Shot glasses are for tequila! Not for lip enhancement!

West End Facial Plastic Surgery Blog Shot glasses are for tequila! Not for lip enhancement!

Please don’t keep up with the Kardashians in this way.

Women generally prefer the look of full lips. It’s a sign of youthfulness, and procedures to enhance the shape and plumpness of the lips are frequent requests. I recently learned about the “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge.” To make their lips appear similar to those of the 17 year-old reality star, people are putting their lips into a shot glass and sucking the air out of it, causing their lips to swell.

Here Rclbeauty101, Rachel Levin, discusses the process at 1:57.

THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

The reason it works is that the negative pressure in the glass pulls fluid into your lip tissues from your blood vessels. Ouch! But pain is not the worst thing that can happen if you choose to do this to yourself. More significantly, you risk bleeding into your lips! Bruises are not a good look for anyone. Even worse, you risk permanent damage and scarring to your lips’ tissues and blood supply!

I accessed this image from Twitter via Elle.com. Not good!

Lip injections are much safer ways of making lips look fuller. Hyaluronic acid fillers including Restylane®, Juvederm®, and Perlane® have all been used in the lips and have a proven safety record. They last anywhere from 6 months to a year and the results are a lot more predictable. We use a topical numbing cream to try to maximize your comfort and most patients can return to normal routines immediately.

Pre-treatment

Post-treatment, Restylane to lips, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines.

Notice the lack of a shot-glass shaped hematoma! Modern fillers are safe, effective, and relatively comfortable ways of achieving just the desired amount of lip enhancement.

So remember – those shot glasses in your cabinet are very good for measuring margarita ingredients, but a very poor substitute for the work of a boarded facial plastic surgeon!

Citation:

Moyer, JW. (2015 April 21). Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge: The dangers of ‘plumping that pout.’ The Washington Post. Retrieved http://www.washingtonpost.com

Koman, T. (2015 April 21). Kylie Jenner responds to the #KylieJennerLipChallenge Trend. Elle. Retrieved http://www.Elle.com

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