By Barbara Bishop
So I did it. I’m now no longer a former modest Chicago resident; I’m now a full-fledged Los Angeles dame. (I got my lips injected!) I never thought that I would do something as ludicrous as making my lips bigger. I roll my eyes when I see women with those lips leading the way as they walk.
But, mine are different. It’s subtle, but noticeable. And the procedure helps to decrease the “marionette” or puppet lines drooping down from the side of my lips, a clear symptom of aging. Now that I have done my lips, my lines are minimized; they are hardly there any more. And, my surgeon is a true artist (he even holds the needle like a paint brush). But, if you’re squeamish about needles, you might not be able to handle this one. I’ll explain.
I came into the office 2 days ago, to get a quick dose of Botox between my eyebrows. This doesn’t hurt very much, and the cost is low. I think everyone should get Botox. It really does make you look younger and nicer, once the frown lines are injected away.
While in the chair, I asked about lip injections. Would I benefit from a little injection? Does it hurt? What are the risks? My doc explained that a little plumping of the lips (and not like the Kardashians) would be pretty, and make me look younger.
He also said that it does hurt, and asked if I would like to have a numbing medicine before the procedure. I declined, thinking, how much could it really hurt? When discussing risks, my doc said that the most common side effects could be bruising around the lip area. No big deal, I thought.
OK, let’s go for it, I said. So my doc gets a very thin needle, and makes a “hole” in my lower lip to insert a tiny cannula with the plumper material. The needle did not hurt, but holy crap! The cannula sure did. I also think the idea of sticking a needle in my lip made it hurt more. He repeated the same procedure in my upper lip. Sht! That mo-fo hurts!
The bedside manner of the medical assistant was so amazing, though. She applied ice on the opposite side of my face to lower the pain threshold, as well as held on to my shoulder, which was comforting.
After the procedure was done (complete in 7 minutes), I was handed a mirror to check out his work. Was I saw made me forget about the momentary, yet intense pain shooting through my lips. It was gorgeous. The marionette lines were gone. And my lips were fuller, but just enough to make them younger looking and sexy. I love they way they look.
I still don’t think I qualify to be a lady who lunches at the Peninsula yet (my lips would have to be much bigger) but it knocked about 5 years off my age. Would I do it again? You bet!
P.S. I work up the next morning and has a small bruise on part of my lower lip. Nothing that lipstick can’t cover up!
