The upper lip can elongate with age and some dental procedures. This process causes thinning of the lip and vertical creases with loss of volume secondary to the lip rolling inwards as it lengthens.

• The knee jerk response to this problem is adding filler to the upper lip to give it more volume, such as in a lip augmentation.

Volumetric Filler only makes this worse by accentuating the length of the upper lip by adding more volume at the bottom of the lip. Ultimately, the lip is left without shape and can result in the dreaded “duck-lip” look.

Considering a lip lift procedure in Austin Texas?

• dissatisfied with previous attempts at lip fillers
• the upper lip completely covering the front teeth at natural repose

Typically, this is picked up in a facial rejuvenation consult with Dr. Trussler in Austin Texas because you have to look for it and identify it.

What is a Lip Lift?

A lip lift is a surgical procedure which can be performed in the office or in combination with other facial procedures in the operating room.

• It is performed through a modified “gull wing” incision at the base of the nose which is an area of a natural skin crease.
• The upper lip is shortened through a conservative skin excision and shaped with the pattern of incision.
• This procedure naturally everts the upper lip giving it fullness without a “duck-lip” look.
• Two layers of stitches are used to secure the incision and help to contribute to healing in a fine line.

What is the recovery from a lip lift?

• The lip lift is over emphasized initially, but relaxes over the first two weeks.
• The stitches are left in place for about one week.
• Swelling and bruising can occur, but resolve after one week.
• The incision line fades over the first two weeks and is ultimately not noticeable

A lip lift can be combined with peri-oral skin resurfacing such as a chemical peel in the same setting. Volumetric fillers can be added at a later date for added fullness and definition, though typically just the lip lift is needed for long lasting and natural shape to the upper lip.

• Restylane® Silk could be easily added to help erase fine peri-oral lines and balance lip volume.

A lip lift is not for every patient, but it is a very effective procedure that can return natural harmony to the peri-oral area.

The first step to achieving a natural lip augmentation is discussing your options with Dr. Trussler in his Austin Texas plastic surgery office.

The post Fillers Got Your Lips Down? Try a Lip Lift. appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.

The most common method for lip augmentation is volumetric fillers such as hyaluronic acid gels like Juvederm® or Restylane®. They really are the first line choice for patients and cosmetic plastic surgeons.

I prefer hyaluronic acid gel fillers for the lip and for lip augmentation in Austin Texas because they are reliable, safe and easy to use.

• Hylauronic acid based fillers can be dissolved with Vitrase® (Hyaluronidase)

However, hyaluronic acid gels are not permanent and need to be re-injected every 6 to 8 months to maintain lip volume. This can be costly over time and patients may seek longer lasting options. One thing that I have found is that with gel fillers, if you maintain your volume with frequent small volume fills there is a long lasting result.
The options for longer lasting lip augmentation include:

• Autologous tissue from your own body, including fat, collagen and fascia.
• Allograft biologic implants which are collagen implants from cadaver or animal sources.
• Synthetic implants such as silicone lip implants.

The problem with allograft lip augmentation is they seem to resorb quickly (not long lasting), can become infected, and are expensive. Synthetic implants are convenient and when they work provide a long lasting, natural result, though they are fraught with complications of infection, scarring, and malposition.
For another lip augmentation option a patient can look within their own body for a filler source such as fat injections, collagen implants from tendon and fascia form the face. These options can provide long lasting and natural results, which are safe and not prone to infection. The one downside is that the autologous material needs to be harvested from another region in the body called a donor site and usually needs to be done in the operating room.

• Fat for fat injections is harvested from usually an abdominal fat deposit with liposuction and then injected into the lips.
• Collagen implants can be fashioned from an expendable tendon in the wrist (Palmaris Longus Tendon) and then threaded through the lip.
• Fascial grafts are usually harvested from tissue removed in a facelift and placed in the lip at the same time as the facial procedure.

Lip Lifts can help to shape the upper lip through a nasal incision and can be used in combination with a volumetric lip filler.

Mucosal Advancements can help to provide a pocket for autologous fillers through an incision inside the mouth.
These autologous lip augmentation techniques are offered by Dr. Trussler in his plastic surgery office in Austin, Texas. The decision for lip augmentation is an individual choice and Dr. Trussler can help guide you through the process.

The post Options for Lip Augmentation: Look Within Yourself appeared first on Andrew Trussler, MD, PLLC.