Lip Enhancement


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Member - American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Lip Enhancement

Lip Enhancement
Are You A Good Candidate
Meeting With The Doctor
How The Procedure Is Performed
What To Expect After Surgery
Possible Side Effects And Risks
How Long Will The Results Last
Questions You May Have

Lip Enhancement
There are several ways to surgically enhance the look of your lips. A lip lift surgically shortens the distance between the bottom of the nose and the top of the red part of the upper lip (the vermillon) to give the appearance of greater lip fullness. This procedure can also be used to diminish fine lines around the lips and to improve the look of a down-turned mouth. Lip reduction surgery reduces the appearance of larger or fuller than desired lips. Newer forms of lip augmentation can be used to surgically increase the size of the lips by inserting fillers or implants through tiny incisions made in the mouth or lips.

Working with the experienced doctors and staff at The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery, you can determine which method of lip enhancement is right for you and be assured of a safe and pleasing outcome.

Are You A Good Candidate for a Lip Enhancement?
If you are in general good health and have clear expectations about the results of your lip enhancement procedure, you are a good candidate for one of the many types of lip enhancements available today.

Meeting With The Doctor
Prior to scheduling your lip enhancement, you will have an extensive consultation with the doctors and staff at The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery. The primary goals of the consultation are to determine if lip enhancement surgery is right for you and, if so, which procedure is appropriate. The doctor will thoroughly explain your options and carefully detail the procedure you choose and its expected results. The type of anesthesia to be used, potential risks of the procedure, and cost and payment information will also be discussed. You will be asked to provide a medical history and to explain how you want your lips to look after your lip enhancement procedure.

The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery doctors and staff will:
� Review the various lip enhancement options with you
� Clearly discuss the potential risks of the procedure
� Outline in detail how the procedure is performed and what you can expect before, during, and after the procedure
� Discuss with you the current FDA regulations governing the use of fillers and implants
� Provide detailed cost and payment information
� Answer all your questions

You will be asked to provide:
� Details about your medical history
� A list of all medication you currently take including over the counter medications such as aspirin, vitamins, and herbal supplements
� Information regarding your tobacco and alcohol use

How The Procedure Is Performed
You lip enhancement surgery will be performed at The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery, the Center for Ambulatory Surgery, Inc. (CASI) or one of the area hospitals at which the doctors operate. The surgery can be performed using either general anesthesia or local anesthesia with or without sedation depending on what you and the doctor prefer. With general anesthesia, you will be completely asleep throughout the procedure. With local anesthesia, you will be lightly sedated and your face will be numbed. You will be awake, but will be relaxed and will feel no discomfort.

Lip reduction surgery generally takes between one to two hours to complete. The doctor makes a small incision either inside the lips or at the border of each lip. The placement of your incision will be discussed with you at your initial consultation. After the incision is made, the doctor removes excess tissue from the inside of one or both lips. Your incision is then closed with traditional stitches or dissolvable sutures.

Lip lift surgery requires an incision either at the base of the nose or along the border of the upper lip. Once the incision is made, the doctor removes a tiny strip of skin where the upper and lower lips meet. The lip edge is then pulled taut and stitched into its new position. The entire procedure usually lasts one to two hours.

In the newer forms of lip augmentation, a filler, fat, or an implant is inserted through tiny incisions made inside the corners of your mouth. There are many different types of fillers and implants; these options, along with their pros and cons, will be discussed with you during your initial meeting with the doctor. Temporary fillers usually last between two to twelve months; semi-permanent fillers usually last between one to five years; and permanent fillers and implants last forever though some are removable.

What To Expect After Your Surgery
Activity When

Stitches Removed Five to Seven Days After Surgery

Back to Work Two Days to a Week After Surgery

Fading of scars Several Months to One Year

Immediately After Your Surgery
In most cases, lip enhancement surgery is performed on an outpatient basis and you go home shortly after the surgery. You may be sleepy from the anesthesia and the surgical area will be sore so you will need to have someone drive you home. There will be some swelling, soreness, and mild discomfort. Pain medication will be prescribed to alleviate as much post-surgery discomfort as possible. There also may be some numbness of the lips that may make eating and drinking difficult.

The First 24 to 48 Hours After Your Surgery
Your discomfort level will improve rapidly during the first two days after surgery. The swelling and soreness usually lasts for a few weeks after your procedure. Any numbness you experience will begin to fade so that eating and drinking will become easier. A cold compress or a frozen bag of peas should be applied for 20 to 30 minutes per hour for the first 48 hours after surgery to help minimize swelling and bruising.

The First Two Weeks After Surgery
You will notice a marked improvement in your discomfort level during the first few weeks after your surgery. If non-dissolvable stitches were used, they will be removed within seven ten days of your lip enhancement. Any difficulty with chewing or talking will gradually disappear during the first week after surgery. Most patients are back to work within a week of their surgery.

Resuming Your Normal Routine
Everyone heals at different rates and you are the best judge of when you are ready for certain activities, but the following are general guidelines:

� You can most likely return to work or school within one week of your surgery.
� You can most likely return to your physical exercise program within two weeks of your lip enhancement surgery. Our patients are encouraged to plan an exercise program and discuss it with the staff prior to resuming exercise.
� Most of the visible signs of your surgery should fade within about three weeks.

Things To Be Aware Of After Your Surgery
� You may experience a loss of sensation or numbness in the area of your surgery. This is entirely normal and may take several weeks to disappear.
� You may notice a tingling sensation in the surgical area. This feeling is a result of the healing of the nerves in the area and will go away within several months of your procedure.
� Although most of the swelling will be gone within two weeks of your surgery, the final results may not be apparent for three to four months.
� Any scars caused by the incision should be protected from sunlight for at least a year after surgery.

What Are Possible Side Effects or Risks?
All surgical procedures have some degree of risk and lip enhancement surgery is no exception; however, major complications are unusual. During your initial consultation with the doctors and staff of The Metropolitan Institute for Plastic Surgery, your individual risks will be assessed and discussed. As with any surgery, you can help reduce the risks by closely following the pre and post-surgery instructions provided to you. And the doctors and staff of the Institute will be with you every step of the way to ensure a safe and pleasing outcome. Most likely risks include the following.
� Infection
� Permanent numbness
� Asymmetry
� Changes in your smile
� Scarring

How Long Will the Results of Your Lip Enhancement Last?
The results of lip reduction surgery are permanent. The results of lip lift surgery generally last between five to ten years or longer in some cases. The results of lip augmentation surgery vary from several months to permanent depending on the type of procedure performed. It is important to note that aging and gravity will continue to affect the look of your lips.

Questions You May Have
� Are there other procedures that could be done along with lip enhancement surgery to enhance the overall appearance of my lips?
Botox and collagen injections can be used to temporarily increase the size and fullness of your lips and reduce wrinkles. Laser resurfacing, chemical peels, or dermabrasion may also be sued to help rejuvenate the appearance of your lips.

� Will my insurance coverage pay for my lip enhancement surgery?
Lip enhancement surgery is considered cosmetic surgery and, therefore, is not covered by insurance. You are responsible for the full payment of the procedure. Cost and payment information will be fully discussed with you during your initial consultation.

� Are there alternatives to lip enhancement surgery?
There are a variety of non-surgical lip augmentation procedures that can be used to increase the fullness of your lips. These include injections of collagen or botox.