I have always had a thin top lip, which has been more obvious when I smiled.
I had previously considered cosmetic lip tattooing to give my lips more definition, however when I attended an appointment with a local Beautician about this procedure I changed my mind after viewing her before and after photos.
Some of her 'after' photos made the customers look like they were wearing very Theatrical makeup, or like a Clown - in any case it just didn't look natural.
Later, when I mentioned this to a friend, she told me about the non-surgical Botox Lip Enhancement procedure she'd been having recently in addition to the regular Botox treatments she had to remove frown lines.
She said it was a new Advanced Botox procedure, and just a few hundred dollars.
I hadn't noticed any difference in her face, but after she'd mentioned it, I could see that her lips looked nice and plump, and also completely natural.
So I made an appointment to have my top lip enhanced with Botox too.
When I attended the appointment I was advised that Botox can be painful when injected into the lip area, however I did not find the procedure very painful.
I was not given any type of pain relief, my lips were cleaned and four injections made along my top lip (one each side of the Cupid's Bow and one each side further along).
It was a very quick procedure.
I could feel a sting as the needle went in, however it was bearable and the needle seemed to be removed quickly with no after-pain at the injection sites at all.
The way that I understood it when it was explained to me by the Practitioner was that Botox would make my top lip appear fuller by contracting some of the muscles in the upper lip area, it would slightly pull my top lip up.
I was also told that after the procedure I would probably not be able to 'whistle' or drink through a straw until the effects of the procedure work off (in several months time).
I was also asked to sign a document to say I understood that the procedure is not officially approved for Botox use.
I was told the procedure was a relatively new discovery about the use of Botox.
On returning home from the appointment, I could notice the difference immediately in the mirror.
My top lip was fuller - particularly when smiling.
I no longer had a thin top lip when I smiled, however it was so natural looking that it wasn't over-obvious and it didn't noticeably change my overall facial appearance.
As my lips did not look 'plumped up' (like with cosmetic 'fillers') it just gave me a slightly fuller smile and nicer looking lips.
It looked like a very pleasing result.
Although there was no pain or bruising after having the procedure, in the hours afterwards I encountered a down-side to having it done.
It didn't bother me that I couldn't whistle, and I had been warned that I may not be able to drink from a straw, however I quickly and unexpectedly realised that it was actually very difficult for me now to drink from a cup! It felt like I had no control over the middle portion of my upper lip and the area above it.
Though it didn't actually feel paralyzed when I was trying to drink from a cup, I just couldn't use all of the usual muscles I must normally use to have a drink.
When I went to drink from a cup it felt like my top lip was hanging out over the top of my bottom lip and I actually spilled some of my drink down the front of me! The same thing also occurred after brushing my teeth when I went to rinse my mouth out after brushing, a little liquid would dribble down my face or onto the front of my clothes.
In the months following this procedure these problems persisted and I would have to really 'concentrate' not to spill any fluids when I was drinking or brushing my teeth! I also initially noticed that my lips felt more natural/comfortable in unusual positions when I wasn't smiling.
For at least the first week, with a normally closed mouth, it felt comfortable for my top lip to hang rested completely over the top of my bottom lip.
Which is not a natural look - and if looking in the mirror when holding my lips this way, I definitely looked strange (if not slightly facially deformed!).
I got used to holding my lips together properly in the next few days and this problem subsided.
I also noticed that I was now able to easily pucker up my lips enough that my top lip could now easily join up to my nose, and that I could make an unusual "V" shape with my top lip - Great if you're into pulling faces but not attractive! Overall I found the procedure a good, inexpensive and quick fix for my thin smile, however the down sides to it - especially not finding it easy to drink from a cup, may actually make me think twice before having the procedure done again.
I'm undecided, I guess it depends on how much I end up missing my fuller smile!