Lip augmentation is a medically performed process that adds some volume to thinning lips. It is a cosmetic plastic surgical process, that aims towards the creation of a beautiful appearance. Several types of lip augmentation exist, i.e. lip, implants, fat transfers, and lip lifts.
What is Cosmetic Plastic Surgical Process?
The Cosmetic Plastic Surgical process is performed to bring about change to the facial appearance. It does not only alter the face but more likely changes the overall personality of a person. In other words, it may mean redesigning the body’s contour and shape. Men and women choose this surgery to come up with a better version of themselves that would make them feel confident.
What are the common doubts of people?
The queries that take place when a person thinks of going for this procedure are very obvious and genuine, such as;
What is the ‘go-to’ procedure?
Should I go for ‘lip filler’ or ‘lip implants’
Is it temporary or permanent?
Let’s take a brief look at the process of lip augmentation and its types.
LIP FILLERS
Lip filler augmentation is a semi-permanent, in-office procedure. Lip fillers are a series of injections, that shape and boost the lip. They are injected into the upper and lower lips. Several various lip fillers exist, including Juvederm, Restylane, Voluma, and Perlane.
How does the procedure take place?
For this process, the doctor assesses the patient’s lips and overall facial balance. He clicks pictures of the lips the determination of symmetry and shape. Then he determines which areas of your lips need to be enhanced.
For temporary lip augmentation, Juvederm Ultra Plus is recommended. The reason is that this filler has lidocaine. Lidocaine is an anesthetic medication that numbs the area under surgery. After your doctor determines how much and where to inject the lip filler, you are ready to proceed.
The lip filler augmentation procedure takes about fifteen to thirty minutes to complete. It is a quick and winning procedure. The patient is discharged the very day after the procedure.
What is the cost and duration it will last?
The cost of the procedure ranges from $600 to $800 per syringe. Since lip fillers only last six to eight months, lip filler augmentation is only a semi-permanent solution.
LIP IMPLANTS
Lip implants are soft, solid silicone implants. They are lip-shaped and are available in several sizes. This type of silicone implant will not leak or rupture therefore it is a permanent solution to lip augmentation. The Permanent lip implant insertion is an in-office procedure.
How does the procedure take place?
For this procedure, the doctor determines the best lip implant size. First, the skin is sterilized around the surgical area. Next, the lips are anesthetized. Once the lips are numb, an incision is made in each corner of the mouth. A tunnel in the lip is created using a tool called a curved alligator clamp. The lip tunnel carefully follows the shape of the lip. Once the curved alligator clamp has reached the end of the tunnel, the clamp opens. The implant is grasped and dragged into the lip tunnel. The implant is positioned underneath the lip fat and above the lip muscles. Once the implants are in place, the incisions are closed with one or two absorbable sutures.
What is the cost and duration it will last?
The cost of this procedure ranges from $2,000 to $4,000. The process takes not more than thirty minutes. The patient is discharged on the day of the surgery.
Autologous Lip Augmentation
The process of using one’s own body for lip augmentation is termed autologous lip augmentation.
The following are the most used methods of autologous lip augmentation:
Fat grafting
Fat grafting is an alternative to artificial fillers and implants. In this method, the person can use his/her tissue for lip augmentation. Like lip fillers, fat transfer to the lips is an in-office procedure.
Fat transfer to the lips is performed under local anesthesia. In the process, a considerable amount of fat is taken from the patient’s abdomen, cleaned and purified, and transferred into the lips. It takes about sixty to ninety minutes to perform the surgery. The patient can go home after successful surgery.
What is the cost and duration it will last?
Lips augmented with fat stay plump for five years or longer. The cost of this procedure ranges from $3,000 to $6,000.
Tissue grafting
Tissue grafting is another type of autologous lip augmentation. This is an in-office procedure and is performed under local anesthesia. In addition to using fat for lip augmentation, a piece of your skin or dermis can be used for lip augmentation.
During the process, skin is removed from the lower stomach area. It is most likely that a C-section scar is used. Sometimes, the skin removed during a facelift can be used for lip augmentation. After the skin is resected, the top layer of the skin (epidermis) is removed. The remaining piece of skin is a strip of the dermis and is rolled into a cigar-like shape. This piece is then inserted into your lips.
The duration of this process ranges from sixty to ninety minutes. The patient is immediately discharged after the successful surgery. Your augmentation last for five years or more. The cost of this procedure ranges from $3,000 to $6,000.
Lip Lift
The procedure of lip lift heightens the upper lip by removing skin between the nose and the border of the top lip. By doing this, the swelling of the lip starts to come out and show outward, creating a more attractive look. As per facial plastic surgeon, Lesley Rabach, this process “increases the size of a naturally very thin lip”.
Kinds of Lip Lifts
Several methods and techniques are available to carry out successful lip lifts. Some of them are discussed as follows:
Corner Lip Lift
The Corner Lip lift is a surgical process that elevates the corners of the lips. As Dr. Kwak has explained in this process “a triangular piece of skin on the corner portion of the lip is removed to give an upturn of it,”. This process is more suitable for people who have a side elongation of lips.
In-Office Lip Flip
The in-office lip flip is a non-surgical procedure. It makes use of neuromodulators like Botox, Dysport, or Xeomin for the creation of a fuller top lip illusion.
Subnasal Lip Lift
For this process of lip life, the placement of this skin removal is hidden. At the lower portion of the nose, a natural cosmetic contour touch is given by the placement of the skin. Thus, it is a contour just below the nostrils and is an inconspicuous incision.”
How are lip lifts performed?
The muscles of the upper lip are temporarily injected with anesthesia, causing it to flip outwards. For more enhanced results, fillers can be added to the process. the operation carves out a bull horn-shaped part of skin below the nostril. This shortens the space between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lips. The length of the wedge is directly proportional to the greatness of the lift. One noticeable fact highlighted by plastic surgeon David Shafer is that the “shape of the excision” can be manipulated to make subtle changes to Cupid’s bow while carrying out the process, “like giving its peaks a more obvious boost or minimizing asymmetries”.
Use of Hyaluronic Acid Fillers
Many types of dermal fillers can be added to the process for more dramatic results. They are termed "hyaluronic acid fillers." They add to shape, structure, and volume. Moreover, the fillers help in quick healing, gradual pace of treatment, easy dissolution of bumps, fewer chances of bruises, and less likely to cause allergy. The effect last for six months.
The Process of Recovery
Every surgery takes some time to settle down. Likewise, in this case, the healing time must be expected. The time varies from patient to patient. Some patients recover in time while in some cases swelling comes up. Here ice therapy or Tylenol helps. According to the plastic surgeon, Sheila Nazarian MD, “A feeling of slight pull is expected for a few weeks after the surgery”. The stitches start to heal at least seven days after the surgery. A foundation or concealer can be used to get rid of the redness.
Risks and Hazards
Infection and scars are the possible risks of this procedure but due to the sheer simplicity of the process, doctors believe that the risk rate is very low.
Facial surgery is never easy. People have thousands of doubts regarding future consequences, side effects, and results. Many people are highly conscious about their new look and therefore fail to accept the surgery as successful. Dr. Kwak says that she tells warns the patients that once the skin gets removed it would not come again. Since it is a permanent change, the patient must be mentally prepared for it.
How much does a lip lift cost?
The cost of a lip lift depends heavily on location. In bigger cities, it would be around $6,000 and $10,000. Otherwise, the average cost is $2,000.
Are you Eligible for Lip Augmentation?
The following are the conditions that must be fulfilled to carry out the procedure:
Good health, which means no active infection like flu or cough.
Smokers are not welcome. You can quit smoking sometime before the process.
Chronic disease patients are not recommended.
People with realistic minds are accepted.
Preparation for lip augmentation?
Doctors usually provide the precautions and instructions for preparation. A few weeks before the process the patient has to stop smoking (if a smoker) and start having blood-thinning medication. The doctor will ask you to stop taking painkillers and herbal supplements.
What to Expect after the surgery?
Taking extra care of the lips is the obvious instruction of every doctor. Apart from this, the patient might be asked to have soft foods. The head must be kept on a higher pillow while sleeping. Less movement of lips is recommended for some days. In the case of swelling icing is endorsed. More severe allergic reactions can include bleeding, bruising, infection, lip stiffening, scarring, swelling and uneven lips.
Returning to Normal Life
With nonsurgical lip augmentation, you can continue your life right away. Surgical lip augmentation may require some downtime.
The Word of Surgeons
Whether it is lip injections or lip implants, a noticeable difference quickly catches the eye. Pouty and big lips will be seen right away.
Dara Liotta, a plastic surgeon states,
“…surgeons have modified the cosmetic procedure in recent years to make it an appealing stand-alone option for younger patients: think more discreet scars and faster recovery.
She further adds,
“for people who want bigger lips but are tired of going back for multiple injections, the lip lift is an appealing option”
When to Call the Doctor?
The patient must call the doctor if the following problems come up:
An allergic reaction
An infection
Severe bruises
Bleeding
Fever
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