By Debjani Baidyaray

Mumbai, March 17: Now, it may be easier to get fuller lips easily as the scientists have discovered a new procedure for enlarging the lips using grafts of muscle and connective tissue from the neck. This study has been published in the March/April issue of Facial Plastic Surgery, a JAMA/Archives journal.

A common sign of aging that shows on a woman's face is the flattening of the channel of the upper lip and the decrease in the pink tissues. These facial changes have led many women to go for lip surgeries to the skin professionals.

The research was conducted over 25 women who underwent lip augmentation with segments of their own sternocleidomastoid, a muscle that runs along the side of the neck, and the connective tissue that overlies it.

Anurag Agarwal and his colleagues from the Aesthetic Surgery Center in Naples, Fla. studied the results of this lip augmentation. After a time span of two years, the amount of pink tissue was found to have increased by an average of 20 to 24 percent on both upper and lower lips. The average projection of the upper and lower lips also showed an increase by 0.9 to 0.99 millimeters.

The muscle and connective tissue can be removed during a face lift with little risk of complications.

However, no deformities were found in lip contour, limitations in head movement, neck pain or even nerve injuries after the tissues were removed from the neck as part of the procedure.

Taking care of lips should be a part of the daily health care routine. Apply chap sticks or lip moisturizers can keep the lips smooth and lustrous and a good unflavored lip balm to keep off germs and bacteria. Avoid licking them to prevent them from drying.

Also read: Ten ways to a kiss-friendly mouth

TAGS: lip care