Perfect Pout
I remember once hearing Angelina Jolie say that she hated her lips when she was young. Now, her bee-stung lips are desired by many people. But what makes them so good? Let’s look at the perfect lips to break down the best features.
The ancient Greeks recognized that in nature, beauty exists when an object, plant or person has proportion to the parts of itself. This is called Phi Proportions. In medical science, studies have been performed to examine these proportions with the human face. When comparing the upper and lower lips, the lower lip should be larger than the upper by 1.618 times. Change this, and the lips do not look right.
The lower lip ideally should have two pillows that sit directly below the tips of the upper cupid bow. This gives the lower lip sensuality and volume. The upper lip should have one central pillow that fits neatly into the lower lip when they come together. Finally, the lips should have a slight roll out where the lip border and skin unite.
Over the years, the most common complaints of women that come into my practice are lost definition and volume, and smoker’s lines. Where the lip architecture is not well defined, the lips look out of proportion compared to the rest of the features of the face, and the lips themselves look more aged. Similarly ‘smoker’s lines’ are very ageing. This is the name given to the vertical lines that form around the upper and lower lips when you pucker. With increasing age, these lines can be present permanently around the lips, despite your smoking status. Women naturally have estrogen receptors in the skin around the lips. When estrogen levels decline, especially around menopause, the receptors are not activated, so that collagen levels around the mouth begin to fall. This leads to permanent wrinkles or creases.
If you recognize that your lips are not what they used to be, or not what you would like to see, there are many options to change things up. Lip filler is an excellent solution for most people with these complaints. I know, I know. You are thinking no trout pout for me! Well, before you embark on your lip filler journey, there are many things you should check with your injector before deciding to go ahead.
Ideally, your injector should begin by having a face-to-face consultation with you. Lip fillers are not the only option, so there should be an honest and open discussion about what treatment would be best for you. Your injector should then measure your lips in proportion to your face, and try to mimic the Phi proportions closely. This ensures that your lips look natural and never, ever resemble the dreaded overfilled look that Hollywood once worshipped. You also need to make sure that should you go ahead with lip filler, your injector is experienced with both the needle and cannula techniques, and you have a post-procedure review. This keeps you safe, and ensures that your smile remains natural and looks just like ‘you’.
