LIP ENHANCEMENT

There are many ways to approach a lip enhancement procedure, and the surgeon will work with each patient to select the best one depending on the anatomy and severity of the problem.

When a patient wants limited enlargement along the border between red lip skin and face skin (most enlargement efforts belong to this category), injection of a soft tissue filler such as Juvederm, Restylane, or Radiesse will create satisfactory improvement.

If more volume is needed to improve thin, deflated lips, a combination of the patient’s own fat grafts and soft tissue fillers gives the best results.

If a significant lip enhancement is the goal, placement of the patient’s own tissue in the form of a fascial graft (taken from the temple area, leaving a minimal, well hidden scar) or human dermal graft is considered.

 

BEFORE & AFTER LIP ENHANCEMENT

View more real patients in our photo gallery.

LIP ENHANCEMENT: LIQUID LIP LIFT

One of the prominent signs of facial aging is a change in the fullness, length, and size of the lips. This is usually manifested in lips being thinner and longer with deep vertical wrinkles. Simply put, lips look deflated due to loss of fat tissue and collagen. Correction of flat, deflated, and visually elongated lips can be corrected by adding volume and/or surgically lifting the upper lip.

A lip enhancement that replaces lost volume in the lip with fat grafts and/or soft tissue fillers will fill the red portion of the lip and create a full line of separation between facial skin and red skin (vermilion) of the lip. It will visually turn the lip up, making it look shorter. It will also raise vertical wrinkles. This effect can easily be achieved with such hyaluronic acid-based fillers as Juvederm and Restylane.

The best effect is achieved by filling the deep portion of the lips, consisting of the lip muscles, with fat grafts. This volume addition increases fullness and projection of the lips particularly in the area just below the nose where a thin lip looks sunken. A combination of fat grafts and soft tissue filler is the most rewarding lip enhancement procedure for lip rejuvenation.

• Price estimate for liquid lip lift with fillers: $700+
• Type of anesthesia: topical cream or local
• Duration of procedure: 15 to 30 minutes
• Facility: office
• Recovery time: 0 to 3 days
• Discomfort: mild to moderate (during injection)

LIP ENHANCEMENT: LIP LIFT WITH SKIN REMOVAL

An elongated and thin upper lip can be shortened by removing skin along the line (groove) where the upper lip meets the base of the nose. This lip enhancement procedure actually reduces the distance between nose and red portion of the lip thus creating a shorter, fuller, and up-turned lower lip. The scar is well hidden in the groove at the base of the nose.

• Type of anesthesia: local or twilight
• Duration of surgery: 1 hour
• Surgical facility: AAAA-certified Ambulatory Surgery Center
• Recovery time: 1 to 2 weeks
• Discomfort: none to mild

LIP ENHANCEMENT WITH FILLER OR FAT GRAFTS

Fascia or dermal fat grafts can be used for correction when a patient’s lips have been scarred or have a deformity, from an accident, trauma, or birth defect. Injectable fillers are one of the most popular facial rejuvenation techniques for their quick application and results.

• Type of anesthesia: none or topical cream
• Duration of procedure: 20 to 30 minutes
• Facility: office
• Recovery time: 1 day for superficial, up to 2 weeks with intermediate, 6 to 12 weeks with deep peel (redness).
• Discomfort: mild

Let’s talk about what some women think about lip enhancement: If I discontinue using injectables or fillers to plump my lips, will they deflate or sag once the filler wears off?

No, that is not true. Fillers do not damage the existing tissue; they simply add volume by allowing the injected material to be interspersed among the fibers and cells already there. As fillers gradually disappear, lip volume returns to its previous condition-but is no less voluminous.

Keep in mind that lips get a little thinner with age, so if you do volume-enhancing treatments for quite a while and then quit with such lip enhancement techniques, you’re going to see the change that would have occurred over time.

Also, consider that you may have forgotten just how thin your lips actually were before treatment.

LIP ENHANCEMENT: MARIONETTE LINE CORRECTION

Marionette lines are deep lines or grooves that extend from the corners of the lips downward toward the chin. When such lines are well developed, they lend an unhappy appearance to the lips and the entire face.

While a mild deformity can be improved by a lip enhancement via the injection of soft tissue filler or fat, more severe cases may require the surgical removal of the deep groove. The scar is well hidden in the border of the lips, and the corner of the mouth is turned into a horizontal or slightly upward position, creating what’s known as a Mona Lisa smile.

• Type of anesthesia: local
• Duration of procedure: 1 hour
• Surgical facility: office, AAAA-certified Ambulatory Surgery Center
• Recovery time: 1 week
• Discomfort: none to mild

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIP ENHANCEMENT

Dr. Zoran Potparic is available to discuss lip enhancement options with Fort Lauderdale and Miami-area patients who have questions. Before and after pictures are available for visual reference. To set up a free consultation at his Fort Lauderdale office, or for more information about lip enhancement, please call (954) 779-2777 or contact us online.