Dr Christophe Andrieu
A symbol of sensuality and generosity – or, on the contrary, fatigue and severity – the mouth is a key feature in a person’s beauty. Whether we want to plump, reshape or enlarge the lips, the treatment is always personalised and unique.
The right morphology in order to be attractive
In my opinion, the most important thing is striking a delicate balance between a well-done mouth, which has had just what it needs in terms of enhancement, and that extra drop that makes it go from natural to artificial-looking. This is what I am so passionate about in my work, as it relies on the artistry and expertise of the doctor, as well as a suitable choice of product. When we are working on the mouth, even the tiniest details count!
The shape and position of the lips in the face are the starting point for a meticulous clinical examination. Another very important point is to listen carefully to the patient and try to align what you can offer with their requests. Sometimes, patients aged 20-35 come to us with excessive requests as their taste is influenced by social media.
If we refuse them, the risk is that they will go see one of the many fake injectors that abound on social media. So, in this case, we need to convince them to stay true to their morphology and find a compromise to ensure they look natural and attractive while still fulfilling their request for plumper lips.
My “lip” patients generally come back once a year. I like to use Lips Shape and Contour from Belotero®. I really like this range because it gives a very natural effect. The product stays very supple, is easy to inject, relatively painless for the patient, and lasts over time. As a general rule, patients aged 25-40 want plump, fleshy, well-defined lips. Those aged 35-45 want to redefi ne and res-tore their lips, which have started to thin.
Fifty-year-olds and over want hydration and discreet plumping, plus redefined contours, which is often coupled with a request to smooth wrinkles on the upper lip. With these patients, the aim is to restore or maintain the balance and harmony of the features. I always start by going over the outline of the upper lip with Lips Contour, which also allows me to reshape the Cupid’s bow and philtral ridges, and I then enhance the volumes with Lips Shape. I use various techniques for the upper lips, such as Russian Lips (a subtle version!). I use a needle to make a series of small retrotracing injections vertically along the upper lip, which allows me to increase its height. To increase volume without making the lips project too much, I start at the edge of the mouth and use the retrotracing technique to inject small boluses of 0.2 or 0.3ml of Lips Shape into the mucous membrane of the upper lip, which will cause it to unroll slightly, accentuating the lips’ feminine and sensual appearance.
A shapely mouth with perfectly tailored volumes
My patients range from 20 to 70 years of age. This wide range allows me to practice a great many different techniques. In terms of the white lip and the infamous barcode, which are often seen on smokers and women who have been overexposed to the sun, I can achieve great results with the blanching technique, which involves injecting every wrinkle superficially with a micro-droplet of Lips Contour using a needle.In patients aged forty or over, the perioral area is often the final stage of a global treatment plan, which allows me to restore the volumes, harmonise, project and carry out a profiloplasty if required. The chin, nose and mouth should be balanced and should match the proportions of the face. I often inject Volume (Belotero®) to plump and project a flattened chin whose tip has become square over the years. If the patient asks me to correct their marionette lines or nasolabial folds, I use Intense, which is a filling and volumising HA.
New lips help to assert personality
In young women, lip injections give a more glamorous look. In women aged 35-45, this revamp gives a touch of freshness and youth, making them look more sensual and feminine. As for those aged fifty and over, the aim is to bring some light and softness back to the mouth. This is why I always offer them perioral injections to make the face more harmonious. But, beforehand, I must reassure my patients that the results will not make them look like a reality TV star! Lip enhancement has become one of the most sought-after medical aesthetic procedures in the last 4 or 5 years, thanks to new modes of teleworking and the considerable importance of social networking.
Dr Christophe Andrieu: Aesthetics doctor Doctorate from Lille medical faculty University diploma from the National College of Aesthetic Medicine (CIMEL) Inter-university diploma in medical lasers Founder of Dermatys – aesthetic medicine centre.
More informations: dermatys.fr
