Lip surgery refers to procedures designed to sculpt or shape your lip with minimal incisions. The lip may be augmented to look fuller and more sensual. Sometimes procedures can be done to lift the lip and increase the show of the vermillion (red part of the lip).

Techniques of lip reconstruction have been modified and applied to cosmetic surgery for permanently sculpting the shape of the lip. Most doctors have not favored the use of these procedures in a cosmetic patient. There have been a number of tissue fillers that have been used with greater or lesser success. Depending on the problem that needs to be corrected or improved these products (e.g. Collagen or Restylane) can be very beneficial. There are also choices of autologous tissue (tissue from your own body) that can be used to serve this purpose. Fat has been used for lip augmentation for many years and has recently gained more popularity as the techniques of grafting have improved. The advantage of fat grafting over other tissue fillers is that the fat belongs to your own body. In this way you do not have the risk of having a reaction to a foreign substance.

Surgical procedures for lip augmentation or elevation are usually done through small incisions either in the oral cavity or along the vermillion border. Tissue fillers are given as injections into the lip. Fat grafting is done by first removing appropriate amount of fat your own body. The fat is usually taken from the abdomen or the thighs. The liposuction is done through a small puncture hole that is hidden in a natural fold of the body. The fat is then processed for injection. With minute incisions the fat is placed in the desired area. Amounts of injection vary according to area and the amount of augmentation needed. With the new techniques of fat grafting most of the fat survives and gives long lasting results. Sometimes however, it may be necessary to re-inject an area with more fat. If this is necessary it can be done 2-3 months after the first procedure.

There will be a moderate amount of swelling in the lip after your procedure. If you have had a surgical procedure, you may not be able to eat solid food for a few days. If you have had injection of tissue fillers or fat the swelling is less. The recovery time is generally less than a week. If you have had fat grafting you will have a moderate amount of drainage from the liposuction incisions. You will need to rest for the first two or three days, but most people are up and about shortly after surgery. The area of fat injection may swell for 1-2 weeks after surgery. We generally recommend our patients to take off 7 days from work. If you have had tissue filler injection the swelling and bruising is less and only 3-4 days may be sufficient for recovery. Heavy lifting and exercising should be avoided in the first two weeks. Your body will tell you when you are ready to get back into your regular exercise routine.

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