A lip correction is a relatively simple procedure to make lips fuller or thinner. The cupid’s bow and the white line on the border of the upper lip can also be accentuated.
Lip reduction: thinner lips
When the plastic surgeon reduces full lips, he removes – under (mostly) local anaesthesia – the excess tissue on the inner side of the lip.
Who’s considered for lip reduction?
People with a large upper lip or a full, sagging lower lip, can have them corrected. The treatment shows no visible scars.
Lip enhancement: fuller lips
By enhancing a thin lip – mostly the upper lip – the mucous membrane is surgically brought outside. A different and as well the most used method is the injection of a special filler.
Types of fillers
Filling lips can be done with different types of filling materials. Though we must be cautious when we talk about fillers. There are permanent fillers (with a lasting result), and temporary fillers. It’s obvious that a lot of patients are tend to choose for the permanent fillers.
However, it seems that in practice the body can react to these permanent fillers, like the formation of the so called granulomes, who feel and look like hard knots. These granulomes can even rise years after the injection.
The problem of these granulomes is that they’re not treatable and that they often have to be removed surgically, which brings on scars.
The essence of the problem is in fact that a problem with a permanent filler obviously is a permanent problem. That’s why, in many European countries, there are some non-government bills ready, for that purpose to forbid these permanent fillers. The most known permanent filler is silicon oil, also called PSO.
Because of these reasons you should prefer the temporary fillers. If there should be any problem with them too, then these problem are also temporary. There are a lot of types, but the most used fillers are Restylane and Radiesse.
Own fat tissue can also be used to fill lips. This fat tissue is mostly removed from the area around the navel, and gets a special treatment by which the fat cells keep their vitality. Sometimes it is necessary to perform the treatment in two phases.
Who’s considered for a lip enhancement?
Full lips are in fashion for years now. If you want a lip enhancement for that reason, you should consider that full lips can be completely out of fashion in a few years. In that case you should prefer a filler with a temporary result. But if you have thin lips by nature and you’d like to change this permanently, a small extra filling can be sufficient to have a beautiful mouth for years.
The first consult
The plastic surgeon tells you what possibilities you have and for which treatment you’re considered. Complications from lip corrections occur rarely, but if you have any questions about that, then you can ask them during this first consult.
The preparation
A lip correction is a simple treatment, wherefore you don’t need anaesthesia. You can go home immediately after the treatment. You don’t need to take any special arrangement prior to the treatment. Make sure that someone can pick you up and brings you home afterwards.
The anaesthesia
Although the mouth is quite sensitive, lips can manage a lot. During the procedure your lips are numbed. Only with lipofilling and operative lip corrections you’ll receive a local anaesthesia.
The treatment
A lip correction through injections takes about fifteen minutes. An operative lip correction takes about a half an hour.
After the treatment
After the injection with filling material, your lips might be a bit reddish and swollen. If your lips were surgically enhanced or reduced, or if you had a lipostructure, then your lips and the surrounding area can be a bit bluish. This disappears after one or two weeks. If you keep your lips cool with ice cubes or cold towels, the swelling and discoloration will disappear sooner.