Luscious Lips

In the quest for a fuller more sensuous pout, women are opting to inject a variety of fillers regardless of the possible consequences.

Bovine Collagen A liquid made from the connective tissue of pigs or cows. There is a very real risk of transmitting an animal disease with this method.

Because the body eventually metabolizes the collagen, injections have to be repeated regularly. The effect of this type of treatment will generally last a few months.

Side Effects An undesirable possible side effect of any kind of artificial plumping is a term referred to as "Trout Lips" or "Trout Mouth", where treatment has caused excessive plumping in an individual leaving lips looking deformed.

About 3% of the population is allergic to collagen, so a test needs to be carried out before treatment. The test involves injecting the collagen into the forearm and watching for a reaction for over a month. Despite this precaution, people have still developed a reaction during treatment.

Allergies lead to:

o Rashes

o Joint and muscle pain

o Headaches

o Blistering

o Soreness

and in far more serious cases, it can result in shock and difficulty breathing.

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers This acid is a naturally occurring component of your skin and works by binding to water. Hyaluronic Acid does not contain lidocaine, an anesthetic, so injections are painful.

The trend has become to combine Bovine Collagen which contains its own anesthetic and Hyaluronic Acid. The collagen numbs the area first and then the acid is injected to allegedly stabilize the area.

Side Effects

o Inflammation

o Swelling

o Redness

bearing in mind the possible side effects in the use of bovine collagen for this procedure.

Polymethylmethacrylate

A permanent injectable filler made from a mixture of plastic spheres and Bovine Collagen. When it is injected into the skin, the collagen holds the plastic balls in place until the body finally absorbs the fat, leaving the foreign matter behind for collagen to form around.

Side Effects

o Swelling

o Redness

o Permanent or long term lumps

again, keeping in mind the additional side effects of combining Bovine Collagen in this treatment.

Hydroxyapatite with a Methylcellulose Vehicle

This synthetic compound contains beads of calcium hydroxyapatite that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to replace missing bones. Because the FDA has approved this formula for medical purposes it is now available for "off label" use in cosmetic treatments.

According to Dr. Leslie Baumann, M.D., an associate professor of clinical dermatology and director of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami, Florida, states that long term studies concerning the duration and safety of hydroxyapatite have not been demonstrated yet.

"If not injected properly, the calcium beads could clump together and result in lumpiness in the treated area. More research needs to be done to determine this filler's effectiveness and long-term results."

References: American Academy of Dermatology

Nourish, nurture and care for your most prized possession and it will reward you with glowing health for the rest of your life.