Mr Nizar Hamadeh
Otolaryngology / ENT

Lip augmentation: your options for fuller and plumper lips

Written by: Mr Nizar Hamadeh

Published: 10/10/2019 | Updated: 25/07/2023

Edited by: Cameron Gibson-Watt

The demand for improving physical appearances, in both men and women, is increasing rapidly all over the world. Procedures to alter facial structure and attributes, in particular lip filler and lip augmentation, are some of the procedures where demand is continuously rising. Mr Nizar Hamadeh, a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon from London, shares the various types of lip augmentation options available and how the results can differ.

What is lip augmentation?

Lip augmentation is a type of minimally invasive cosmetic surgery or procedure which consists of injecting a volumizer into the lip to achieve enhanced, fuller and plumper lips.

Are there different types?

There are different types of lip augmentation:

Injectable dermal filler - this is non-permanent and the most commonly used method of lip augmentation. There are many types of dermal fillers that can be injected in your lips and around your mouth. The gold standard is hyaluronic acid (HA) which is a natural substance found in the body which helps increase the volume in your lips. Collagen was used in the past but nowadays, HA is the main filler and there are many brands of HA on the market.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) - this is a dissolvable substance and it usually lasts 6-9 months depending on the type, but in general, if it’s injected into the lips, it only lasts around 3-6 months.
Permanent fillers – in the past, these permanent substances were used in the lips, however nowadays we don’t use them since they can cause serious problems.
Fat transfer – this is another method by which fat is either removed from the abdomen or inner thigh, purified and then injected into the lips. This procedure can give long-lasting results.
Tissue grafting, such as dermis - skin is removed from certain areas such as around a C-section scar, which can be cut out and used for lip augmentation. Sometimes, skin can be removed during a facelift. During this, the epidermis is removed and the dermis is rolled and placed in the lip or SMAS tissue, which is the fibromuscular layer of the face. It is the third layer under the subcutaneous (the second layer) and the skin (the first layer). This can be taken during a facelift and then transferred to the lips. The results of this procedure can last a long time.
Lip implants – these could be used which are surgically introduced under local anaesthetic and gives a permanent solution.
Lip lift – this is a surgical procedure that can be used to enhance the upper lip. Generally, the skin is removed from the junction between the upper lip and the nose and then the remaining skin is sutured. This leads to an upward rotation of the lip and results in shorter and youthful looking lips. This procedure is best used when the distance between the nose and lip is too long or for certain shapes of lips where a filler would give nothing more than a duck-like appearance.
V-Y lip advancement – this is a surgical procedure that can be used for both upper and lower lips. It’s offered to certain patients when dermal fillers haven’t lasted very long and they want a permanent solution.

Some patients benefit from only having a dermal filler, while others benefit only from having a lip lift. Sometimes, patients need a combination of two or more procedures to achieve their desired look.

How do the results differ?

All of the above mentioned procedures lead to lip enhancement but every procedure has its advantages and disadvantages. My advice is to see an experienced plastic surgeon that focuses on facial procedures who can properly examine your face and lips, explain to you these procedures, the pros and cons for each of them and offers you the procedure that best suits your case.

Make sure that the surgeon offers both surgical and nonsurgical treatments, as those who don’t offer surgical procedures will only offer you the nonsurgical alternative and vice versa.

You should not undertake such treatments if you have either oral herpes, lupus, diabetes or a blood clotting disorder.

How much does lip augmentation cost?

The cost of lip augmentation would vary according to the treatment offered, it could cost a few hundred pounds for dermal filler to a few thousand pounds for a surgical procedure.

If you’re interested in a lip augmentation, visit Mr Nizar Hamadeh’s profile on the website and book a consultation with him.

By Mr Nizar Hamadeh

Otolaryngology / ENT in London

Mr. Nizar Hamadeh is a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon with private practices in both Birmingham and London. He has performed thousands of facial surgeries after his graduation and has fourteen years of experience practicing internationally in Brussels, Paris, Los Angeles, Spain, Ireland, and the UK. His areas of expertise are face and neck aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, brow lifts, lip surgery, and facial implants. Mr. Hamadeh completed...

By Mr Nizar Hamadeh
Otolaryngology / ENT

Mr. Nizar Hamadeh is a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon with private practices in both Birmingham and London. He has performed thousands of facial surgeries after his graduation and has fourteen years of experience practicing internationally in Brussels, Paris, Los Angeles, Spain, Ireland, and the UK. His areas of expertise are face and neck aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, brow lifts, lip surgery, and facial implants.

Mr. Hamadeh completed his medical degree in 1997, after which he trained in otolaryngology and head and neck in different hospitals in Paris and Brussels. He attained an ENT degree from the University Libre of Brussels in 2004 and was awarded several sub-specialty degrees and certificates thereafter from Belgium, France, the UK, and Spain.

After his ENT degree, Mr. Hamadeh became a consultant at Villeneuve St Georges Hospital in Paris and went on to establish his own practice in 2008 in Paris. Mr. Hamadeh has four years’ experience in public hospitals and four years in private sector in France and the UK as a full-time facial plastic consultant performing cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and has worked for the NHS as a consultant in Leeds and Leicester. He has also established an independent practice in Beirut, Lebanon.

He has attended numerous seminars and taught junior doctors and nurses to strengthen his work and is a valued member of numerous organisations from the British Association of Otorhinolaryngology to the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery.