Every year, the cosmetic industry releases dozens of lip products to help your lips look fuller, brighter, and younger – but is that the best way to plump up your pout? Dermal fillers for the lips can be an excellent option to reduce the visible signs of aging and also contour your appearance. At ICT Eye in Wichita, KS we know that Volbella is an excellent option for patients who want to enjoy long-lasting, natural-looking results.

Volbella is a dermal filler that is designed to contour the lips and soften lines around the mouth. This filler is most commonly used to increase lip volume to erase the appearance of lipstick lines and smokers lines on the lips and around the mouth. Many patients like to use this treatment to soften small wrinkles at the corner of the mouth. You can also use this filler to embolden the appearance of the lip border and Cupid’s bow.

How Long Does It Take for Volbella To Settle?

If you’ve never had a dermal filler before, then the concept of an injectable treatment settling into the skin may be foreign. Essentially, settling means that the gel-like filler is fully absorbed into the skin and is working to enhance the volume of the skin. Different fillers settle more quickly than others. For Volbella, it will usually take about two weeks for the filler to fully settle into the skin.

For your results, this can mean that the initial plump results you saw the first few days after your treatment may seem to deflect for about a week. This is a good sign because it means that the active ingredients in the filler are being absorbed by the body and are starting to work. As the filler starts working, you will notice that your lips will appear fuller and visible lines around the mouth will soften.

What Is Your Recovery Like?

Recovering from a lip filler is a little bit different than recovering from any other type of dermal filler. For the most part, some instructions will remain the same, such as directions to not touch, rub, or roughly massage the injection area, as this could disturb the settling of the filler product.

For a lip filler, you may have additional instructions, such as directions to not move your mouth very much during the first 12 to 24 hours. You may also need to stay away from spicy food, hot beverages, and other potential lip irritants.

How Soon Will You See Results?

Because it will take two weeks for the filler to settle into your skin, you will likely not notice your optimal results until at least 10 to 14 days after your appointment. Depending on the aesthetic goals you’re trying to achieve, the speed of your results may differ.

For example, if you are only using this treatment to contour your lips, then you may be satisfied with early results as soon as 10 days after your treatment. If you are using the treatment to combat the visible signs of aging around the mouth and on the lips, you may need 14 or more days to achieve optimal results.

How Long Will Results Last?

Many dermal fillers designed for the lips will usually only last six to nine months, but Volbella is different. You can expect this dermal filler to last for at least 12 months at a time. This is because of the Vycross technology that is built into the dermal filler. Vycross technology allows the filler to be flexible, yet fully present in lips, which gives the lips a fully rejuvenated and refreshed appearance.

Is There a Best Age for This Treatment?

This filler is approved for use by anyone who is 21 or older. Depending on how you wish to use the filler, using a lip filler this early in life may or may not be suitable for your needs.

For the most part, people who use this treatment between their 20s and 30s are usually trying to contour lips to achieve a specific aesthetic goal. If you’re using this treatment between the ages of 40 and 50, you’re likely trying to reduce visible signs of aging and restore the useful texture and volume of your lips.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Do Dermal Fillers Work?

Essentially, these treatments work by injecting a gel-like formula into the skin that will immediately increase the volume of the skin from the subdermal layers. But the true magic behind dermal fillers is the way the unique formulas work with the body.

For example, and other Juvederm fillers are all made with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural molecule in the skin that can hold several times its weight in water, so when artificial hyaluronic acid is injected into the skin, it naturally draws water into the skin to restore skin volume. Furthermore, these fillers are unique because research indicates that this special sugar molecule can also encourage the natural production of collagen.

2. What Is Your Treatment Like?

Your treatment appointments will usually take about 20 minutes to complete and are generally very comfortable. It’s up to you whether or not a topical numbing cream will be used on the lips to prepare you for the injections. Some dermal fillers are formulated with lidocaine to make injections more comfortable. Overall, you should be able to have your treatment and go right back to your normal daily activities.

3. What Are the Advantages of Dermal Fillers?

There are a few significant advantages to using dermal fillers. For example, the results of dermal fillers can last for a year or longer most of the time. As scientific discoveries are made, dermal filler technology is becoming more effective and new fillers are lasting longer than ever. A few other reasons you may want to consider a dermal filler treatment include:

Non-Surgical

The fact of the matter is that, for many people, surgical techniques to achieve aesthetic goals are falling out of style because plastic surgery is more painful and has a prolonged recovery time that is inconvenient. The fact that a dermal filler is non-surgical is a huge advantage, because this means there is a significantly lower risk of scarring and other negative side effects.

Many Products

If you are using a dermal filler like Volbella, then you get to benefit from using a product that comes from a long line of other products. The Juvederm family of dermal fillers are widely used and respected. The ability to have many products to choose from allows you to be more versatile in your treatment so that you can achieve all of your goals.

Customizable Treatment

Finally, dermal fillers are highly customizable. What this means is that your treatment will be personalized to your precise needs. Injectable treatments such as this one will be tailored to restore skin volume in each specific area you desire. If you only want to contour one area of the lips, for example, then the filler will focus on this one area.

4. Are There Any Factors That Will Affect How Long Results Last?

The ability to enjoy the results of your treatment for 12 months is already impressive, but you may be interested in helping your results last as long as possible. For example, the number one enemy of a dermal filler is sun exposure. When dermal fillers are exposed to unprotected sunlight, the UV rays in the sunlight will break down the filler formula more quickly. For this reason, you may want to invest in lip care that also includes SPF to help maintain the volume of your lips.

5. Are You a Good Candidate?

If you are over the age of 21, you are not allergic to any of the filler ingredients, you’re not currently pregnant or breastfeeding, and you do not have an active lip concern like a fever blister, you’re likely a good candidate for the treatment. You will need to attend a consultation and provide your medical information, including medication and supplements you are currently taking, to assess your eligibility.

Plump Up Your Pout

Having luscious, full lips is the goal for many people, but ordinary lip cosmetics may not be adequate to achieve this goal. A dermal filler like Volbella from the Juvederm family of products is an excellent option for most people. If you think this treatment is right for you, contact us at ICT Eye in Wichita, KS today to schedule your first appointment.

Are fine lines and wrinkles making you feel insecure about the way you’re aging? Do you want to find a way to turn back the clock and refresh and rejuvenate your skin, all while keeping your natural beauty? Then Voluma may be right for you. With just a few simple injections, you can enjoy younger-looking, gorgeous skin that will have you feeling more yourself again! To learn more about this incredible treatment, offered here at ICT Eye in Wichita, KS, read on.

Where Can You Inject Voluma?

This amazing injectable can be used to treat various cosmetic concerns all over the body. It’s primarily used on the face to treat fine lines, more severe wrinkles, and sagging skin; think frown lines, hollow cheeks, sunken temples, marionette lines, smile lines, and nasolabial folds. It’s commonly used to fill out thin lips that have either always been thin, or lost volume with age. Incredibly, it can even be used to smooth out and soften skin and diminish the appearance of protruding veins on the hands!

What Actually Is Voluma?

Voluma is a series of injections known as a “dermal filler”, which means it uses a key ingredient called hyaluronic acid, or HA, to add hydration and volume to the skin. This FDA-approved cosmetic treatment is a cost and time-effective alternative to surgical cosmetic solutions like a facelift. It also provides more natural-looking results that leave patients looking restored and stunning without ever looking “worked on”. And with over 3.4 million Americans undergoing treatment in 2020, you have to admit this hit treatment must be doing something right!

How Does Hyaluronic Acid Hydrate the Skin?

HA moisturizes the skin by binding to water molecules it finds in the body and then bringing them to the skin’s surface. Incredibly, HA can carry up to one thousand times its weight in water! Not only does it give the skin the moisture it needs to stay soft and smooth, but it helps stimulate the production of proteins like collagen and elastin. These keep the skin springy and full of volume, which is what gives people a more youthful, lifted appearance.

What’s amazing is that HA originally occurs in our bodies. But as we age, we produce less and less of it, and as such, less and less collagen and elastin too. So this treatment uses a synthetic version of HA as its key ingredient, injecting it straight into problematic areas on the skin. The HA does its work, settling into the face over the days after treatment and kickstarting the body’s production of new elastin and collagen. After about two weeks, patients will be able to see the incredible full effects of treatment.

What Exactly Will These Results Look Like?

It will depend on the areas you’re looking to treat, but many patients experience tighter skin that gives them a more sculpted-looking jawline, or perhaps fuller, apple-like cheeks. If you’re looking to fill out lines and wrinkles, you’ll likely be thrilled to see those areas soften and give you a more youthful glow. Whatever the treatment area, all our patients love how natural the results look; treatment leaves them looking refreshed and healthy while still totally themselves. Incredibly, these dazzling results can last for anywhere between six months and two years!

Why Do We Lose HA?

Aging is a key factor in why we lose HA, but other factors can speed up the process. Diet, alcohol and tobacco consumption, sun damage, and even air pollution can all contribute to a rapid loss of HA. And while we can limit our exposure to these things, things like genetics, which are out of our control, also play a part. So it’s very clear that wrinkles and sagging skin are a normal and common part of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them if you don’t want to!

What Is Treatment Like?

Before

The first step is to come in for a consultation with a member of our expert staff. This will be your chance to talk us through your cosmetic concerns, and we’ll evaluate your medical history to make sure you’re a suitable candidate. If everything is looking good, we’ll design a treatment plan for you, stating how many units of the product you’ll need and how many injections you’ll receive. We’ll carefully follow along with this on the day of your treatment.

On the Day

Treatment is performed in-house at our lovely Wichita office. We’ll ask that you come in with a clean face free of any makeup or sunscreen. We may first apply a topical numbing cream to ensure your maximum comfort, then we’ll perform the injections. Thanks to the cream and the fineness of the needle, many patients can hardly feel treatment! It will last for between five and twenty minutes, depending on how many injections are needed. then you’re free to go!

Recovery

Incredibly, there’s no downtime associated with this treatment. Patients can immediately carry on with their days afterward, heading back to work or errand running without feeling run down. This is in contrast to surgical procedures that ask that patients take time off work and life to heal. We may advise against a few activities that will help you avoid bruising, but we’ll go into more detail after your treatment.

Am I a Good Candidate for This Treatment?

Since there are so many factors that can lead to a loss of collagen and HA, we don’t prescribe one certain age as the “ideal patient”. If you’re over the age of 18 and you’re struggling with sagging, loose skin, we warmly invite you to come in for a consultation. There’s also no one correct skin tone or gender. Excitingly, as we normalize the idea that everyone deserves to look and feel fantastic, dermal fillers for men are becoming more and more common.

Some medical conditions may prohibit you from undergoing treatment, as will certain medications. Those who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant soon will also be ineligible. During your consultation, we also may find that your skin concerns would be better treated with a different cosmetic solution, or maybe you like the sound of another treatment better. Whatever the reason, we would be thrilled to talk you through other options offered here at ICT Eye.

What Are Some Alternatives to This Treatment?

Collagen Induction Therapy

Also known as microneedling, collagen induction therapy involves rolling tiny needles along the skin’s surface to create hundreds of “micro-injuries”. While that may sound scary, all it does is trigger the body’s healing processes, triggering the production of new collagen and turning over fresh skin cells. The result is gorgeous, healthy skin with a reduction of pores, scarring, discoloration, and fine lines. It’s an ideal treatment for those who want to utilize their body’s natural processes.

Botox

Perhaps, during your consultation, we’ll learn that your wrinkles aren’t caused by a loss of collagen and HA at all, but instead are “dynamic wrinkles”. These are the wrinkles formed by repeated facial movements such as smiling and frowning. If this is the case, we may instead suggest Botox, an injectable that targets the nerves under the skin and blocks their communication with nearby muscles. When this happens, the muscles no longer contract as you move your face, meaning the skin on top stays smooth and gorgeous!

Chemical Treatments

Want to stay away from needles altogether? You may be interested in one of our chemical peels, which are sort of like medical-strength facials. A series of potent, effective products are applied to the skin’s surface. These formulas can only be administered by professionals such as the members of our expert staff. They serve several functions: some can reduce the appearance of fine lines, while others work to brighten the skin. During your consultation, we’ll decide which peel will best treat your skin concerns.

Non-Surgical Ultherapy

Another great way to get your skin perky and supple is Ultherapy, which works similarly to collagen induction therapy in that it kickstarts your body’s natural processes to create more collagen. But this treatment uses microfocused ultrasound technology to heat the deeper layers of the skin. This thermal effect stimulates the body’s production of new collagen, without having to go anywhere near needles! The carefully focused imaging technology ensures the skin is heated at just the right temperature and just the right layers are targeted.

Are You Ready for Stunning, Younger-Looking Skin?

If you’re done feeling unhappy with the version of yourself looking at you in the mirror, why not change it? With just a few easy injections, you can look more youthful and bright, and feel you again. No matter where on your body you’re looking to treat, Voluma can help you achieve your cosmetic goals. To learn more, schedule a consultation with the team at ICT Eye in Wichita, KS, today.