101 Lip fillers

And everything else to know before facing the needle.

- By Melanie Rud

YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED ISN'T ALWAYS DISTORTING REALITY: many people are getting facial fillers. The Aesthetic Society, an educational and patient advocacy group comprising over 2 000 board-certified plastic surgeons, reports that approximately two million dermal-filler procedures were performed last year alone, making them the second most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedure (neurotoxins, such as Botox, took the number-one spot with around 3.5 million procedures).

What makes fillers such a crowd-pleasing enhancement among patients and doctors alike? According to the experts we spoke to, it probably has something to do with their versatility. There are multiple types of dermal fillers with the ability to do everything from filling in fine lines to bulking up cheekbones that have thinned with age. But arguably one of their best-known purposes is for nonsurgical lip augmentation - yes, to create plump lips. (Insert Kylie Jenner visual here.) At the end of the day, these lip injections offer a quick, minimally invasive way to score a fuller pout with minimal downtime and side effects. However, as is the case with all other injectable fillers you can get in your face, the results aren't permanent. So, how long do lip fillers last? We asked doctors to weigh in and answer other commonly asked questions about this popular cosmetic procedure.

FIRST, WHAT ARE LIP FILLERS?

Injectable dermal fillers are typically made using one of three substances: hyaluronic acid (HA), calcium hydroxylapatite, and poly-l-lactic acid. "Most doctors use hyaluronic acid-based fillers, such as Restylane and Juvederm, for the lips," Plastic Surgeon Dr Melissa Doft tells Glamour. "Hyaluronic acid is a sugar that naturally occurs in the body and attracts and holds onto water, creating the appearance of fuller lips."