|
|
 |
| Lip Enhancement |
| By James J. Romano, MD San Francisco,CA |
 |
An individual’s smile and anatomy and look of the lips are often referred to as the "locus of our identity". This is an enormously personal and individual indicator of our identity and personality and sexuality. Even small and subtle interventions can have a tremendous impact on our body image and perception. For this reason patients and doctors both need to be extremely cautious and careful with any procedures undertaken in this area.
Lip enhancement also known as lip enlargement or lip augmentation has been practiced by cosmetic surgeons since around the 1960’s. It has become much more common recently mostly due to a tremendous surge in media attention in supermodels, but also because the techniques and materials have been improved tremendously in the recent few years making this a more safe, predictable and comfortable procedure more easily customized to the patients desires, lifestyle, and budget. This article will go through the spectrum of techniques including the newest advances in lip enlargement.
The spectrum of procedures for enlargement of the lips ranges from simply a twenty minute office procedure with no anesthesia, immediate return to work, no swelling or discomfort all the way up to a two hour hospital procedure under general anesthesia, significant swelling, 1-2 weeks off work, and some pain. There is a broad range of possibilities in between. For this reason it is easy to see that no one procedure or technique fits all. It is something that needs to be highly individualized to the patients’ desires and expectations, anatomy, lifestyle, and time available out of work and social situations.
Men and women both are frequently seeking this procedure. The desire for lip enlargement ranges from slight and modest all the way up to outrageous. Many patients have some unevenness in the size and contour of the upper or lower lip or both, and this needs to be considered when choosing the type of procedure. Small lips usually means the amount of pink tissue visible and how much it "turns up", especially in the upper lip. This is a situation that can be present from birth and not only seen in the aging process where tissue bulk is diminished over time. I have patient’s ages that range from the 20’s to well into and above 70 years old. Other features which have to be taken into account other than the size and asymmetry of the pink portion of the lips are the length of the upper lips, creases and folds at the corners, and drooping to the corners. The latter features are not corrected with lip enlargement but must be addressed with incisions under the nose or at the corners or the mouth which lift the lips. All these things must be taken into account when considering beautifying and youthifying the lips.
Preoperative Features and Indications
Unlike some other plastic-surgery procedures, nearly anyone can be a candidate for lip augmentation. Especially today, while having fuller, "poutier" lips is in style, more people are considering lip enhancement procedures, not only to puff up their mouths, but also to correct any asymmetries or crookedness.
Men and women, teen-agers, twentysomethings and octogenarians all are eligible for a lip augmentation procedure.
Up to 40% of lip augmentation patients under 35 choose to have their lips surgically enhanced if they have "underdeveloped" – thin, flat – lips. Older folks – who account for about 60% of lip-augmentation patients – tend to opt for the procedure to reverse a byproduct of the aging process. As we age, muscle tension and tone become more lax; lips begin to hang, lengthen and thin.
Most people seeking lip augmentation simply have small or thin lips. This refers to the pink portion or what we call the mucous membrane. It is usually most obvious in the upper lip and less on the lower lip (since the lower lip has the advantage of gravity and tends to roll out more even when thin). Patients desire a larger and more pouty appearance with more fullness and turning up and out of the lips. Many seek more evenness in the fullness.
In some cases your underlying dental architecture can influence the posture of your lips and cause your lips to droop or hang. Be aware of this if your teeth are very crooked or you have an overbite or underbite. Your plastic surgeon should be aware of this and may first want you to consult an oral surgeon to discuss your options before considering lip augmentation.
The degree of desire for enlargement varies according to the patient from mild to moderate to extreme. The amount of enlargement depends on the anatomy. I use computer imaging in my office which can demonstrate the predicted result or degree of result to the patient to help anticipate ones desires and expectations.
James J. Romano, MD is a doubly board certified Plastic Surgeon in San Francisco who specializes in Cosmetic Surgery. He may be reached for questions through his eBody web site
|
|
|
|
