Lip service

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Back in 2015 when American reality TV star Kylie Jenner admitted to getting lip fillers at the age of 17, little did her commentators know that these lips would go on to sell millions of products, making her solely owned cosmetic company worth $800 million. The feat put her on the cover of the issue of a business magazine recently as the youngest person close to being a billionaire, even beating Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. So when Jenner decided to do away with the fillers recently, the Internet couldn't stop talking about it.

Dr Batul Patel

"Lip fillers are more popular now than they have ever been. The focus in general is on the lips; I have patients come for lip brightening and tattooing, too. Ninety per cent of the clients, however, are women, and it's popular among the younger age group of 25- to 40-year-olds," says Dr Batul Patel, medical director and dermatologist, The Bombay Skin Clinic. Patel adds that most of her clients request for under-eye treatments though, which is common among older Indians.

According to a recent report by industry body IMCAS, $10.7 billion was spent worldwide on cosmetic procedures in 2018. And for the first time, India and China are set to overtake Europe in terms of cosmetic industry spending. However, inspite of the large numbers, there is no regulation governing the practitioners in the country.

Dr Viral Desai

"There are different varieties of fillers available in India. Many are not FDA approved and consumers are unaware that semi-permanent or permanent fillers are not approved at all. The lower quality products are administered at 1/5th the price, and this tempts many unsuspecting patients.

Plus, there is no strict regulation concerning who is allowed to adminster these injections and the market is filled with unqualified professionals, who may have pursued a three-week course abroad. Only if you are a plastic surgeon and dermatologist are you qualified to understand and inject fillers. We even see dentists, general surgeons, and ophthalmologists administering these injections," says cosmetic surgeon Dr Viral Desai.

What are fillers?
Fillers are non-invasive treatment, where a liquid is injected into the skin to help plump the area and reduce wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid, which is a natural filler, is one of the most common lip fillers. It has replaced the older choice of collagen, which has side effects.

Currently, the trend in India is to get a natural-looking pout by injecting anything between 0.5ml to 1ml of the product. For poutier lips, doctors use 2ml or above, however, Desai says Mumbaikars are not a fan of duck lips. Being a natural and temporary product, the filler eventually gets absorbed by the body. Fillers are also used to define the chin, nose, and cheeks, and treat sunken eyes.

What you should know
Lip fillers cause a swelling that takes about seven to 10 days to settle, so plan your appointment accordingly. Due to lack of sufficient research, doctors advise pregnant women to postpone the treatment. Use of blood-thinning medicines or even green tea should be stopped three days before your appointment.

You should also complete any dental treatments before getting a lip filler to avoid putting pressure on the area, which reduces their longevity. Fillers last for about three to nine months. Smoking, massaging the lips and kissing reduces its life. The treatment is reversible.

Bollywood loves to hate it

Several leading Bollywood ladies show visible changes in their lips, sport sharper cheekbones, or a defined, longer chin, but none have admitted to getting fillers and attribute it to exercise and weight loss. They say they haven't gone under the knife, which is true, as temporary fillers are non-invasive procedures. The only brave soul was Anushka Sharma, who admitted to getting fillers for her role of a jazz singer in Bombay Velvet (2015).

Kylie's lip saga

Before