LIP ENHANCEMENT

Achieving full lips is an elusive goal for many women. There is no doubt that lips are a focal point for most women, just look into any purse and chances are you'll find several tubes of lipstick as proof of that. Lipstick, however, can only go so far before one need consider other options.

Temporary options include material such as Collagen, Fascian, and Radiesse.

There are also more permanent surgical options. Since thinning of the lips frequently occurs with aging, I commonly augment lips together with facelifting as a rejuvenating procedure. The advantage in combining lip augmentation with a facelift, is that some of your own tissue removed from the face can be placed into the lips. When your own tissues are not available, other options include use of grafts like AlloDerm or Gortex that don't require any of your own tissue.

All of these procedures increase lip bulk thereby allowing more pink lip to show. Typically these procedures are performed through only a couple of very small incisions nearly inside the mouth at the corners of the lips. The lips will swell afterwards and bruising is usually mild. The amount of time you take off depends mostly on whether you care if people see you with swollen lips. The procedure can be performed with or without sedation.

In more advanced cases, there may be virtually no pink lip showing at all. When this is the case, a procedure called a lip lift may be more appropriate. In a lip lift some of the skin of the upper lip (or lower lip) just above (or below) the lip margin is removed and the pink lip is then advanced upward (or downward). Not only does this add to your lips, but usually dramatically improves any "smokers" creases you may have around your mouth. After one week the sutures are removed and a couple of days later lipstick can be applied completely covering the healing tissues. After about two months lipstick is usually not necessary, as the area tends to heal very well. This procedure can be done with or without sedation.

Collagen
Collagen is a natural protein that comprises the supportive structure of skin. Injectable collagen formulas, derived from the human dermis, are used to enhance lips, smooth wrinkles or raise recessed scars. There are also formulations of bovine collagen that, unlike human-derived collagen, require prior allergy testing. The results of treatment with injectable collagen will begin to diminish within three to four months.

Fascian™
Fascian is a popular injectable filler consisting of preserved, particulate fascia.

Radiesse
Radiesse is a safe, FDA-approved dermal filler that restores a natural, youthful look and lasts longer than the former leading filler. This convenient treatment fills and corrects smile lines, Nasolabial Folds and wrinkles around the nose and mouth. Radiesse is made of unique calcium-based microspheres suspended in a natural gel that is injected into the skin through a simple, safe and minimally invasive procedure.

Back to "Procedures"

Procedures:

• Brow Lift
• Face Lift
• Eyelid Surgery
• Facial Rejuvenation - Botox
• Nose & Ear Surgery
• Lip Enlargement or Reduction
• Injectable Fillers
• Breast Lift / Reduction
• Breast Augmentation
• Liposuction (Body Contouring)
• Tummy Tuck
• Body Lifts

Useful links:

• American Board of Plastic Surgery
• American Board of Medical Specialties
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• SkinDeepWorld