Plump, smooth, sensual lips have remained a highly coveted facial feature because of their ability to enhance the patient’s smile and revitalize the entire face. Unfortunately, many individuals are simply born with thin lips, while others experience a natural loss of lip volume and other unwelcome aesthetic changes to the lips as a natural part of the aging process, including:
- Elongation of the upper lip
- Reduced visibility of the teeth
- The appearance of a perpetually angry expression, resulting from the drooping or sagging of the upper lip
Lip Augmentation Procedure
The lips can be divided into several different areas that can be addressed with surgical and non-surgical procedures.
Lip Augmentation is a broad term used to describe any procedure that is performed to alter the size, symmetry, and shape of your lips.
Lip Lift:
There are two primary types of lip lifts:
- A corner lip lift will address the corner of the mouth, otherwise known as the commissure. A corner lip lift will elevate this part of the mouth when it has begun to droop.
- An upper lip lift serves to raise the vermillion, or upper border, of the upper lip. This is done with an incision directly on the border or right underneath the nose. The subnasal lip lift, places the incision at the base of the nose. The procedure is easily performed in the center with numbing injections. An tiny incision is made at the base of the nose at the junction of the nose and lip. The skin and soft tissue are excised. A few deep stitches are placed to lift the lip upward and the skin and soft tissue are then meticulously closed in multiple layers to minimize the appearance of the scar. The fine stitches placed in the skin are removed around five days after the procedure. The scar is well hidden, and after the healing is complete can be difficult to detect.
Lip Augmentation with Fat Transfer Procedure
Lip augmentation with fat transfer augments the volume of the lips through the careful injection of fat that has been harvested from a donor site on the patient’s own body (i.e. abdomen, thighs, or buttocks). Because the injections are composed of the patient’s own tissue, the risk of rejection is negligible and the chances of successful, permanent integration are very high. Another benefit of this technique is that it is highly customizable, which allows the practitioner to select the precise amount of fat to inject in order to achieve the patient’s aesthetic goals.
Although technically a surgical procedure, lip augmentation with fat transfer:
- Is minimally invasive
- Can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia
- Requires a recovery period of just a few days,
- Produces immediate results!
Lip Implants
For patients who desire fuller lips or reduction of lip lines with a more youthful contour, permanent lip implantation is a great alternative to injectable fillers. Implants are often ideal for patients who have tried filler injections and are now seeking a more permanent solution. The implant is placed along the wet-dry border of the lips to give a very natural volume enhancement without a “duck lips” appearance.
The lip Implant is normally a soft, flexible, solid silicone implant that is tapered at both ends to nicely match the natural shape of your lip. The implants comes in several sizes to allow a customized augmentation of your lips. While the lip implant provides permanent augmentation of the lips, the implant can easily be removed or exchanged for a different size if desired.
The key to a beautiful lip enhancement procedure is to maintain appropriate contour and balance between the upper and lower lips and with the rest of the facial features. The lips are a very delicate area of the face, and in order to ensure optimal results while avoiding common complications such as lip asymmetry or over-filling the lips (“duck lips”), any alterations to the lips require the experience and skillset of a talented cosmetic surgeon.
Lip Reduction/ Cheiloplasty
Lip reduction also known as cheiloplasty is a surgical procedure for reducing the size of the lip and also to correct the abnormally shaped lip. Large lips in some people look beautiful. Whereas in certain people, it will look vice versa. Certain natural conditions may cause fat lips. Fat, luscious lips can be sexy in some people. But, some others may find it displeasing and out of proportion with the rest of the face. You can change your lip-size to your desired comfort level and balance the look.
The candidate for lip reduction surgery should be one who is irritated by larger lips. He/she should be in a good health, without any serious ailments. People who have serious allergies should report it to the doctor before the procedure.
The procedure starts with a general or local anesthesia. Lip reduction surgery takes about an hour to complete. An incision will be made inside the mouth in the length of a lip. A strip of skin or tissue from one lip or both will be removed through the incision. The surgeon will enhance the shape of the mouth and lip while sustaining a natural look. The incision will be closed with dissolvable sutures. According to your preferences, the surgeon will modify the curves around the lips.
There can be slight swelling and bruising around the surgical area. It will dissolve after a few days of surgery. The surgery will describe you the dos and don’t s after the procedure. Proper care is suggested in order to prevent infection and other risks. The healing time may depend upon the person’s bodily ability to heal. Final results will be visible in about three months after surgery. You will be able to resume your normal activities within few days after the surgery.