Q: What are my best options for plumping up my lips a bit? I don’t want anything crazy!! But are there injectables like Botox that can help give them a bit more fullness so I don’t seem so “thin-lipped?”

“Pout” via instinctmagazine.com A: Want to have a little more pout but not look like a trout? There are a few options out there for making your Jolies look better but not too crazy. The most common approach to enhancing lip fullness is with a filler such as Juvéderm or Restylane. These products contain hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring mol- ecule in the human body. Both Juvéderm and Restylane now come with lidocaine mixed into them, reducing the pain that used to be involved in injecting these products into the lips. The results are immediate, with some swelling and minor bruising possible for 24- 48 hours. You will enjoy fuller lips for six or seven months. To get the upper lip to turn out a little more and reduce the vertical lines on the upper lip, a tiny dose of Botox or Dysport (which relaxes the muscles of the upper lip) can be injected just above the upper lip. In rare cases, this may affect speech slightly, so be mindful of this risk. All will return to normal when the muscle relaxation wears off in four to six months. In the rare circumstance that your speech is affected and someone makes fun of you, just pout...only with plumper, more fabulous lips! —DR

AT ATTENTION!

Q: What are some natural remedies or tricks to help keep it stiff? Is there a way to improve your overall health down there without popping a pill?

Benji via instinctmagazine.com

A: One of the easiest tools to help upgrade your erection is a cock ring. Experiment to find what fits the best, starting with the flexible rubber ones. You’ll know pretty quickly if the ring is too tight because your rod will turn blue and you’ll get a dull ache, like when you’re kicked in the nuts. Take it off and try another. Eventually you will find what texture, strength and thickness works best for a longer-lasting erection. Beyond this useful tool, you may consider a change in focus. I used to have a professor who said, “Erection and orgasm is simple. It’s a direct result of being properly aroused. Knowing and stimulating what arouses you most can be the challenge.” Simply put: You don’t get aroused as a result of an erection. You get erect because you’re aroused. Even erectile stimulants require you to be initially aroused for them to work. Yes, there is a percentage of men who actually have physical obstacles that prevent them from functioning (prostate surgery, etc.). But for the rest of us, rather than exploring and discovering what could uniquely drive us wild and keeping that fresh, we get stuck in a pattern that just gets plain boring. We get caught up with shame, too much stress in our daily lives or what we think arousal “should” look like (perhaps too preoccu-pied with marathon erections). And what’s sexy about “should?” Give your erotic energy all kinds of opportunities to flourish—touch, massage, smell, taste, fantasy, role-playing, etc.—and your erection will indeed “point out” that which arouses you most. —JR

DIABETIC DECISIONS

Q: If my father is a diabetic—and his mother was, too—what is the likelihood that I will become one as well? I’m 31 and in relatively good shape, but it is a constant worry for me.

Shan via instinctmagazine.com

A: Diabetes can be inherited and passed down for generations, but that’s not always the case. Regardless of whether a disease is genetic, you cannot change the genes you received from your parents. But you can, in a sense, learn to turn off certain genes. You have the increased likelihood of developing diabetes thanks to a family history, however you can turn off those genes by carefully choosing what you eat and drink. To prevent turning on the diabetic genes that you might have, stick to the following: Adhere to a low-carbohydrate lifestyle; eat three regular meals with healthy snacks between meals daily; eat low-glycemic fruits—for example, all berries are low in sugar and high in antioxidants; drink plenty of water; adopt a regular exercise program (at least 30 minutes three times a week); make a serious effort to reduce stress; avoid fatigue; stay away from alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Diabetes is a very serious systemic disease that will affect many different or- gan systems, especially the heart, eyes, kidneys and brain. The key to not developing diabetes is prevention! —PF