Dr. Dean Kane Q & A 
Q. Can Restylane Lyft be used to plump up the lips? Also, can Restylane Lyft be used to make the cheekbones appear heightened and pronounced? On average, how many syringes do patients get for their cheeks?
A. There are various ways to reduce lines around the mouth and lips. Each depends on the level of the wrinkle deformity, ie., epidermis, dermis, fat, muscle and skin color.
There are many hyaluronic acid (HA) gels which provide greater projection or more volume expansion based on the linking and cleaving of the molecule by the manufacturer. So, it depends on which part of the lip you are interested in plumping, whether you need volume or projection, which HA or combination of options you choose and who is doing the injecting.
- Lyft and Voluma are stiffer products for more projection.
- Restylane and Juvederm Ultra are in the middle and provide both volume and some projection.
- Silk and Belotero are the thinnest products but they attract more water and therefore produce more fill volume.
If you consider the lip has different areas, some need more projection and others more volume. Let’s begin with:
- inside of the lip called the wet vermillion. If you want more projection / volume to push the lip out for more pout or due to a upper lip “overbite”, then use Restylane and / or Lyft.
- outer pink lip, also called the dry vermillion. This is where most patients want fill or volume and Restylane works well.
- lipstick line also called the vermillion white line or white roll. In order to best define the edge of the vermillion or pink lip and the philtral columns (the 2 vertical edges running to the nose) a stiffer HA is required and great place for Lyft.
- lateral commissures or creases at each side of the mouth. Here, too, stiffness is required rather than volume to resist the creasing from the descent of the cheek developing the marionette fold.
- smokers lines, ie., the sun-burst wrinkles radiating around the mouth on the skin. Here, a combination of Dysport to relax the muscle creating the wrinkles and Restylane Silk have provided the most improvement. Added reduction of these lines can be had with:
- microdermabrasion
- retinoids
- fractionated erbium or CO2 laser
- ThermiSMOOTH
Not every injector has the breadth of stock, anatomical understanding nor skills to do the same job so consult carefully for your optimal result.
Always consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, ENT or Dermatologist with the talent for injectibles.
I hope this is helpful! All the best!
This information is not meant as medical advice. It is provided solely for education. Our practice would be pleased to discuss your unique circumstances and needs as they relate to these topics.
