Youthful and attractive lips are defined by a graceful shape, fullness and a slight but natural 'rolling out' or 'pout'. There are philtral columns which are two parallel thickenings of skin extending from the lip up to the base of the nose. As we age, depending upon our genetic makeup, sun exposure, cigarette smoking and gravity a number of changes occur. First the lips relax, thin out and elongate.
The lip volume diminishes and vertical lines may be noticeable. A small number of patients may be bothered by lips that are actually too large and lip reduction is an accepted and effective solution for patients with this concern. With lip augmentation, Miami facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jon Harrell can help you enjoy youthful, voluminous lips. Please call (954) 526-0066 to schedule a free consultation.
Lip Augmentation Options
Dr. Harrell feels that the lips are one of the nicest areas to concentrate on when considering rejuvenation. Today there are a wide variety of procedures available to help restore the volume and shape of your lips.
First, there are a number of injectable fillers available that can restore volume and shape to lips that are thin or lacking good proportion. Some of these are shorter acting substances and others may last a very long time. Additionally there are upper lip lifts to shorten lips that have stretched and descended to cover the upper teeth too much. This is a simple procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia. The incision is hidden in the base of the nose where it meets the lip.
There are also lip implants available made out of synthetic substances that may give a modest improvement to the lips. In addition to the synthetics, dermis (deep skin) or fat may be used as grafts to create lip volume. These natural substances have the advantage of being the patient's own tissue. The downside is that a separate procedure is necessary to obtain the grafting material. Additionally the grafted material may not survive in its entirety so that the results may be less predictable.
Finally as noted above, some patients will seek lip reduction due to congenitally inherited large lips or due to prior excessive placement of permanent lip fillers or implants.
Postoperative Care
In each of the above procedures there is usually minimal risk or downtime. There is also usually very minimal discomfort and only a short amount of 'down time'. Typically patients with injectables can resume normal activities within several days of the procedure. The surgical procedures cause somewhat more swelling and require a week or so of reduced activity.
Why Choose Dr. Harrell for Lip Augmentation
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Harrell has over 24 years of experience in cosmetic surgery. He is an accomplished user of all dermal fillers and has performed lip implants and grafts as well. He is technically skilled and possesses an artistic sensibility that translates into improved results for his patients. We hope you will contact our office to ask more questions or to set up a complimentary consultation. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you attain the best result you can have.
Contact The Weston Center for Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery through the online form accessible through the buttom just below this paragraph or call (954) 526-0066 to see if you are a good candidate for lip augmentation. We are proud to help patients look their best in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Plantation, Davie, Weston, and other areas of South Florida.