Lip Enhancement: Lip Lift and Other Surgical Lip Procedures
While fillers are the mainstay of lip augmentation procedures, surgical interventions exist for specific patient problems. Dr. Westreich offers a full array of lip-defining procedures, including Lip Lifts, Lip Augmentation Procedures, Lip Reductions, and Gummy Smile corrections.
Lip Lift
A surgical lip lift can be done under local anesthesia in the office and has a rapid recovery time of a week or less. Patients with a thin upper lip and/or a long upper lip can undergo a lip-lifting procedure to improve the upper lip's fullness and facial balance. A long upper lip is also associated with aging, so for some patients, a lip lift can be part of an overall facial rejuvenation plan.
Lip lifts are performed by removing skin from just underneath the base of the nose. In some patients, muscle can be removed as well. The procedure can be individualized to the amount of change a patient is looking for and can also be used to improve asymmetries of the upper lip. After the removal of excess lip tissue, the incision is closed discretely underneath the nose and eventually heals to be almost imperceptible. Patients should expect minor bruising and swelling, as well as restricted upper lip movements, for about a week following the procedure.
Lip Augmentation
While fillers are the most common method of lip augmentation, other surgical methods exist. Dr. Westreich does not prefer using alloplastic or foreign materials for lip augmentation, such as a Permalip implant, and instead prefers using a patient’s own tissue. While some practitioners will inject fat, the chance of lumps and irregularities is high. Dr. Westreich uses temporalis fascia (your own collagen sheet) as an augmentation material. If a facelift is being performed, SMAS layers removed in the facelift can be used for augmentation instead. This procedure is done under sedation anesthesia and takes about an hour. Recovery is rapid, with some swelling and bruising that can last up to a week.
Lip Reduction
Lip reductions are uncommon procedures done for patients with excessively large lips or uneven lips. Lip reductions are also indicated for patients with prior silicone injections who are seeking to remove the foreign material permanently and reduce the size of their lips. Incisions are done inside the lip and are hidden once healed. Recovery is similar to other lip procedures in that swelling and bruising can last up to a week.
Gummy Smile Correction
A gummy smile can be the result of either excessive overgrowth of gums (a dental issue) or excessive movement of the upper lip with smiling. Nonsurgical correction can be achieved with botox injections to the levator muscles that elevate the lip (There are 3 in total). Surgical correction can be done as part of a Rhinoplasty through the nose (levator release or myotomy with temporalis interposition) or as a separate procedure through the mouth (levator myotomy with or without lip repositioning and frenulotomy). Recovery for intraoral procedures is longer than for intranasal procedures with 1-2 weeks of restricted upper lip movement. Both procedures are done under sedation or general anesthesia and have limited bruising and swelling, which can last up to a week.
