Cosmetic Lip Surgery

Cosmetic Lip Surgery Basics

Although the lips are a small part of the face, they're very important. Especially in women, having vibrant lips of the right color and size is an important part of the visual appeal of the face. Having the right lips can add quite a bit of sex appeal to the face.

Of course, not everyone has the ideal lips. Some people have lips that are beginning to fade. Some have lips that are too thin and flat. And some people even have lips that are too large and prominent.

Whatever your problem with your lips is, there is a good chance that lip surgery can help you. There are a wide variety of lip surgery techniques, and each of these can help to address certain lip abnormalities or blemishes. Here are some of the most common forms of cosmetic lip surgery.

Lip Augmentation

Lip augmentation is one of the most common and popular forms of lip surgery. A lot of women want the full, pouty lips that have been made famous by stars like Angeline Jolie and Scarlett Johansson. However, not everyone has the genetics to have lips like this. Also, there are many people who once had fuller lips, but who have since lost lip mass and fullness with age. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 17,143 Americans underwent lip augmentation in 2011.

Sometimes lip augmentation performed through the use of injectables. Most injectables provide only temporary results, because they will eventually be reabsorbed by the body. This includes fillers like Restylane, Juvederm, Augologen, and Dermatogen. However, there are some injectables that can have permanent results.

Sometimes fat injections can be relatively permanent, if the fat cells survive the transfer. In a fat transfer, fat will be removed from another part of the body, such as the thighs, belly, or buttocks, and then injected into the lips. How many of the fat cells survive the transfer will depend on the surgeon's skills and on the exact technique used. If the fat cells don't survive, they could leave bumps and hard lumps on the lips. If they do, they can lead to permanently fuller lips. However, patients may need to be careful to avoid major weight gain after the surgery. Gaining too much weight could lead to unusual results if the fat cells in the lips swell.

Another injectable which is able to provide permanent results is Artefill. Artefill is a facial filler which has been FDA approved for certain procedures. Silicone injections are also sometimes used to provide permanent results. However, liquid silicone injections can have dangerous side-effects, and a lot of medical professionals are very worried about their use in lip augmentation.

For permanent lip augmentation results, implants are typically a better choice than injectables. Some surgeons perform grafts where they remove skin and tissue from the inside of the mouth to create a graft which they then use to plump up the lips. A similar graft can also be created from muscle and connective tissue found in the neck.

Lip augmentation implants don't necessarily need to come from your body, though. There are a number of tube-shaped implants which a surgeon can inserted into your lips. Alloderm, Softform, and Gortex are three common types of this implant.

Where injectables can just be injected directly into the lips, implants require incisions. These incisions are typically made along the upper line of the lip, or inside the corners of the mouth. The entire surgery usually takes between thirty minutes to two hours.

The surgery is typically performed under local anesthesia, but in some cases sedation will also be used. Lip augmentation is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, so no overnight hospital stay is typically necessary.

Recovery time can vary, but most lip augmentation patients can return to normal activities within a week or a week and a half. Some amount of swelling is common, but this typically begins to go down fairly quickly. During the recovery process, you'll want to have some ice packs to control the swelling and soft foods that don't require much chewing.

Lip augmentation prices will vary greatly depending on the technique used. It can cost as little as $300 or as much as $5,000. This surgery is not typically covered by health insurance unless it is being performed for reconstructive purposes.

Lip Reduction

Although some people like big, full lips, there can be too much of a good thing. Some people's lips are too big, and they draw undue attention to themselves. Sometimes, overly large lips can appear disproportionate, and they can make the face feel out of balance. If a person's lips are too big, they can sometimes affect a person's ability to speak, and they can make eating and drinking awkward.

In these cases, lip reduction can be an excellent choice. Lip reduction works to make the lips smaller. It can be performed on either the lower or the upper lip, and in many cases it is performed on both.

Lip reductions are usually performed under local or regional anesthesia. Some amount of sedation may also be used. Once the patient is numbed and sedated, the surgeon will begin the lip reduction process. He or she will do this by making an incision along the entire length of the lip. This incision is usually made on the inside of the mouth, where it is hidden from view. The surgeon will then remove a strip of tissue along the length of the lip. The lip will then be sutured back together. The removal of lip tissue will decrease the size of your lip, and the placement of the sutures will draw your lip inward. Taken together, this will give the impression of a thinner, smaller lip. The entire surgery usually takes around an hour to perform.

After the surgery, the patient will be monitored until the surgical staff feels that he or she is ready to go home. This procedure usually does not require an overnight stay in a hospital.

Some amount of pain, tightness, swelling, bruising, and tenderness is fairly common after a lip reduction. However, the pain can usually be controlled by using the pain medication that yoru surgeon has prescribed. Sleeping with your head elevated can help to control swelling.

Eating and drinking can be difficult after a lip reduction. Try to avoid acidic foods, as these can be very uncomfortable and irritating if they get into the incisions. Try to keep the incisions clean, and use an antiseptic mouthwash frequently. As the swelling goes down, and as your incisions heal, eating and drinking will become easier. Also, be careful to avoid accidentally biting your lips, and avoid probing the incisions with your tongue.

Depending on the sort of sutures used, you may need to get them taken out after the surgery. If this is the case, you will probably need to have them removed about a week or a week and a half afte the surgery. Some sutures just dissolve on their own and don't need to be removed.

If you experience excessive pain or an elevated temperature, please contact your surgeon. These could be indicative of potentially serious complications. You should also contact your surgeon if you have pus developing at the surgical site.

If problems occur during the surgery, there is the possibility for asymmetry of the lips or an unpleasant appearance. Problems can also occasionally occur with the anesthesia, and infections can sometimes develop, although taking antibiotics and maintaining good hygiene can help to minimize that possibility. Some numbness of the lips is possible, but this is usually only temporary.

Lip reductions typically cost somewhere between $1,500 and $4,000. This procedure is typically designated a cosmetic surgery, so it is typically not eligible for coverage by health insurance. If you feel that your surgery could count as reconstructive surgery, or if it is to fix an actual medical issue, speak with your surgeon. He or she should be able to help you know what your chances are of getting insurance to help pay.

Lip Lift

Your lips may be just the right size and shape when you're young. But as people age, they lose skin elasticity, and their faces start to sag. The lips aren't immune to this sort of sagging. As a person's lips droop, they can cover the teeth, affecting a person's smile. Also, the vermilion of the lip (the pink part) frequently shrinks and becomes less visible.

A lip lift can help return a pinker and perkier appearance to the lips. There are a number of different ways to perform this procedure. The bull's horn technique is one of the most popular. During this sort of surgery, an incision is made directly beneath the nose, and a thin, curved strip of skin and tissue is removed. The upper lip is then raised to its new position and sutured into place. This will both lift and help to reshape the upper lip. The bull's horn technique is well-known for leaving behind minimal visible scarring.

Another type lip lift is called the gull wing lift. Unlike the bull's horn technique, a gull wing lip lift removes an M-shaped piece of tissue. The incision is made right along the upper edge of the lip. This technique is not as popular, because it tends to cause increased scarring.

Lip lifts are typically not very difficult surgeries. They are usually performed as outpatient procedures, and they are usually performed under local anesthetic. The entire surgery usually only takes an hour or two to perform.

Some amount of swelling and bruising is common after the surgery. However, the swelling usually begins to go down after a few days. In some cases, abnormal and unattractive scarring can appear. If the surgery does not go well, there can sometimes be a loss of lip or facial sensation. It typically takes a week or two to recovery from a lip lift.

A lip lift procedure will typically cost somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000. Because this surgery is typically considered a cosmetic procedure, it is usually not covered by insurance.

Other Lip Procedures

In addition to these forms of lip surgery, there are also some additional procedures which can be performed to enhance the procedure of the lip. Some surgeons perform laser lip rejuvenation. In this procedure, a surgeon will use lasers to affect the collagen and elastic tissues of the lips. This can help to remove lines and wrinkles around the lips.

For lips that are losing their color, micropigmentation (also called dermagraphics, permanent makeup, dermapigmentation, and cosmetic tattooing) is also a potential option. This can help to restore color to the lips, although you will want to carefully select a color which looks natural on your face.

For more information about any of these procedures, please speak with a surgeon in your area.