Lip Cosmetic Surgery
Lip surgery involves surgically altering the lips. This may be due to:
- A birth defect
- An accident (split lip, burnt lip, etc.)
- Lips that are too thin or too inverted
- Lips that are too large or too full
- Sagging, wrinkled, or drooping lips
- Loss of self-confidence, loss of opportunity, etc.
The plastic surgeon’s goal is to restore a shape to the lips that is in harmony with the face. This may involve changes to their shape (flat lips, etc.), their size (labia minora, etc.), or their position (asymmetrical lips, etc.). The goal is to achieve beautiful, sensual lips that enhance the face and give it a radiant appearance. The surgery can improve the smile and facial expressions.
Upper Lip Surgery (Lip Lift)
Lip Lift
With age, some people experience a sagging upper lip. There are also young people with virtually no upper lip. As a result, their teeth are invisible when they smile. In reality, the red part of the lip is there, but hidden inside the mouth. The surgeon will operate to bring out the upper lip. This will make the pink part more visible. Finally, sometimes following an accident or surgery (tumor removal, etc.), the surgeon must reconstruct the upper lip.
The surgeon will make an incision under the nostrils, pull back the skin, and stitch it up. The scars will be visible but discreet. They must be protected from the sun for two months. This helps tighten the upper lip and reveal the pink part.
Lip Augmentation
To achieve lasting results, the surgeon will implant a silicone implant inside the lip. The procedure is performed from the inside of the mouth to avoid visible scarring. The silicone implant can be removed later if necessary.
Lip Reduction
The surgeon also sometimes reduces the size of the upper lip, but this is less common (due to malformation, leptoplasty, or botched silicone injections).
The surgeon will make an incision inside the lip, remove tissue, and then close it with absorbable sutures (which fall off on their own). This allows volume to be removed from the lip. The scar will be completely invisible because it is located inside the mouth.
The surgeon sometimes performs this procedure as part of ethnic surgery at the patient’s request. He or she must be careful to resolve the complex without distorting the patient’s face and origins to ensure a harmonious result.
Lower Lip Surgery
The lower lip is generally more swollen than the upper lip. Therefore, there are fewer cases of surgery. However, it diminishes with age, and some people wish to restore its volume. It is more exposed and is therefore more often subject to reconstructive surgery. This is the case, for example, in the event of an accident where teeth cut into the lip.
Surgery Details
- Surgery under local or general anesthesia.
- Outpatient surgery (no overnight stay at the hospital or clinic).
- The operation lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- The operation is minimally painful.
- 3 days off work.
- Non-contact physical activities can be resumed after 15 days (running, etc.) and contact physical activities (boxing, etc.) after 3 months.
- Final results are visible after 3 months.
Lip Injections
Injections are widely performed for the lips. They avoid surgery. They plump the lips, fill in wrinkles, correct sagging, and reduce facial aging.
Hyaluronic Acid and Botulinum Toxin
Hyaluronic acid or botulinum toxin injections can plump lips and smooth out wrinkles. Lip plumping injections are not permanent, and their results fade after 1 to 2 years. They are used in particular to erase the bitterness fold at the corners of the mouth.
Lip Lipolifting
The cosmetic surgeon injects fatty tissue into the lips to restore volume. The fat is harvested from the patient, purified, and then reinjected.
Silicone Injections
Unlike other injections, silicone does not reabsorb, and the result is therefore permanent.
Another common lip-related procedure is gummy smile correction. When this surgery and injections first appeared, there was much abuse, and iconic stars made these procedures known but also tarnished them by overusing them. Today, plastic surgeons are much more vigilant in maintaining natural faces with discreet procedures that respect facial harmony.
It is important to discuss with your surgeon the possible risks and complications depending on the methods used.
