Many of our patients come to us looking to address thin lips or lip lines. As we age, our lips gradually produce less collagen, elastin, and moisture, leaving them thin and wrinkled. But, with non-surgical treatments like dermal fillers, you can achieve a fuller and more youthful pout that you’ll love.
Available Treatments
Causes of Thin Lips
Thin lips can occur for any number of reasons, including the natural aging process/decrease in collagen production, genetics, sun exposure, or due to smoking.
Causes of Lip Lines
Lip lines and wrinkles also have a variety of causes, including aging, smoking, excess exposure to the sun, genetics, repetitive movements in the lips, and dehydration.
How to Treat Thin Lips & Lip Lines
At Key Laser Institute, we offer a variety of treatments to address thin lips and lip lines for all skin types, including the following lip treatments:
Ultherapy
Ultherapy is a non-surgical skin-tightening treatment that uses gentle ultrasound therapy to stimulate collagen production and tighten, smooth out, and lift the superficial layers of skin, leaving your lips and the surrounding skin around your mouth looking years younger without the need for surgery.
ThermiSmooth
ThermiSmooth uses radiofrequency energy to tighten and smooth skin around the lips, eyes, cheeks, and chest. The radiofrequency energy stimulates collagen production and will give you a more youthful appearance in only a few months.
CO2 Dot Laser Therapy
Carbon dioxide (CO2) DOT laser therapy also stimulates collagen production while removing the top layer of skin. This treatment can address deep lip lines, sagging skin, acne scarring, and uneven skin tone and texture. As the area heals, most patients experience firmer, smoother lip and facial skin.
Fillers
Dermal fillers are the go-to treatment for thin lips. With a few simple injections, our team can restore volume and smooth lines in your lips, helping you achieve the gorgeous pout you desire. At Key Laser Institute, we offer a number of different dermal fillers, including Juvéderm® and Restylane®.
Am I a Candidate for Lip Rejuvenation?
We typically recommend patients looking for lip rejuvenation be in generally good health, have realistic expectations, be nonsmokers, and want to address lip lines, skin laxity issues, and/or thin lips. Dr. Key will review your medical history to determine if a lip treatment is right for you.
What to Know About Lip Rejuvenation Treatments in Portland
Whether you’re receiving treatment for thin lips or lip lines/wrinkles, our team at Key Laser Institute will be with you every step of the way.
Before Your Lip Rejuvenation Treatment
What you need to do to prepare for treatment will depend on the type of lip treatment you’re having done. Your provider will let you know how best to prepare, including avoiding alcohol and blood thinners, staying out of the sun, coming to your appointment with no makeup on, and avoiding certain skin treatments.
During Your Lip Rejuvenation Treatment
For patient comfort, no matter what treatment option you have, we can administer an anesthetic beforehand.
For dermal fillers, your provider will cleanse the area and then use a fine needle to inject the appropriate formula into the upper and lower lip. The treatment is very simple, and you will likely only feel a slight pinching feeling.
For Ultherapy, CO2 DOT laser treatment, and ThermiSmooth, patients typically only feel a warm, tingling sensation. These treatments take about 30 minutes to a few hours.
After Your Lip Rejuvenation
After dermal filler treatment, you will likely have some swelling, bruising, and redness, but those side effects with dissipate within a few days. Results are usually visible immediately, but you will continue to see improvement over the next 1-2 weeks. You’ll want to avoid alcohol and strenuous exercise for a couple of days after treatment. You’ll also need to avoid massaging, touching, or putting pressure on the area for the first few hours.
With ultherapy, you will have redness, swelling, bruising, and/or a tingling sensation. These side effects typically diminish within a week. During the healing process, you’ll want to avoid excess heat and strenuous exercise, wear sunscreen, and apply cold compresses as necessary.
For ThermiSmooth, you may experience some redness, bruising, and discomfort. As you recover, you’ll also want to avoid excess heat, sun exposure, and strenuous activities.
After CO2 DOT laser therapy, your lower and upper lip will be swollen, red, and itchy. As it heals, you can apply cold compresses, avoid sun exposure, cleanse the area with a gentle cleanser, and avoid scrubbing or rubbing the treatment area. Results take a few weeks to a couple of months to fully appear.
Schedule a Lip Rejuvenation Consultation
Completely rejuvenate and enhance your lips with our lip rejuvenation treatments at Key Laser Institute! Start your journey to a new you and schedule a consultation today. Call our Portland, OR office or message us using our online contact form.