You know you've seen it. You're at the grocery store in line, waiting to pay...she's literally right in front of you. Her face is like watching a car accident happening - it's horrifying but you can't seem to unglue your gaze. Why does she look so bad? QUACK QUACK...it's her duck lips. 🦆👄 OMG. How does she even think that looks good? Why don't her friends say something? Is it permanent? She looks like she used to be pretty.
Truthfully we see it day in and day out. The duck lip phenomenon. Duck lips are created when a patient's lips are overfilled with dermal filler. This causes the lips to protrude beyond the limits of normal anatomy. When lips protrude the human eye stops reading them as "human," and more so as either duck-like or monkey-like.
My personal approach to injecting lips is quite natural. I have injected my own lips for years. Lips can be injected tastefully and naturally.
My goals with lip injections are typically:
a) eliminate lips lines / wrinkles
b) restore volume
c) eliminate down-turning of the corners of the mouth
d) maintain the ideal ratio of bottom to top lip
e) preservation of the cupid's bow (ie the pout)
All of these goals can be achieved and typically are when I inject.
I think the ultimate compliment to a patient occurs when people say "you look so good!" but they can't necessarily pinpoint what it is. I often tell patients that I inject my lips. The response I typically get is "Really? They look so natural. They look great." Now that's the kind of response I like.
There are many different fillers you can use when injecting. Choice of filler determines consistency (how they feel), volume (how big), and swelling (some fillers swell more than others). I choose the filler based on what the patient wants while staying true to my philosophy of keeping things looking natural.
I have seen patients who have had lips overfilled and ended up going back to their injector to have their filler dissolved. Can it be done? Yes. Is it fun for the patient? NO. I am proud to tell you that I personally have not ever had to do this for a patient.
Slow and steady wins the race. 🐢. You can always add more. Why be hasty and end up like a duck? Duck that.
