ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Lip plumpers are topical agents that offer immediate, but temporary, volumization of the lips. While these products are becoming increasingly popular and are available at multiple retailers, there is a lack of clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy, longevity, and safety of the lip plumping products. METHODS: This is a prospective, single center, clinical trial to evaluate the duration, efficacy, and safety of a lip plumping agent in two clinical visits. Lip volume and adverse event were assessed by two clinicians at various time points: 15 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours. RESULTS: Twenty-two subjects were enrolled in the study, and eighteen completed the study. Investigator assessments of global improvement 15 minutes after application of the lip plumping product demonstrated improvement in lip fullness in 100% of the subjects (18/18), and 1 hour post-application 67% (12/18) showed an improvement in lip fullness that was statistically significant compared to the 2-hour assessment (P less than 0.05). Subject evaluations noted improvement in lip fullness 15 minutes post-application in 94.4% (17/18) of subjects, and 1 hour post-application, 89% (16/18) of the subjects who completed the trial noted some improvement in the volume of their lips that was statistically significant compared to the 2-hour post-application time point (P less than 0.0001). Subjects noted that they did experience a tingling and heat sensation, but a majority noted that that this sensation lasted less than 15 minutes. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrated that the lip plumping product increased lip volume in almost all patients 15 minutes post-application and showed a continued improvement in lip fullness per investigator assessments 1 hour after application. Adverse events of a tingling or heat sensation were expected and observed as the topical product contained capsaicin, cinnamon, and menthol, all of which can induce this sensation by the release of substance P. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(9):999-1004.
