Lip Augmentation via Lateral Tunnel Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for lip augmentation do not allow for effective expansion of the outer surface of the lip to increase volume while turning it outward, limiting the ability to achieve a plumper and uniquely shaped lip.
Innovation Solution
The use of a two-step technique involving superficial linear injection of dermal fillers, where an implement is moved sideways to create tunnels and then dermal filler is injected to fill the void, allowing for lateral augmentation of the lip surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional injection methods are used for lip augmentation, then the procedure is simple and quick, but the ability to expand the outer surface of the lip and turn it outward is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The injection procedure is divided into two distinct steps: first creating tunnels by moving the implement sideways, then injecting dermal filler to fill the voids. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, achieving both procedural simplicity and enhanced lip augmentation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The implement is moved sideways (laterally) rather than only in the traditional vertical or depth direction. This lateral movement creates tunnels that expand the outer surface of the lip and enable the lip to turn outward, adding a dimensional aspect that conventional injection methods lack.
2Volume of moving object
If more dermal filler is injected to increase lip volume, then the lip becomes plumper, but the amount of filler required increases cost and potential side effects
Solution Approach 1:
Tunnels are created in advance by moving the implement sideways before injecting the dermal filler. This preliminary action of tunnel creation allows the filler to be distributed more efficiently throughout the lip tissue, achieving maximum volume enhancement with minimal filler quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral movement of the implement creates a tunnel network (porous structure) within the lip tissue. When dermal filler is injected into these tunnels, it distributes throughout the created pathways, maximizing volume expansion while minimizing the total amount of filler needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional injection techniques are used, then the procedure uses standard methods, but the lip shape cannot be uniquely customized
Solution Approach 1:
The implement can be dynamically moved in various lateral directions and at different angles during the tunnel creation phase. This dynamic movement allows the practitioner to customize the tunnel pattern according to the desired lip shape, while still following a standardized two-step injection protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
Introduced here are novel techniques for augmenting the lips through superficial linear injection of dermal fillers. At a high level, these techniques are representative of a two-step approach to augmentation. In the first stage, an implement that is appropriately positioned inside a lip can be moved sideways—an action referred to as a “side push.” In the second stage, dermal filler can be ejected from the implement so as to fill the resulting void. These techniques can be used by healthcare professionals to reshape the lips for medical or aesthetic purposes. These techniques were developed in an attempt to permit augmentation of the outer surface of a lip so as to increase its volume by expanding sideways while turning the lip outward. With these techniques, the desired result—namely, a plumper lip—may be readily and consistently achievable.