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How to Avoid the Blowfish Look

Image of Ginger Lizardo, RN
Ginger Lizardo, RN

It’s no wonder lip filler is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures. The gel-like injection adds volume, smooths fine lines, and further defines the shape of your lips, resulting in an overall improvement of your appearance. The objective is to achieve a “your-lips-but-better” look. And naturally you want to be recognizably you.

How to avoid the blowfish look

The ideal injector is an experienced, licensed and board-certified provider who also understands that the lips are but one of several landmarks of the face. They understand to achieve balance, symmetry and the look of vitality, a well-proportioned pout is critical as is self-restraint. The wisdom of when not to inject filler is just as important as knowing when to inject filler.

Both in print and in real life, we’ve all seen overfilled lips on an otherwise lovely face. It’s hard to imagine that some providers create such swollen-looking lips, but when planning your first--or-next--lip injection appointment, you’ll want to keep in mind the factors that will help you avoid the dreaded blowfish lips.

At Image Surgical Arts, our team of highly skilled injectors understands the importance of an assessment that takes into account the overall architecture of the face and any other concerns you may have.

It’s Not Just Your Lips but What’s Behind Them

If your teeth aren’t all that visible when you smile, you’ll want to talk to your provider about how to avoid a blowfish-y look. A less toothy smile does not mean that you can’t benefit from lip filler, but the injections must be done in a specific way to keep your results elegant and natural.

Go the Distance

The distance of the philtrum, or that notch between the bottom of the nose and the Cupid’s bow, also contribute to your lip result. The best practice is 12-15mm. Many cosmetic surgeons and injectors suggest that a top lip longer than 15mm may benefit from an injection of Botox (a lip flip) to shorten the upper lip area. This procedure achieves a less dramatic appearance than a surgical lip lift, but it is very effective, especially with lip filler injections.

The Golden Ratio

A qualified, experienced injector follows the natural proportions of your mouth for an aesthetically pleasing pout, keeping in mind the Golden Ratio of 1:1.6 for the size of the top lip in comparison to the bottom lip. Of course, every person is different and a highly skilled injector is trained to be discerning of such differences, filling in areas that have natural volume over massive, uniform injections, creating a natural and beautiful enhancement to the lips.

Try a Lip Flip

While fillers add dimension and volume to your pout, just a little bit of Botox will relax the lip, causing it to roll out just enough to make it look bigger, without the added volume. Although the procedure takes about one minute to perform, it requires an immensely skilled provider to isolate the small muscles within the orbicularis oris while allowing it to maintain its function. Check out some of our amazing results.

Don't know what your best option is? Let us develop a plan that helps provide you with a natural-looking lip.

Schedule your consultation or treatment by calling or texting 615-499-4224 today!