Avoiding trout pout and duck face

Why lip enhancements should never need to lead to an unattractive pout.

In the past decade or so it seems that all manner of celebrities, from Abbey Crouch and Patsy Kensit to Meg Ryan, Goldie Hawn, Britt Ekland and Leslie Ash, have had lip enhancements to help retain – or regain – their youthful looks. We’ve all seen the results of the less successful enhancements, aka Trout Pout or Duck Face.

Trout Pout refers to lip enhancements that don’t really work; over-filled lips that look incredibly false, swollen and, let’s face it, unattractive.

The reason for having a lip fill is that sensuous, full lips are associated with youth and fertility. As we grow older, our lips naturally thin so it’s understandable that this is one area of the face that we consider enhancing. But there’s a difference between the Pout and an enhancement.

A more natural and more beautiful look can be achieved quite easily with the expert use of fillers and other complementary treatments – working in harmony with the anatomy of your face. Because as with all aesthetics, it is so important that any enhancements are naturally proportioned.

There are a number of factors an aesthetic clinician should be mindful of when assessing your face which is why it is so important to see someone who is experienced, trained, and honest.

For example, the proportion of the upper to lower lips is very important when trying to create a beautiful lip, this should be about 40% volume in the top lip and 60% volume in the lower lip.

Another assessment is the angle of your lips in profile – sometimes called the Steiner’s line – as your lips need to be attractive in profile too. You may well have seen examples of where this hasn’t been factored in, this is the aforementioned Duck Face!

However, by restoring the correct proportions a beautiful lip can be created that looks natural and enhances, not distracts.

A qualified, experienced clinician will assess the different factors whilst also considering your personal facial features, sizes and other ratios to ensure that the treatment produces an enhanced lip appropriate for you.

Interestingly younger celebs like Kylie Jenner, Mollie Mae Hague and Gemma Collins are now busily dissolving their overused fillers, perhaps understanding that they don’t really need enhancement with their youthful looks.

For older women, however, one of the temptations of having their lips overfilled is to eradicate the fine vertical lines that develop around the lips, which are often referred to smokers’ lines. While it is true that fillers can improve these lines it is not true that the smoothness is achieved by overfilling lips. Other treatments such as thread lifting, IPL skin rejuvenation and even skin peels can all be used effectively alongside the filler to remove this type of wrinkle.

But all too often these treatments aren’t suggested or offered. This is partly because they are regulated whereas fillers can be administered by anyone (even yourself!). And the only tool available for them to use is the dermal filling, a rather blunt instrument that can lead to overfilling.

So a clinic that can offer more than just fillers and has trained clinicians is your best bet by far. They will take a more holistic approach and use bespoke treatments best suited to the conditions you want treated and your natural facial anatomy. This is how you’ll achieve the best results.

• Remember when producing a beautiful lip that is in proportion with the rest of your face less is often more.
• Always choose a clinician that takes the time to assess your features and creates a plan that will truly enhance you.

We always recommend only using a clinic which has trained clinicians, a results guarantee, quality accreditation and good quality testimonials.

If you’d like to check out Numie Skin & Laser Clinic’s testimonials please click here. And if you’d like to find out a bit more about our lip enhancement treatments click here

You can also book a FREE initial consultation by calling us on 020 8683 6730 or clicking here

Here’s to no more Trout Pout!