Without a doubt, Angelina's lips are one of her greatest features and most recognizable traits. Her lips are so distinctive that several magazine articles, polls, blogs and the like have been created regarding her sexy lips and the speculation as to whether or not they're real. The following is a fascinating article by reporter Jason Higgins. It was originally written for a printed health publication regarding the fascination the world has with Angelina Jolie's lips and some of the ramifications of not knowing whether or not they are natural or scientifically enhanced. This article and images are used with Jason Higgin's permission.

Angelina Jolie’s Amazing Lips: Nature’s Gift or Medical Miracle - A Surgeon Weighs In

Is speculation over the world-famous actress’s lips fueling a frenzy of lip augmentation procedures? With the recent news of another plastic surgery related death the issue becomes very relevant. Many women are resorting to drastic means thinking they can specifically duplicate Jolie’s renowned lips on their own faces. Are her lips truly the work of science as many assume? Or has she simply been given a genetic gift to which so many unrealistically aspire? Could your own set of Angelina Jolie lips really be just a needle away?

Have you ever seen a picture of Angelina Jolie’s lips, then gazed at your own lips in the mirror, posing your meager lips in a slight pucker, and then found yourself daydreaming of having your lips fixed to look like Angelina’s? And if by “fixed” you mean “augmented,” then you are certainly not alone. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 12 million cosmetic medical procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2005. Of these procedures, nearly one million were specifically labeled as lip augmentation, a process in which the lips are enlarged through various means. Most of these lip augmentation procedures involve methods that are considered minimally invasive, such as the injection or placement of certain fillers, implants or fat which often works well although they have some risks. However, of the one million lip augmentation procedures in 2005, nearly 26,000 were labeled as invasive surgery which, by its nature, exposes the patient to the plethora of risks inherent whenever one goes under the scalpel of a physician.

“Women often enter my office with expectations that are unrealistic,” says a St. George, UT plastic surgeon. “Most notably; I am frequently asked if I can somehow magically give a patient lips just like Angelina Jolie, but that look natural on their face. Patients request Angelina Jolie lips so often that it is quite incredible, predictable, and even sometimes comical. However, unfortunately for these patients a slight reality check is in order.”

This surgeon, a nine-year veteran in plastic surgery, says that an ever increasing number of patients bring in pictures of celebrities and point out the facial features they want. “I perform many types of lip augmentation a year and I can’t tell you how many times Angelina’s name comes up along with a picture of her face clipped from a magazine. Some patients seem to dream of having lips like Angelina and they don’t want to settle for anything less.”

The doctor's observations are not his alone. In a recent poll of well known plastic surgeons published in USA TODAY, Angelina Jolie’s lips sit atop the list of most requested body parts.

However, the question remains. Are Angelina Jolie’s perfect lips in fact a lucky genetic occurrence, or has she also sought out a doctor’s help? Are her lips simply an unreachable goal for most women, or are they the work of a medical artisan with outstanding skills? A simple online search for a definitive answer yields thousands of links to pictures, blogs and other bulletin boards with the posts of many speculators. It seems that no one knows for sure. When asked if he had an opinion on the subject, the doctor would not go on record with a firm answer. “As a plastic surgeon, I find it unethical to give a definitive opinion on the subject, but anyone can look for the obvious signs.” Although he did not give an answer, he did say that one could certainly look at certain evidence that would help you venture a more educated guess. “If you really wanted to know, you could look at a few basic things like her genetics and the looks of her parents and any siblings. You could also look at early pictures of her from when she was a child or teenager. You could also examine close-ups of the areas in question for scars and other obvious signs of work.”

While the doctor declined to examine and elaborate on any evidence, the following are a few examples of the types of evidence to which he referred. The images displayed here are considered fair use for illustrative purposes. Click to enlarge each picture