What is FulFil Lip Implants?

The Fulfil ™ lip implant is designed as a permanent but reversible alternative to injectable fillers, without any of the side effects associated with previous implants on the market. They are perfect for people with busy demanding lifestyles as the procedure requires minimal downtime and no further repeat injections (as with injectable fillers) after the initial procedure. Thus, they combine the ease of a filler with the permanence of an implant.

FulFil is a dual membrane, saline filled implant that is inflated to the desired size once it is in place. The outer layer of the implant is made of ePTFE (Expanded Polyolytetrafluoroethylene) which is a very porous and inelastic material. This outer layer is attached at each end, to a very thin silicone balloon which has a self sealing valve at one end. The ePTFE outer layer is only 50 microns (0.10mm) in thickness and is actually significantly larger than the inner silicone balloon which allows this balloon to move independently of the outer layer after implantation resulting in amore natural look and feel.
Once the implant is inserted and inflated, the outer layer allows for 1/10mm of tissue in-growth. This tissue in-growth then stops a capsule forming around the implant, and so prevents the implant hardening.  It also means that the implant is anchored in place biologically and so will not migrate from its desired position. Despite the implant being anchored, the tissue in-growth is limited enough that if you wish to have the implant removed for any reason, your surgeon will be able to remove it easily and without removing any significant amount of your own tissue. This means that once the implant is removed, your lips would look like they did before the implant went in.   

What happens during a treatment?

The procedure is wholly in-office and only takes 20-30 minutes. During the actual treatment intra-oral nerve block is used to eliminate any discomfort, two small incisions are then made per implant. FulFil is then positioned and filled with the desired amount of saline which can be adjusted during the procedure with a fill tube which is later removed.  

The results are noticeable immediately and there is minimal downtime.

Removal of the implant is easily managed through a small incision.

Who and what is it good for?

The implant is good for creating natural-looking lips which allow for unrestricted facial animation as the implants stretch to match the contours of the surrounding area. It is good for more mature people as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. It is also good for people with both full and thin lips as the implant can either define and shape or provide volume.

Who is not good for and what are the side effects?

The Fulfill lip implant has so far no reported adverse effects and is made of safe biocompatible materials. So it is suitable for everyone.

Precautions

The implant should always be flaccid filled or ‘under-filled’ to ensure that it remains soft and reacts to pressure and movement in the same way that natural tissue would. Each of the nine different sized implants has a recommended fill volume which is clearly marked on the packaging and it is highly recommended that this volume is adhered to for the best, most natural results.

If you want a bigger augmentation, it is better to go for a bigger implant than to overfill a smaller one.

A few facts

The FulFil implant is available in three different diameters: small (4.5 mm), medium (5.5 mm) and large (6.5 mm), nine different lengths ranging from 4.0-5.0cm and nine different fill volumes ranging from 0.25-0.70ml.

Information provided by:

Ben Sharples director of Advantech Surgical Ltd,  http://www.advantechsurgical.com/

See also Lip Implants and Lip Enhancement