Dermal Fillers (Restylane®, Juvederm® and Perlane®) are the most popular way to enhance the lips. The procedure is safe, effective, predictable and relatively simple. It is the best way to “try out” large lips, as it is reversible. In order to maintain your results with lip filler, you need periodic touch-ups. These can be from 3 to 12 months apart depending on your lips.
Lip Enhancement Surgeries
Lip Fillers remain the most popular method of Lip Augmentation; however, sometimes an alternative treatment is desired that has the potential to last years. Lip surgery can give longer lasting results. The local lip tissue can be advanced from inside the lip to provide fullness (V-Y lip advancement), or dermal tissue can be taken from elsewhere on the body and used as implant (dermal grafting).
This entry focusses on V-Y lip advancement, a procedure that rearranges the lips tissues to preferentially give fullness to the vermillion (the red part) of the lip. For information on other methods of Lip Enhancement, please see the links at the bottom of the page.
Lip Enhancement with Local Tissue Rearrangement
The upper row shows before and the lower row shows after lip enhancement with V-Y flaps.
The soft tissue of the lip is moved forwards to enhance the fullness and natural curves of the lips.
(Click picture for an enlarged view.)
This particular type of Lip Enhancement borrows fullness from the inside of the lip to enhance the outside. The soft tissue inside the lips can be pushed forward to enhance lip fullness and the central pout.
The Pro’s and Con’s of Surgical Lip Enhancement
- The Advantages:
- No artificial materials are necessary … no allergies or foreign body reactions.
- Stability … Soft tissues won’t migrate.
- Softness … Since lip is enhanced with lip, it feels like lip.
- Results … Longer lasting results
- The Disadvantages:
- Recovery … weeks rather than a few days with the fillers.
- Size … maximum volume is limited to the soft tissue available.
- Cost … more than one filler treatment, but often less costly over time .
- Complications … overall complications rates are low, but slighter higher than with fillers.
Alternative Lip Augmentations
Several alternative methods are available for enhancing your lips. To learn more click on the links below:
Previous Post Next Post