Botox pout may disappear: scientists

The unnaturally stiff pout and suspiciously firm cheeks which go hand-in-hand with a cosmetic revamp may be a thing of the past.

Cosmetic scientists have refined the non-surgical technology used to plump up wrinkles and "fill in" jowls on thousands of Australian faces every year.

The popular gel - which is injected under the skin to pad out sags - has been reconfigured so there's less lumping and strange facial stiffness.

Several companies have advanced their injectable recipes, with Allergen, makers of the muscle relaxant Botox, the latest to tout a new product, called Juvederm.

"The products available here at the moment have been prone to creating a stiffer, bit more unnatural appearance which you can see," said Sydney-based plastic surgeon Steven Liew.

"But the non-surgical world of cosmetic surgery is booming so there's been a lot of work to improve the result."

About 500,000 Australians last year booked in for dermal filler procedures, mostly to puff up their lips or bolster the line that runs from the nose to the outer edges of the mouth.

Speaking at the product launch, renowned US dermatologist Mary Lupo described the procedure as akin to repairing an old carpet.

"If you've got an old rug and you can't replace it, put new padding under it and it looks much better," Dr Lupo told journalists.

The product was launched alongside "supporting" study results showing most Australians think full kissable lips are more attractive than big breasts.

The company-funded survey of 639 young men and women also found that two-thirds thought wrinkles were unsexy and older women "with thin, tight lips can look sour-faced and mean".

In Australia, about 80 per cent of procedures used Allergan's older generation filler, Restylane, often in combination with a relaxant to "smooth out" frown lines and wrinkles.

Both gels rely on a volumising chemical called hyaluronic acid (HA) but, says Dr Liew, the newer composition gives "softer" plumping, less bruising and anecdotal evidence suggests it may last longer.

It has been available in Europe since 2000 and was unveiled in the US last year and specialist Michael Zacharia, president of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery, said he expects it's "nice aesthetic result" will be popular here.

"I've tested it on eight patients so far and it looks good, but I'm sure we'll keep using other products too," Dr Zacharia said.