When it comes to the perfect pout, what do your lips say?

How do you get those lips that say “I’m young, I’m fertile,” not quack quack, I just got my lips done? Truth be told, according to Dr. Few, until recently that natural fullness was hard to achieve with existing FDA-approved products for the lips, leaving many women—literally—with a permanent pout. But in April 2011 an FDA panel formally recommended Restylane for use in lip injections, which was formally approved in October 2011. And who was there to advise said panel on this lip indication? Dr. Few, naturally.

He says that Restylane works with his less-is-more approach because this kiss amplifier creates natural-looking lips and it’s safe in all skin types—perfect for his practice, which emphasizes a balanced approach to cosmetic surgery. (No sausage lips here.)

And as much as none of us want to look like we’re getting older, we’re definitely not fooling anyone by wiping all signs of it away. Dr. Few says getting older is a good thing (on many levels), and it can be even better with natural, less invasive enhancements, such as Restylane for the lips.

But how to get those natural-looking lips? Here are a few tips from the doc himself:

1. The upper lip shouldn’t be larger than the lower lip.
   “Although Julia Roberts has a larger upper lip [and pulls it off!], it’s generally an unnatural proportion and will result in an unnatural looking lip,” says Dr. Few.
2. Enhance your natural lip definition.
   “Don’t just make your lips bigger. This is a common mistake that creates those unnaturally protruding ‘duck lips’.”
3. Don’t expect to erase all your lip and mouth ridges and folds.
   “If you inject too much filler, the skin will stretch and create what we call ‘sausage lips’.”
4. Maintain your filler. (Restylane lasts approximately 6 months.)
   “Regular maintenance of your lips will create a more natural look, so don’t wait until it disappears to get a refill.”
5. Avoid permanent fillers in the lips.
   “While the idea of a permanent filler is appealing, if you don’t like your result, you’ll have to have it surgically removed. As we like to say in the industry, permanent fillers, permanent problems.”

What IPL can do for you

If you’ve got skin damage caused by aging, sun exposure or other environmental factors, non-invasive skin rejuvenation with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) may be just what the doctor orders!

What it is:

IPL is a laser procedure that uses specific wavelengths of light to diminish discolorations (age spots, freckles) and restore the smooth texture your skin had before it was damaged by the sun and other environmental factors. (Goodbye fine lines and wrinkles!)

Who it’s for:

The IPL procedure is safe, effective and gentle on all skin types and conditions and is performed as an in-office treatment in about 20 minutes. Pain is minimal (you may experience a slight stinging sensation).

No downtime:

Your skin may be red or blotchy after treatment, but usually disappears in around an hour. (No downtime required!) As for those age spots, they may become darker initially, but they will fade or flake off in the near term.

Maximum results:

For the best results, multiple treatments are required (3 to 5) every 4 weeks. This allows for gradual treatment, and improvement, that is gentle on the skin.

Importantly, you must take special measures to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays after treatment. Not only will your skin be more sensitive while it is healing, but protecting it is the only way to maintain your rejuvenation results.