Question:
I have great teeth so get quite a few compliments on my smile. But as I have gotten older, I notice that my lips seem to be thinner (could this just be my imagination?). I would like to have lip enhancement using the most highly recommended injectable filler. Is collagen still the best material? Can this cause any sort of allergic reaction?
Answer:
Collagen has been replaced by hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm. Collagen had a very short duration and the animal derived forms had an allergic risk. Juvederm and Restylane will last between 6 and 12 months in the lips depending on the patient. 12 months is on the long side. There are rare reported incidents of sensitivity to Hyaluronic acid products, but no true allergic reactions to my knowledge.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham