Lip Augmentation

Why is lip augmentation done?

Lip augmentation is a cosmetic procedure done to create fuller, plumper lips and reduce fine wrinkles around the mouth. The procedure can be done by any of the following options

• Injections
• Implant surgery
• Grafting
• Laser
• Lip laceration/Scarification
• Lip lift
• Lip suspension
• Micropigmentation / Permanent Make-up

How is lip augmentation done?

• Injections
  • The filler is injected using a fine needle inserted at several points along the edge of the treatment site.
  • The doctor/nurse  massages the area to evenly distribute the filler

• Implant surgery using bioimplants or synthetic implants
  • Tiny incisions made in the inside corners of the mouth through which the bioimplant is inserted or
  • The synthetic implant is made into the shape of a small tube and inserted with a small needle through a small incision inside of the lip

• Grafting
  1. Fat transfer or fat grafting or fat injections
     • Fat is removed from the donor site, usually the buttocks, abdomen etc, with a small hypodermic needle and spun in a centrifuge to remove excess fluids
     • The undamaged fat cells are then
       • injected with the use of a separate smaller hypodermic either just under the lip or deep within the muscle or
       • implanted, taking individual strands of fat cells one by one through minute incisions on the lip.

  2. Other grafting procedures
     • Tissue is excised, de-epithelialized by removing the epidermis, cleaned, then rolled up and inserted through incisions in the lip
     • Local flap grafts (V-Y enhancement)
       Incision may be made
       • inside the mouth to push the tissue inside the mouth upward, and outward, into the lip, or
       • along the upper lip line, where the skin above the lip is removed

• Laser lip augmentation
  • Plumping-The doctor will inject either a thick human-based collagen (Fascia) or fat into the lips to enhance the lips
  • Refining – The plumping process is repeated two to three more times, at one-month intervals which causes the lips to make new collagen.
  • Laser treatment- Finally, the lips are resurfaced using a laser, which removes the fine lines leaving the texture of the lips smooth, soft and supple.

• Lip laceration/Scarification
  • Small incisions are made inside of the lip and mouth and left without suturing. This helps to release the skin of the lip so that it is not so tight and also causes the patient’s own scar tissue to form around the healing incisions and plump the lip out.

• Lip lift
  Incision to remove a thin strip of skin is made at the base of the nose or along the border of the lip and sutured back to the now higher skin

• Lip suspension
  • The incision will be made on the inside of the nose.
  • The lip will be lifted by passing a suture through the inside of the nose to the inside of the upper lip.
  • The lip height and outward roll desired is achieved by varying the suture tension when tying.
  • This procedure will be repeated on the opposite side of the lip to achieve the desired elevation and symmetry

• Micropigmentation or Permanent Makeup
  • A tattoo is applied using either a small electric device or a hand tool which holds multiple needles to implant coloured pigments.
  • The needle assembly rapidly moves up and down, pushing the needles into the lip, border or surrounding middle layer (dermis) of the skin, implanting the chosen pigment.