Lip
augmentation creates fuller, plumper lips and reduces fine wrinkles
around the mouth. Lips may be injected with collagen or with fat transferred
from another site in the patientÕs body. Both liquid collagen and
fat are absorbed and repeat treatments are necessary to maintain results.
Newer, longer-lasting options include implantable materials like AlloDerm
and SoftForm.
Technique:
A natural or synthetic biocompatible material, or the patientÕs own
fat, is injected or implanted in the lips. One injection is usually
sufficient to produce the desired result, which may be temporary,
depending on the material used. Injections may need to be repeated
periodically. Proper placement of the injected material is important.
AlloDerm, a natural collagen sheet made from donated skin, is inserted
through tiny incisions inside the corners of the mouth. Once the AlloDerm
implant is in place, it eventually becomes integrated with the natural
tissues. Gore-Tex, SoftForm and soft ePTFE are other synthetic implant
options. Further options include:
• AutologenÑinjectable dermal implant material made from the
patientÕs own skin.
• DermalogenÑinjectable Human Tissue Matrix (HTM) procured from
donor tissue.
• FasciaÑinjectable donor tissue made from the dense white connective
tissue that supports body structure. Can also be done as a surgical
implant.
• HylaFormÑinjectable donor tissue made up of a molecular component
of the human body.
• RestylaneÑcrystal-clear injectable gel; the hyaluronic acid
in Restylane is very close to that naturally found in the body.
Another augmentation choice is laser lip rejuvenation, which tightens
the natural collagen and elastic tissue beneath the lips.
Benefits:
• Immediate return to normal activities (one-day return if sedated)
for nonsurgical procedures; depending on the procedure and materials
used, recovery period is within a week for surgical procedures.
• AlloDerm and Dermalogen do not require patients to provide
donor tissue and are not rejected by the body, because they are human
tissue. Usually they have a pliable, natural feel.
• Gore-Tex implants are permanent, easily inserted and well tolerated
by the body.
• Temporary procedures like collagen or fat injection can be
appealing to patients who want to experiment with a fuller-lipped
look, but not necessarily commit to it.
Other Considerations:
• Allergic reactions can range from prolonged redness, swelling
or itching, to firmness at the injection site. Other possible complications
include bleeding, lip asymmetry, and migration and extrusion of the
implant. Normal swelling and bruising lasts from three days to a week.
• Patients with a reaction to the pre-treatment collagen skin
test; who have a serious allergy history; or are allergic to lidocaine
(a local anesthetic) should not consider lip augmentation. Treatment
is sometimes postponed for patients with active inflammatory skin
conditions or with infections.
• Collagen injections have a short-lived effect (9-12 weeks);
fat injections provide longer-lasting results, but are sometimes unpredictable
as to the degree of improvement, can have lumping or scarring effects,
and must be harvested from another part of the body.
• Soft-form is a foreign body and may become infected or be rejected.
• While many techniques exist for lip augmentation, none are
ideal.
Provided by
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
