In recent years, dermal fillers have become one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatments for women of all ages. Between smoothing wrinkles to creating the perfect pout, its easy to overlook another common use for cosmetic fillers – treating chapped lips. At ICLS Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, more patients are coming in to take advantage of this little-known benefit of dermal fillers. See for yourself by scheduling a visit to our Oakville specialists.
The Culprit Behind Chapped Lips
Skin is made up of pores, which produce natural oils that help keep moisture inside skin cells and skin hydrated. In addition to being much thinner than skin elsewhere on your body, lips lack these important glands. This makes lips especially susceptible to drying out and becoming chapped.
While most patients blame winter weather for chapped lips, that’s not the only culprit behind dry, flaking lips. Excessive licking of the lips, certain medications and sun exposure can also dry out delicate lip tissue and cause the skin to dry out and even crack. In some instances, a more severe form of chapped lips known as cheilitis can occur, creating cracked skin at the corner of the mouth.
Hyaluronic Acid – The Secret to a Perfect Pout
There are a few different ways to prevent lips from chapping but healing them after they’ve already started to dry can be challenging. Enter cosmetic fillers.
When most people think of dermal fillers for lips, they often think of Instagrammers with full-looking pouts. In truth, the same compound that adds volume to lips also helps skin cells on lips retain moisture. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance our bodies produce that can attract and retain moisture. Most notably, hyaluronic acid can hold several times its weight in water – making it ideal for helping restore areas where collagen loss and sun damage have created wrinkles.
The same concept for smoothing wrinkles with hyaluronic acid fillers applies to chapped lip treatment. As the filler gel is injected in small increments to specific areas of the lips, the treatment helps replenish diminishing levels of hyaluronic acid and bring hydration back to the skin. By the end of their treatment session, patients are able to enjoy smooth, hydrated and full looking lips.
Finding the Right Filler
The key to naturally full, hydrated lips is choosing the right filler for your needs. While there are many filler options available to patients, not all are made for lips. Lighter weight formulas like Juvéderm® and Restylane® are the ideal texture for creating the appearance of naturally full lips without looking comical.
At ICLS Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, our experts offer these and several other leading hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Our wide array of options ensures patients receive treatment that enhances their natural appearance and addresses their concerns. To learn more about the ways dermal fillers can prevent chapped lips while improving your looks, call 905-842-2262 today and schedule a consultation with our specialists in Oakville.
While Southern California doesn’t experience a traditional winter that includes snow and freezing temperatures, cooler, dry air can still take a toll on our skin, and it can be painful. If your lips are currently chapped and dry, you know exactly what we mean.
Tired of endlessly reapplying lip balm and making sure you don’t lick your lips before stepping outside? We have a little known but effective solution that offers long-term relief for winter lips: Dermal fillers.
Dermal fillers could be the solution your lips need to stay supple and hydrated all winter long.
What Causes Dry Winter Lips?
During the winter, you may notice that the skin on your lips dries out before the skin on hands, face, and body. Unlike the rest of the skin on your body, lips do not contain oil glands and are, therefore, at higher risk of drying out and cracking. Habitual lip licking is also a culprit as your saliva can reduce the moisture in your lips even further. While it might seem tempting to lick your lips when they feel dry, it actually worsens the condition.
If your chapped lips during this season aren’t severe enough to warrant medical intervention, we recommend using a lip balm that is high in emollients and contains petrolatum to lock in moisture. Additionally, covering your lips with a light scarf when you step out can add a barrier of protection.
If these preventative measures are not enough to ensure you don’t deal with cracking lips, it may be time to try injectable hyaluronic acid fillers.
How Can Dermal Fillers Help?
Dermal fillers are traditionally used for cosmetic reasons like adding volume to cheeks, plumping lips, reducing undereye circles, and filling in lines and wrinkles. Our patients love the natural-looking results they can achieve with these quick, in-office treatments, but few are aware of their lip healing properties.
Some fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero are composed of hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a naturally occurring compound in the human body and works to attract and retain moisture in the skin. HA can retain over one thousand times its weight in water within a cell. This extraordinary ability to retain moisture makes HA the perfect solution for dry lips. When filler containing HA is injected into the lips, patients see a plumping effect with the added bonus of smooth, moisturized lips for six months to a year.
Because it doesn’t take much filler to deliver the right amount of moisture to the lips, patients do not need to worry about overly plumped lips and can decide just how big or small they want their results to be.
Why is Dr. Matt Hershcovitch Your Best Choice for Lip Fillers?
Dermal filler injections are quick, non-surgical procedures that in other offices are often delegated to nurses. Dr. Hershcovitch performs all dermal filler injections himself at his practice. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, his high level of training and understanding of facial anatomy help him create unmatched results that are natural-looking and work in harmony with the rest of your facial features.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Hershcovitch to learn more about dermal fillers and get started today.