If only we could pout like Angelina Jolie. Those luscious lips speak volumes, don't they? They talk class, style, femme fatale appeal -- and girls secretly desire it. Perhaps, we could snag our own Brad Pitt if we could pucker like Angie!

Technology has actually made getting that Angelina pout possible. In a surgical procedure known as lip augmentation, collagen (usually harvested and processed from a cadaver), fat from your own body or some other synthetic material is injected or surgically implanted into the upper or lower lips or both. Costing at an average of $2,000, lip injections are usually done in the cosmetic surgeon's clinic and takes anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours to complete.

Lip injections are touted as one of the safest surgical procedures ever done. The risks are relatively minimal compared to that of other cosmetic procedures. However, they are there. Here's a rundown on the dangers of lip injections and some precautions to consider so you can minimize, if not eliminate, these.

1. Complications. Like any other surgical procedure, the possibility of complications like bleeding exists. Your risk doubles if you have a history of diabetes, problems with blood clots and other heart or lung disease. Make sure that you discuss your health history with your doctor before undergoing the procedure.

2. Allergic reactions. The collagen used for lip injections can either come from cows, a human cadaver or a synthetic gel. Surprised? These materials are processed in the most sterile of conditions. However, allergic reactions can still occur, so a sensitivity test is usually performed before this procedure is carried out. Itching, redness or scarring as a result of these allergic reactions can occur. Thus, it's important to tell your doctor any allergies you may have before the start of any procedure so he is forewarned.

3. Unnatural shape. In some circumstances, there are times when the end result would make an individual look like a blowfish. The promises given at the start of the procedure may not always be met or even run counter to expectations. The lips could protrude unnaturally and look even more asymmetrical. There is even the possibility of it going numb permanently. In severe instances, the implant material moves to a different part of the body, necessitating another round of surgery to remove it.

So here's a final word: Getting that pout necessitates a certain amount of risk. While lip injections are generally considered safe and one of the most commonly used cosmetic procedures done in the country, and all over the world, today, it does not mean that they are 100% foolproof. Barring collagen from cow or the fat harvested from your own stomach, it might also be worth looking at the fact that other kinds of injections for that perfect pout take their material from human cadavers. Granted, they process these with utmost care to make it as clean and disease-free as possible, but what are your guarantees?  How do you know that the one injected to you does not carry any ailment of its now-dead host? But, as they say, beauty always has a price. If you're willing to pay it, then that is ultimately your call. Where getting that sexy pout is concerned, one can always think of it as an investment towards bagging your own Brad Pitt.