• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Sheryl Kraft

freelance health writer

  • About Me
    • My Resume
  • Portfolio
    • Beauty & Fashion
    • Cancer
    • Essays
    • Eye Health
    • Fitness
    • Health
    • Menopause
    • Misc
    • Nutrition
    • Pain
    • Sleep
    • Work/Life
  • Work with Me
  • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Beauty
    • Best Of
    • Current Obsessions
    • Diet & Exercise
    • Fashion
    • Food & Nutrition
    • Menopause
    • Midlife
    • Relationships
    • Spa & Travel
  • Contact

August 4, 2016

How to Get Full(er) Lips

Published in: Allergan, How to get fuller lips, How to get plump lips, hyaluronic acid, Juvedederm Vobella, Juvederm Ultra XC, lip augmentation

Quick: If you had limited time to put on makeup in the morning, what one thing would you reach for?

Did you say mascara?

Or was it lipstick?

shutterstock_1607676
Not exactly the look we’re after…

For me, it’s all about the lips (although I must admit that eyelashes are a close second).

Sure, eyelashes may thin as we age, but lips…well, they take thinning to the extreme. It’s really no surprise that so many people visit Dr. Little for a little filler here and there to restore them; they can make a huge difference to how you look, and thinning lips can cause your confidence to take a tumble. Blame the loss of collagen – that protein that helps support your body’s soft tissue. You know, the stuff that makes your lips full and plump.

Or, ahem, formerly full and plump.

Add in some ultraviolet rays from the sun and there’s more than just age causing that collagen breakdown. (Note: Use an SPF on your lips! Always!)

I’ve always admired Angelina Jolie’s lips. Mine are – and always were – a far cry from hers. I think full lips define a face so beautifully, lending expression, sultriness and a certain glamour; don’t you?

Can you fake them? Sure, there are some ways. When I googled, “How to get fuller lips,” more than a few ways came up:

“About 10,700,000 results” to be exact.

You can draw a line with a pencil that matches your lip color. But this can’t be rushed, or done with the wrong color (not to mention that it must be done completely sober). I found out the hard way some years back when I saw my husband’s expression as I returned from the ladies room at our favorite fancy restaurant the night we went to celebrate a milestone birthday. (Hence, my new nickname: Clown Mouth).

 

Scratch that trick. I never tried it again; now I have FOCM. (Fear of Clown Mouth).

Then there’s something you can do with highlighter – blend a thin line of it (the liquid kind) along your “cupid’s bow.” Don’t ask me why, but doing this somehow makes your lips look “curvier” by letting the light bounce off the highlighted area.

53a0c408a2293_-_cos-02-full-lips-de
Does not look like a fun way to get fuller lips.

I also found a suction cup that fits over your lips; the act of pulling on your lips sends blood rushing to them, hence the (temporary) puffiness. Um, no thanks.

 

 

And then there are fillers (injectable gels) like JUVÉDERM ULTRA® XC and JUVÉDERM VOBELLA® XC, recently approved by the FDA for lip augmentation.The gel is composed of a modified form of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring sugar that’s found in the human body. Pretty amazing stuff, actually. It increases the fullness of your lips while also softening the appearance of fine lines around your mouth (another thing that happens as the years march on). Results, although not permanent, are apparent as soon as the gel hits your lips, and you’ll enjoy the best results at about the three-month mark; almost 80 percent of patients were still happy one year later.

Manhattan board-certified dermatologist Dr. Monica Halem says that treating the lips with these substances gives natural results that won’t look obvious at all. She assured me that the outcome would be subtle and natural. And it was just that. Full disclosure: I was treated to a session to see for myself. In case you’re wondering, no, it didn’t hurt – my lips were numbed ahead of time with a topical gel, and I didn’t feel a thing; plus, the gel is fortified with a small amount of local anesthetic (lidocaine) to help minimize discomfort.

And now, my lips are nowhere close to Angelina’s, nor do they resemble a clown’s mouth. They are a bit fuller, a bit more even than before, and every bit the type I had as a young girl. It’s a really subtle change, but a nice one, helped by Dr. Halem’s expert artistry.

If you’re curious about other aesthetic procedures, check out this tool which can help you locate a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Want to see an example of lip augmentation? Take a look at the before and after photos supplied by the manufacturer, Allergan.
JUVEDERM ULTRA XC_BandA Photo

 

MORE BEAUTY BUZZ:

Tanning Without the Sun

7 Amazing Health & Beauty Finds

Help for Thinning Eyelashes

 

 

 

 

 

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
0 Shares
Previous Post: « What You Need to Know: “Best If Used By” Dates
Next Post: Make it a Habit: 5 Tips for a Pain-Free You »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Froman says

    August 5, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Oh you lucky duck! I haven’t used fillers, but I have read up on them. Some of my friends have used them with great results. Keep smiling!

  2. Sheryl says

    August 5, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    Yes, Lisa, I am lucky – I love to get the opportunities to try out new things!

  3. Brian Fleming says

    August 7, 2016 at 2:06 pm

    My wife always goes for the lips too. Lips first then eyes.

  4. JoAnn says

    August 19, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    lip injections – very painful aren’t they? that’s what I hear… perhaps that should be mentioned along with how more on how to find a good injector…just cause they’re board certified doesn’t really mean all that much.

    • SherylK says

      August 19, 2016 at 5:45 pm

      Actually, they weren’t painful at all. The injection contains some numbing agent, and my lips were numbed prior to the procedure, as well. To find a good injector it helps to ask around for recommendations from other patients, and to ask the doctor how many procedures he or she does; that would give an indication of their experience and capabilities. Hope that helps!

Primary Sidebar

Learn more or
read the archives.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

About Me

What’s this so-called midlife, anyway?

It’s a time of tremendous change, growth and opportunity. A time to re-evaluate our choices, our experiences and ourselves. A time to take what we’ve accumulated up until now and put it to work.

When I turned 50, many things changed... read more about me.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Reader Feedback

speaks realistically about what happens when we approach our 50’s and beyond

I think your website is GREAT!  It's hard to find an online space that speaks realistically about what happens when we approach our 50's and beyond.  Keep writing, and thanks for your support."
Sheryl Kraft
2016-11-29T02:25:43+00:00
I think your website is GREAT!  It's hard to find an online space that speaks realistically about what happens when we approach our 50's and beyond.  Keep writing, and thanks for your support."
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/readers-love-us/

A High School Student and Aspiring Writer from Australia Reaches Out…

I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience.

I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future!

Best wishes,

Mikayla

 
Sheryl Kraft
2017-01-17T13:37:55+00:00
I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience. I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future! Best wishes, Mikayla  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/high-school-student-aspiring-writer-australia-reaches/

Due to your article, traffic and sales have been great this past week!

On behalf of our entire organization, we'd like to thank you so much for featuring our product in last week’s Parade Magazine. Due to your article, traffic and sales have been great this past week.! We are a small business that prides ourselves on excellent product quality and customer service. We work hard to make quality products and market them effectively but then sometimes you get a gift like your article which really takes us to the next level. We will be eternally grateful to you for choosing us as one of your eye product recommendations.

 
Sheryl Kraft
2018-12-07T02:46:56+00:00
On behalf of our entire organization, we'd like to thank you so much for featuring our product in last week’s Parade Magazine. Due to your article, traffic and sales have been great this past week.! We are a small business that prides ourselves on excellent product quality and customer service. We work hard to make quality products and market them effectively but then sometimes you get a gift like your article which really takes us to the next level. We will be eternally grateful to you for choosing us as one of your eye product recommendations.  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/due-to-your-article-traffic-and-sales-have-been-great-this-past-week/

I’m writing to express my admiration for the work you are doing!

I'm a young medical writer trying to get a foothold in the industry, so the portfolio you have on your website showcasing your accomplishments is something that I'm aiming to achieve.

I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I am hoping you can share some advice, tips, or guidance as I work on this, my lateral career change!

Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.

 
Sheryl Kraft
2020-02-14T14:57:09+00:00
I'm a young medical writer trying to get a foothold in the industry, so the portfolio you have on your website showcasing your accomplishments is something that I'm aiming to achieve. I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I am hoping you can share some advice, tips, or guidance as I work on this, my lateral career change! Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/im-writing-to-express-my-admiration-for-the-work-you-are-doing/
0
Sheryl Kraft
Sheryl Craft is a Live Healthy Connecticut Expert

Specialties Include:

  • Midlife Women
  • Spa/Travel
  • Health & Wellness
  • Nutrition
  • Beauty
  • Fitness
  • Branded Content
  • Sponsored Posts
  • Blogging
  • About Me
  • Portfolio
  • Work with Me
  • Newsletter
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 SherylKraft.com


Disclaimer: The medical information on this website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. SherylKraft.com makes no representations or warranties in relation to the medical information on this website.