Lip Filler Alternatives – Do They Work?

Imagine the lips of Angelina Jolie, the Kardashians, and Rhianna, what do they all have in common? They all look full and plump, just what most of us try to achieve with our makeup and other lip products. 

There are different ways to make your lips look fuller. But one of the most popular ways is to go for lip fillers. However, if you’re not the type who doesn’t like injections, you may be looking for lip filler alternatives. 

Well, you’re not alone. There are many people who would like to make their lips look plumper and fuller. 

Let’s check out the alternatives available in the market today but before that let’s first take a closer look at lip fillers and what they can do for your lips. 

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What Are Lip Fillers?

The fullness and size of your lips highly depend on genetics. Some people are naturally born with fuller and bigger lips. Although many of us wished we’d be as lucky, not all of us are. 

Nowadays, getting what you want is a whole lot easier. There are cosmetic procedures specifically designed to alter your lips to make them fuller and bigger. 

That cosmetic procedure is called lip augmentation and it is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures done today. 

Many of us dream of fuller lips. And unfortunately, aging could have a thinning effect on the lips. Time works against us! No wonder this procedure is in such high demand. 

There are a few ways to do lip augmentation, using lip fillers is one of the most common choices. This involves injecting lip fillers in various sites of your lips to make them look full. 

Lip fillers are usually made of hyaluronic acid. Many formulations are already approved by the FDA. 

Although they come in various formulations, the lip fillers have something in common and that is their longevity. You should take note that even if this procedure is considered plastic surgery, the results aren’t permanent and will typically last for a few months. 

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Lip Filler Alternatives

Lip fillers aren’t the only way to make your lips fuller and bigger. There are alternative ways to do that. They can be classified into surgical and non-surgical procedures.

Surgical Procedures to Fill Lips

Surgical procedures are those that are done by plastic surgeons. They may not be considered major operations. Some of them are considered minimally invasive but are still performed in a medical facility.

The length of the procedure and the healing time will depend on the one you choose to get. Examples of such are lip implants, lip lift, and lip flip.

Non-Surgical Procedures to Fill Lips

Alternatively, there are also non-surgical procedures that you can do at home to plump up your lips.

However, the results of such procedures are temporary. They don’t last as long as the surgical procedures but you can do them repeatedly.

Non-surgical alternatives would include lip plumping devices, lip products with tingling or plumping ingredients, and other makeup products. 

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Surgical Lip Filler Alternatives

Even if we classify these as surgical procedures, you don’t need to be afraid of them. Some of them are minimally invasive, while others may require more time to do and heal. 

Regardless, the results last longer than the non-surgical procedures.  

Lip Implants

Inserting lip implants on the lips is a way to improve the fullness and plumpness of it. Instead of injecting lip fillers, this procedure makes use of lip implants. 

Lip implants are usually made of silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene. In some cases, they can also use your own tissue or fat to fill the lips. 

This procedure is usually selected because it provides long-term lip amplifying beauty.

The procedures usually take around 30 minutes and recovery will usually take up to 3 days. 

However, you should avoid putting pressure on the lips for about 1-2 weeks. This helps make sure the implants are held in the right place. You don’t want them to go to the wrong place!

Lip Lifts

The lip lift is a surgical procedure that is usually performed under anesthesia. Instead of inserting fillers, it enhances the lips by adjusting the distance between the nose and the lip.

This gives a lifted appearance to the lips and enhances the vermillion border as well. To do this, tissue is removed from the area below the nose. This lifts the lips upward giving your lips a fuller appearance. 

However, this may not be a procedure for all. This is only ideal for those who have a long distance between their upper lip and nose.

Lip Flips

A Lip flip is another surgical option. This is a minimally invasive procedure and is quite similar to a lip filler. 

Instead of lip fillers, neuromodulators are used on the orbicularis of the top lip. With this process, the muscle is relaxed which causes the top lip to flip outwards for a fuller appearance. 

The great thing about this procedure is that it has zero downtime. It is suitable for those who are looking for lip enhancement but don’t require a ton of added volume. 

Lip flips can make the lips look fuller, but there is also a chance for you to develop an asymmetrical smile. Usually, there will be minimal bruising that goes away in a day or two. 

The full effect of the procedure will be seen after about five to seven days. It lasts as long as lip fillers, which is usually around 3-4 months.

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Non-Surgical Lip Filler Alternatives

If you don’t like surgical procedures and needles, you can still enjoy fuller and plumper lips using various products at home. Such products would include the following:

Lip-Plumping Devices And Tools

We’ve all seen these devices and tools that are advertised to instantly make your lips look fuller. Social media has been filled with them. Beauty gurus love them and can’t believe that they actually work. 

The lip-plumping devices and tools come in two forms. Some of them are battery operated or rechargeable and will automatically such your lips. 

The JuvaLips  is one of the most well-known, and highly regarded, lip-plumping devices out there.

For these devices, you position them on your lips then turn them on. They are typically designed to run for a minute or so. After that, you can see the results. The results are temporary and will only last for a few hours. 

There are also more affordable lip plumping tools . However, for these, you need to suck the air in so it creates a vacuum to plump up your lips. 

Lip Blushing

Lip blushing fit somewhere between surgical and non-surgical. It essentially tattoos color onto your lips permanently, which can make your lips appear fuller and more kissable!

Lip blushing is somewhat similar to fillers, but there is nothing inserted into the lips except for ink.

The lip blushing process is pretty quick, though it takes some time for your lips to heal after blushing. Once done, it will last for multiple years.

Lip Products With Tingling Ingredients

Lip glosses and lip balms can also make your lips plump and bigger. That’s because some of them have tingling agents included in the formulation. 

Such products are commonly known as lip plumpers . You apply them like your usual lip gloss.

At first, they feel like any other lip gloss. But after a minute or two, you’ll feel a different sensation. 

That tingling sensation is due to irritation of the skin due to ingredients like cinnamon or menthol. However, the tingling sensation will only last for a few minutes. After that, your lips will look plumper and fuller. 

This is different than the burning sensation some people feel from lip balms.

Makeup

Another way to achieve plumper and bigger lips is to fake them with makeup! You can make use of lip makeup products at home.

The key here is learning the techniques of applying makeup. 

One of the easiest things to do is to start using a lip liner . Use it to overline your lips in order to create the illusion of fuller, larger lips.

Alternatively, you can also create an ombre lip. This looks great and can give the illusion of bigger lips due to the play of colors.

Also, don’t forget to use lip gloss! This shiny finish helps reflect the light and can make your lips look bigger than they actually are. 

Another way to make your lips appear bigger is to contour and highlight.

By strategically placing contouring under your bottom lips, you can imitate the appearance of a shadow, which gives your lips a plumper presence. 

Similarly, highlighting your lips also improves the appearance of your cupid’s bow. That can make your pout look better and fuller. 

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Final Thoughts

Making your lips look fuller, plumper and bigger can be achieved by making use of lip fillers. However, if you do not want to be injected with various synthetic fillers, there lip injection alternatives worth checking out.

You can go for other surgical procedures like inserting implants, having a lip lift, or undergoing a lip flip. These reliably improve the appearance of your lips and last longer than non-surgical methods. 

If you really don’t want to go through surgery or injections, there are other pathways that are non-invasive. These products include lip plumping tools and devices, lip blushing, lip products with tingling ingredients, and makeup. 

They’re not going to be as powerful as surgery, but they can help quite a bit.

The results of the lip fillers as well as the lip flip will typically last for a few months. The other surgical procedures, on the other hand, provide more permanent results.

And typically, non-surgical methods of plumping the lips will only last for a few hours.