Everyone’s face is somewhat asymmetrical, so slightly uneven lips aren’t highly noticeable to others. But uneven lips can be a frustrating cosmetic issue, which could affect your emotional health. Severely uneven lips, however, can affect how you eat and speak.
If you’re interested in making your lips appear more even, there are several at-home and surgical treatments available. Here are four common treatment methods.
Facial exercises
If your lips are uneven, it may be due to your facial muscles being underdeveloped or weak. This could be the result of a condition such as Lyme disease, or it could be present from birth.
Here are some facial exercises you can perform to make your lips appear more balanced:
- Tighten your lips as if you are going to attempt to whistle. Hold that position for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat 10 to 20 times a day.
- Stretch your lips with your lips closed as if you are trying to touch the corners of your mouth to your ears. Hold that position for 10 seconds. Next, stretch your lips further with your teeth slightly exposed. Hold the position again. Then, stretch your lips as far as they can go with your teeth bared. Hold the position, then relax.
- Purse your lips. Suck in your cheeks so that they are close to touching each other (commonly called fish face). Then, move your lips up and down in the pucker position.
Lip augmentation is achieved with lip injections to even out or plump the lips. The most common dermal filler used to be collagen, but it has been replaced with products that are considered to be safer and longer lasting. Hyaluronic acid and polyacrylamide are currently the most popular dermal fillers used.
Fat injections are also available, but involve liposuction surgery to remove fat from another area of your body.
Sometimes fillers can cause an allergic reaction on your face or lips. Be sure to complete a professional consultation to understand the different filler options available and to get a qualified recommendation on the best option for you.
The benefits of lip augmentation include:
- quick outpatient treatment
- treatments can be paced until the desired lip volume has been reached
- lip volume can be controlled by the amount of substance injected
The negatives of lip augmentation include:
- only lasts about 6 months
- cold sores or fever blisters could be reactivated
- possible swelling and bruising
Cosmetic tattooing has become increasingly popular in recent years. Tattooing for the purpose of fixing skin color is called micropigmentation. If you have uneven lips, they may be evened out cosmetically with a permanent tattoo.
As with any tattoo or permanent procedure, you should fully understand how it works. You should also evaluate any cosmetic tattoo artist by looking at their previous work and reading reviews. Before committing to micropigmentation, talk with your doctor for insight and a recommendation.
In severe cases, your uneven lips may require surgery. Lip reconstruction is typically performed by a plastic surgeon. Sometimes lip surgery poses a challenge due to the central role that your lips play in your life.
Lip surgeries are done with both a functional and aesthetic focus in mind. Sometimes additional skin must be removed from other places on your body to reconstruct the lips. If you’re considering lip surgery, make sure to consult your doctor for a referral.
If the unevenness of your lips is very slight or minimal, consider trying to correct your lips by practicing facial exercises before considering lip injections or surgery. If your lips are uneven and pose an emotional or physical issue, options to consider include injections, micropigmentation (tattooing), and plastic surgery.
Be sure to consult with your doctor and their recommended specialist before making a commitment to any treatment.
