According to recent data collected by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), more patients than ever before opted to have lip augmentation procedures performed in 2015. This has made them the second-fastest growing facial procedure in the U.S. in the past 16 years.
Year on Year Increase
During 2015, more than 27,000 lip enhancement surgeries were carried out, which amounts to an average of one every 20 minutes. Dr. David H. Song, president of the ASPS, said in an interview with CBS News, “We found that the number of lip enhancements jumped another 5% in 2015, which is up 50% from 2000. So, it’s pretty profound.” Robert Houser, DO, a plastic surgeon who operates from Westerville, Ohio, mentioned the following in this regard, “Lip implants have been around for quite a while, but new technology is taking the industry by storm. That’s why we’re seeing such growth in implant procedures.”
More Stable Implants
Unlike the older implants, newer models have been crafted from soft, flexible silicone, which renders them a lot more pliable and comfortable. Houser had the following to say about them, “We make two small incisions in the corners of the mouth, use a tiny passing instrument to pull the implant into place, and you’re done. Two stitches, very little bruising, minimal swelling and a very quick recovery.” Additionally, patients can have the implants removed at a later stage if they find that they are no longer happy with them for any reason.
Steady Rise in Lip Injections
Lip injection, such as Botox, Dysport and other soft tissue fillers; have seen a significant increase as well. These are temporary solutions, which makes them a great option for patients who would like to enhance their appearance, but who may not be willing to commit to anything more permanent like surgery. Song mentioned that there are many reasons for the increase in these procedures. “The motivations are very diverse and individual. Some patients want a very natural enhancement. Some want something more dramatic. Some patients actually want a lip reduction, so it spans the entire spectrum,” he said.
Rising Popularity among Men and Women
Although most people think that only women have lip enhancement performed, this is no longer the case. As many as 1,200 male lip procedures were carried out during the past year alone, which represents a 400% increase since 2000. The ASPS conducted a survey whereby they asked more than 1,000 women which celebrity’s lips that would like to have. The most popular choice was those of Jennifer Lawrence, which was followed closely by Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Garner, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Jenner, Beyoncé and Lisa Rinna.
During his interview, Song stressed the importance of ensuring that procedures such as lip enhancement were only performed by experienced and qualified surgeons who are registered with the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This will help ensure that potential risks and complications are kept to n absolute minimum.
