Lip Augmentation: The Basics
Individuals seek lip augmentation for various reasons. Often fuller, more plump lips provide an increased feeling of confidence or sexual desirability. Lip enhancement may also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth, reversing the effects of aging. As long as one is in good overall health and does not have lip scarring, he or she is a good candidate for lip enhancement procedures. Augmentation occurs through either lip injections or lip surgery.
Lip injections are generally performed with local anesthesia in a doctor’s office or outpatient facility. Injections come in many synthetic and natural forms and offer various benefits. Synthetic lip injections, such as Artefil, last longer than natural alternatives. The downside of these types of injections is that synthetic materials carry increased risk of allergic reaction. Allergy testing must be performed before any synthetic injection.
The most popular forms of natural injections are collagen, fascia, or fat injections. These natural substances may be obtained from a patients own body or from a deceased human donor. Collagen and fascia are reabsorbed into the body after a time, providing temporary results.
Lip surgery is typically performed in a doctor’s office or outpatient facility. Generally, the patient receives local anesthesia and is sent home the same day. These procedures consist of either a natural material or a synthetic implant being surgically inserted through small incisions in the lips. Synthetic materials and fat implants provide permanent results, while other surgeries’ results may fade within a year. These procedures should always be thoroughly reviewed with a doctor in order to ensure that a patient chooses the best option for her unique circumstances.
Some Things to Know Before Your Lip Augmentation Procedure
A successful procedure depends very much upon your honesty during the consultation with your surgeon. During the consultation phase of your treatment, you’ll be asked a series of questions about your health, lifestyle, and what your ideal appearance would be.
During you consultation(s), be prepared to discuss:
- What you expect from the surgery and why you desire the procedure
- Any medical treatments you’ve had, medical conditions and drug allergies you may have
- Use of any external substances, like medications, alcohol, supplements, tobacco, etc.
- Any previous surgeries, cosmetic or other
- Your genetic and family background
Other things to expect from your surgeon:
- Your surgeon will discuss your options and recommended course of treatment
- You’ll learn about the likely outcomes of your procedure and what risks or potential complications may occur
- Your surgeon will discuss the use of anesthesia during the surgical procedure
- Your surgeon will make an evaluation of your overall health and whether you suffer from any pre-existing health conditions; some conditions might represent risk factors
- You’ll undergo an examination
- At some point in the consultative phase, you will have photographs taken for your medical record
Preparing for Lip Augmentation
Before receiving lip augmentation, a patient should do several things to prepare. Someone must be ready to drive the patient home from the operation. A doctor may provide specific instructions leading up to the surgery, and these should be followed strictly. For example, a patient may be required to give up smoking for a certain number of days before surgery.
A recovery area with a comfortable couch or bed, topical ointments, ice, and soft foods should be arranged before the surgery. A patient should wear a loose or button down shirt to the surgery, so that it may be removed without causing pain when the patient returns home.
After the Procedure
Recovery may take several days for lip injections to weeks for surgery. Any bruising may take longer to fully heal. Patients should plan to take at least three days off of work to allow for healing. Exercise is also discouraged for the full duration of the healing period, which may last several weeks. Soft and especially cool foods may be preferable for a matter of weeks after surgery.
While recovering, it is always best to err on the side of caution when deciding what activities one should attempt. Doctors instructions should always be followed to the slightest detail.
Lip Augmentation Photo Gallery:
What follows are photos of our plastic surgery patients. You are viewing an image gallery for Dr. Scott Harris, Dr. Alan Dulin, and Dr. Peter Raphael of the American Institute for Plastic Surgery. Dr. Raphael, Dr. Dulin and Dr. Harris are Dallas plastic surgeons who specialize in breast lifts, breast augmentation and many other cosmetic procedures. To see more detail on these patients who have chosen to have lip augmentation in our Dallas surgical center, please click on any individual image.
