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Facial Surgery
 Plastic surgery lip enhancement augmentation
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Lip Enhancement SurgeryLip Enhancement Surgery - Introduction
More defined and fuller lips are the basic beauty assets for any women. Lip enhancement also known as lip augmentation is a cosmetic surgery that aims to improve the appearance of the lips by increasing the fullness through implants or enlargement. Though full, perfect and luscious lips like those of Angelina Jolie are natural and cannot be recreated, for those who desire considerable enhancement of lips, lip augmentation may be the answer.
Sometimes lip enhancement can be done with synthetic or natural materials, depending on the person and the work to be done. Men also sometimes undergo this cosmetic procedure. Some lip augmentation patients want to create a more symmetrical lip line, while others want to increase what nature has already provided.
Lip Enhancement Surgery - Consultation
In the initial lip enhancement consultation, the physician will give the patient the opportunity to discuss what he/she wants from the procedure. After careful examination of the lips, the surgeon will then determine what is possible for him/her to do and explain the various options that the patient then has to choose from. The doctor will also explain the costs and anesthesia required for the lip augmentation. Every lip augmentation is different, so it is best that the patient and the physician be as open as possible about the potential outcomes as well as the risks involved. A patient would do well to ask any questions that he/she may have thought of so that they are comfortable with the procedure.
Lip Enhancement Surgery – Lip Augmentation Procedures
There are various types of lip augmentation that can be performed, the first of which is via injections. Collagen and fat are the two most commonly used substances to make the lip appear fuller. The collagen that is used in the injections comes from cows’ skin. This can cause an allergic reaction in some people, so a sensitivity test is performed before the surgery is done. With small needles, the collagen is injected into the lip area in order to create a fuller, more even lip line. Because the body will absorb the collagen back into itself, this procedure will need to be repeated within one to three months.
Fat injections are another possibility for lip augmentation. Small needles are again used to inject the lips with fat. The fat will come from another part of the body and then is purified before being used in the lip augmentation. Unlike the collagen injections, since the fat is coming from the patient, there is no risk of allergic reaction. However, like the collagen injections, the fat lip augmentation will also be reabsorbed by the body and the procedure will need to be repeated.
Another lip augmentation injection involves Artecoll which is composed of tiny beads (polymethyl methacrylate) that produce longer lasting results. This procedure is much rarer than the other procedures and only a handful of doctors in the United States perform this type of injection. Another injection involves collagen from the patient’s own skin—Auologen. These results are longer lasting than the cow collagen and do not produce the possibility of allergic reaction. Dermologen is like Autologen whereby the collagen material is taken from a human donor other than the patient. A careful screening process is undergone by the donor and it is injected as collagen would be.
Another method of lip augmentation involves skin grafts. This uses human tissue and places it into the lip in order to create a fuller appearance. Results can last up to a year, but it will also need to be repeated. Three kinds of grafts exist: Softform-no reabsorbed, long lasting, fat grafting, and local flaps—uses tissue in the mouth to create a fuller lip. All of these methods involve an incision in the lip in order to move the skin or add the graft to the lip.
Lip Enhancement Surgery – After effects
The lip augmentation procedure is mostly painless, but some discomfort can be expected. It is likely that the lips will swell and have burning sensations after the anesthetic wears off. Cold compresses can be used to alleviate the pain and swelling for two days following the procedure. Moving the lips will need to be minimized in order to promote healing of the area. Some physicians may give antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection, but keeping the lips clean will help as well.
Lip Enhancement Surgery – Recovery Period
Depending on the extent of the lip augmentation, the recovery time varies. Patients who have been given lip augmentation injections can return to normal activities within a few days, while those who have undergone lip grafts may need more time to heal. As stated before, the results are temporary and most procedures will need to be repeated at some point in time.
Risks associated with lip augmentation include asymmetry, numbing, swelling, scars, nerve damage, and stiffness. Infection is also a possibility for a lip augmentation patient.