There’s a different, long-lasting lip procedure that could end the obsession with fillers

It's the 'it' procedure of the decade - but could it be replaced?

Lip fillers have exploded in popularity in the past few years - a quick look at Instagram, reality TV and the biggest celebrities all point to just how big having a big pout has become. Stars like Megan from this year's Love Island have caused a serious surge in interest in the procedure - one UK clinic has a seen a 200 per cent increase in demand for lip fillers. "The increase in patients booking off the back of the show is astonishing," SISU Aesthetics Clinics CEO Pat Pheklan said. "Women of all ages are looking for that Megan Barton-Hanson look – full lips, smooth skin, perfect nose." But our lip filler obsession could soon come to an end thanks to what's known as a lip lift. As its name suggests, it sees the top lip lifted by removing skin to make the area between the nose and the mouth smaller. It's a permanent procedure, unlike lip fillers which dissolve and need to be topped up after a period of time.

"I'm seeing a lot of patients tired of repeat injections — maybe they're bruising each time, or maybe their lips don't always turn out exactly the same — and they want something more permanent and consistent," New York cosmetic surgeon Michelle Henry told Allure.

There are downsides - it involves a longer recovery time and more cost, plus there's the fact that a lip lift is irreversible. For that reason, it would only suit those who really want to change the way they look, rather than those who want to get in on the current full lip trend. The procedure is only taking off in the US now but as with most aesthetics trends, the rest of the world is likely to follow.