youth," said Dr D'Anna. "When you think about a younger person, their lips are generally plump. As we get older, this lip tissue is lost and the lips instantly make our face look older."
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Hands up who else feels they've just always had shoelaces for lips? Cause same.
"When you think about it, every human interaction involves our lips. That is how we show emotion, how we speak and how we function. They are essential. Human communication involves glancing between the other person's lips and eyes. Lips are the centre of our being."
We're so...creepy? Love it.
"Plus, Instagram and Facebook have also made people aware of what is possible. It is a hugely popular treatment," said Dr D'Anna.
Are there different types of filler? Or am I making this up?
So what's the go? Is it just a one-size-fits-all thing? Well, no. It turns out there are many different kinds of fillers, and they all do different things for different people. "I use different lip fillers that are specific to my patients. Some patients prefer their lips to look natural and subtle, just a little more enhanced. These patients need a super soft lip filler."