When it comes to getting your hair highlighted, you don’t think twice, so why should enhancing another part of your body be any different? 

My lips. Fine-featured by birth (with a bit of ageing thrown in). Awesome for eating with. Even better for kissing.

So when I mentioned to my hubby, I might like to get a little bit of extra oomph in this part of my body (not Kylie Jenner porn-star oomph, but just a touch of extra plumpness for my own sense of aesthetic satisfaction), he questioned my motives.

“But there is nothing wrong with your lips,” he spluttered.

And he was right.

But then again, there was nothing wrong my face, yet I had been known to wear the odd touch of mascara.

There was nothing wrong with my hair, yet I liked to have it coloured into the beachy-sunkissed crown of glory that it was (or imagined it to be).

And there was nothing wrong with my body, yet I loved to dress it up in clothes that flattered in all the right places.

So, why should my lips be any different?

Having come under fire recently (due to teenagers rushing out to have cosmetic procedures in abundance), lip enhancement is still a bit of a dirty secret.

But if you are an adult of a certain age who wants to make the most of your features, then why shouldn’t you?

SO, WHAT ARE LIP FILLERS?

“A ‘dermal filler’ is a smooth injectable gel placed below the skin’s surface to plump up static facial lines and folds, creating a natural and refreshed facial expression,” explains Vicki Hull, leading cosmetic nurse, anti-ageing specialist and founder of The Cosmetic Studio.

Fillers can be used for facial lines, wrinkles and furrows, surgical scars, acne scars, lip augmentation (to restore full and sensuous lips), cheek augmentation and facial contouring including the jawline, chin and nose.

“Injected into the skin, fillers create volume and also stimulate collagen production,” reveals Vicki. “Hyaluronic acid fillers are made up of a complex sugar chain which is chemically identical to what is found in human skin. In most cases, nothing is being added to you that you didn’t already have; as beauty professionals, we simply restore, replenish and rejuvenate what has been lost over the years as you age. You still look like you, just a fresher and more youthful you.”

WHERE CAN YOU GET THEM?

So, if you want a little of bit of facial embellishment, where do you go? A secret dungeon with a secret door and a secret knock to match?

“When it comes to finding a clinic, two important facts to consider are the safety of the product being used there, and the qualifications, skill and experience of the person providing the treatment,” advises Vicki.

“No-one wants to appear as if they belong in a waxwork museum, or have just come out of a wind tunnel. We have all seen the pictures of those Hollywood stars who have gone too far, and it is not a desirable outcome.”

It therefore pays to do your research and to speak to others before committing to a particular provider. Check out social media and get a recommendation from a friend. You’d be surprised who’s out there having a little bit of ‘work’ done on the QT.

What you are really looking for is a provider who listens, cares, and is committed to achieving a natural look.

This way you know you are going to get the best results without any complications.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT ENTAIL?

If I was to tell you that having your lips plumped is more enjoyable than a wax, I am sure you wouldn’t believe me. But it is.

With minimal pain (when done properly) resulting in an immediate new look that lasts approximately six to nine months, lip fillers blow any other female ‘enhancements’ I have had to date out of the water (bar semi-permanent eyebrow feathering – but that is a whole other discussion).

When I rock up to my lip session, I am filled with excitement (unlike with my waxing dates-with-death).

After a slick of anaesthetic cream to my lips (to numb them), a friendly chat with my doctor and nurse, and a ten-minute lie-down while 1ml of the dermal filler is injected into my bottom and top lip, the process is complete.

And the result?

Voluminous and sexy lips (albeit a bit swollen and tingly, at first!) – and a look which is reversible at any moment if I decide to revert back to my ‘natural’ state (Hyaluronic acid fillers are dissolvable).

THE VERDICT

And now? My lips are my new best friend.

Just a fraction fuller than before (no-one has ever noticed, not even my children), they have not only changed the shape of my lower face, but the top half too, balancing it out in a way that I like. Even the way I wear my hair has changed!

I look better (in my opinion), and I feel better. It’s been a bit like putting on a new pair of shoes and not having to take them off.

So really, what’s the big deal?

Have you had lip filler, or would you like to? What do you think about making the most of your looks in this way?

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com