Plumper Lips

Jennifer Matthews: Playing in the park with her granddaughter, Carol Smallwood is all smiles. But her smile has a new look. Carol Smallwood: They were just little fine pencil lines whenever I smiled. It was like I didn't have any lips. Jennifer Matthews: Carol tried collagen injections, but got frustrated when they didn't last. In stepped, plastic surgeon William P. ADAMS, Jr. With a solution, a permanent lip implant. William P. Adams, Jr.: It's really totally revolutionized the options for patients that want to have fuller lips. Jennifer Matthews: Doctors have used the soft, synthetic material for internal repairs. Now plastic surgeons are using it to provide plumper lips. Linda Vaaler: I have really thin lips, I always have, and it's always bothered me. Jennifer Matthews: Linda Vaaler is undergoing the outpatient procedure that takes about an hour and a half. William P. Adams Jr.: What we do is make two small incisions in each, the upper and lower lips, at the corner of the mouth. You can very precisely place the implant across the lip, remove the insertion device, and we kind of tuck the corners of the implant in, and then we close the incisions with a couple layers of sutures. Jennifer Matthews: Afterwards, lips are swollen for about three days. Doctor Adams advises his patients to be especially careful for the next two weeks. William P. Adams, Jr.: We have them not do anything that's going to really stretch their lips or stress the incisions, so excessive talking or laughing or anything like that is not advisable. Jennifer Matthews: Three weeks after her procedure, Carol is back in the swing of things. Carol Smallwood: They're a little bit stiff in the beginning, but then they get smooth and look good. Jennifer Matthews: This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.