Many women start to see changes in the shape and fullness of their lips over time. However, not everyone is ready to undergo surgery to regain their fresh and youthful features. If you’re looking for a non-surgical but effective way to rejuvenate your lips, Volbella could be a great option. Here at Le Reve Skincare and Laser Center in Fort Worth, TX, we perform this treatment on a regular basis. Read on to find out why it could be a great fit for you.
Volbella: The Uses and Features
This treatment is an FDA-approved and minimally invasive way to reduce those fine lines and wrinkles that can appear with age, exposure to excessive sunlight, or other lifestyle choices. Unlike some other lip fillers, this treatment yields completely natural results, so it won’t be immediately obvious that you’ve had any work done. In fact, you can discuss what kinds of changes you’d like to see during your consultation so that your doctor can control the size of the dose.
The Active Ingredients
The main ingredient of the treatment is called hyaluronic acid, a gel-like hydrating sugar compound. Because the substance is completely natural and your body produces a very similar compound, you are unlikely to have side effects such as an allergic reaction. Once injected, hyaluronic acid supports and shapes the tissue around your lips, creating a smooth and youthful look.
The Unique Benefits
This treatment is unique for a number of reasons, including the fact that the perioral lines, which are otherwise hard to treat, can be significantly reduced. Many women state that this is one of its greatest benefits, as smoothing out these lines can instantly make you appear years younger. However, there are other advantages to using this treatment, such as the short recovery time and long-lasting results.
Reducing Perioral Lines
A great number of people experience perioral lines, also called smoker lines, around the corners of the mouth. While smoking does increase these due to the shape your mouth makes when inhaling the cigarette smoke, they can also develop as a result of the natural aging process or exposure to the sun. These thin cracks can dramatically alter the way you look, but by injecting hyaluronic acid during your treatment, they can be reduced or even eliminated.
Pain-Free Treatment
Because the treatment is minimally invasive and almost completely pain-free, most patients don’t even require any anesthesia during their appointment. In fact, the substance already includes a small quantity of lidocaine, which is a local anesthetic. This means that you can enjoy the benefits without worrying about any pain.
Easy and Quick Appointment
Another key advantage is that most people can resume their normal activities almost straight away. Your appointment will be quite short and the treatment can usually be administered in around 30-45 minutes, depending on the desired results. If you’d like more extensive changes, you will need to have more injections than for subtler changes, but your visit to the clinic is still unlikely to last longer than an hour.
After that, you are free to go and can resume your normal activities, although it is advised that you stay out of the sunlight for a while. Your results will start to show gradually over the next days so that you have time to adjust to the new shape and look of your perioral area.
Long-Lasting Results
As every patient is different, your results may not show up in the same way as someone else’s. However, the effects generally start to be noticeable right away and grow stronger over the next two weeks. You can expect a long-lasting result, and many people report that the effects of their treatment can still be seen 12 months later. However, most patients who want to maximize the results in the long term return to the clinic for follow-up appointments.
Treatment for the Eye Area
Although the most well-known use for this injection is as a dermal filler for the lips and the perioral area, it can also be used to smooth out the skin underneath the eyes. Because this is a very sensitive area and prone to under-eye bags in many people, Volbella is the ideal solution. It is thinner than many other injectables and thus much better suited to very delicate areas of the skin.
Some results you can expect if you use it around your eyes are decreased swelling, reduced puffiness, and a smoother texture. The area around your eyes will most likely be treated with some numbing cream before getting started, and your doctor will use either a needle inserted at 45 degrees or a cannula. Just like when used on the lips, the results from the injection will last for around 12 months.
The Results
When deciding on a treatment, the most important factor to consider is the results you’re likely to experience. As mentioned, Volbella offers some unique benefits such as a virtually painless injection, a quick and easy appointment with no down-time required, and the ability to smooth out the perioral area, which is otherwise very difficult to treat. Let’s examine what effects you’re likely to experience in the weeks after your appointment.
Increased Volume in the Lips
A number of lifestyle habits, such as smoking or exposing yourself to the sun, can cause you to lose volume in your lips over time. This can affect many women in a negative way, reducing their self-confidence. But with this injection, you can regain your youthful pout quickly and easily. Whether you’d only like to see a small change or you’d prefer to completely alter your lips’ shape, your doctor will be able to determine the ideal treatment plan.
What’s more, you can choose to have your injection only in your upper lip, lower lip, or both. The treatment plan is highly adaptable and can be tailored exactly to your individual needs.
Improved Definition and Clearer Borders
In addition to losing volume in their lips, many people also experience less definition and an increase in lines around the mouth. If you’d like to regain the definition and clear borders of your youth, this treatment can work wonders for you. Not only does this rejuvenate the perioral area of your face, but it also enhances the look of many types of makeup.
Criteria for Eligibility
Volbella is not an invasive treatment and utilizes a substance that is very similar to what your own body produces, so it is suitable for a wide range of patients. The ideal candidate is someone who’s looking to make their eyes pop, remove perioral lines, increase the plumpness of their lips, or regain lip definition.
We will be able to evaluate your situation and advise you on the best options available. In addition to this treatment, we may also suggest some additional measures to enable you to fully reach your aims. Before your injection, your doctor will discuss your goals and general health to make sure you’re eligible. Several factors will be taken into consideration, so be sure to provide a full picture of your health history.
Age and Condition of Your Lips
After the age of 20, we produce less and less collagen, which causes us to develop more lines in the facial area. The amount of change you see as you grow older will also depend on your individual lifestyle choices. Our skin tends to get dryer the older we get, and this is usually most noticeable in the lips, which can get cracked or chapped. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, they may be sunburnt, which makes the issue worse.
Many smokers experience the perioral lines earlier than non-smokers due to the sucking motion of the mouth that is so often repeated when using cigarettes. An ideal candidate would, for example, be someone who has just stopped smoking and is serious about improving both their health and looks.
Allergies
Your injection will contain lidocaine to numb the local area. This is great, as it removes the need for injecting a separate local anesthetic, but there are some people who are allergic to it. Before undergoing treatment, double-check with your doctor whether you have any allergies that need to be considered.
Getting the Most Out of Treatment
Although Volbella is a cost-effective way of re-defining your lips, you are still taking time out of your busy life and spending your money. Thus, you want to make sure you get the best result possible. There are several things you can do before and after your injections to guarantee a better outcome.
Stop Smoking
Not only can the facial expression made when smoking cause further damage, but it also decreases the amount of blood flow in your perioral area. That’s why fewer new cells will be produced, meaning your skin looks less healthy and youthful. By quitting smoking, you are supporting the results of the treatment and ensuring that they last longer.
Avoid Sun Exposure
It is essential that you don’t expose your face to large amounts of direct sunlight right after your injections, especially in the first 24 hours. However, even weeks or months after the treatment, use strong sunscreen with an SPF of at least 45-50 and try to find shade whenever possible.
Take Care of Your Skin
Another great way to take care of your skin is to apply moisturizer regularly. That way, your cells are supported both from the outside and from the inside due to the treatment. In addition to the regular use of chapstick, you could add occasional exfoliating to your skincare routine.
Reduce Stress
A factor that affects how your skin looks and feels, but is not often talked about, is stress. Whenever you feel excessively stressed, your body produces a cortisol spike that promotes the fight or flight response. This can contribute to aging, so it’s best avoided by including mindfulness, meditation, or yoga into your routine.
Renew Your Treatment Regularly
Finally, although the injection is long-lasting, this does not mean forever. Your doctor will collaborate with you to create a treatment plan suitable to your needs and individual situation, and it’s important to stick to that for the best results. Because everyone is different, your plan will be unique to your body and desired outcome.
Enhance Your Lips Today!
Now that you know what Volbella is and why it’s such an effective method for reducing the fine lines, increasing the volume, and enhancing the definition of your lips, it’s time to take action. This innovative treatment could be your path to regaining that youthful pout of the past. Get in touch with Le Reve Skincare and Laser Center in Fort Worth, TX today to book your initial consultation and take advantage of our compassionate and professional services.
