Under the umbrella of lip surgeries, there are many different types of procedures. These include lip augmentation, lip reduction, lip lift, cleft lip/palate surgery and lip reconstruction.
Lip augmentation:
Some non-invasive techniques can serve as alternatives to surgery. Hyaluronic Acid-based injectable fillers (Restylane and Juvéderm) can provide temporary solutions lasting up to six months. A permanent lip augmentation procedure usually includes silicone lip implants or fat and tissue grafting.
For lip implant surgery, doctors make incisions at both corners of the lip. They use a clamp to open up a tunnel through the incision to insert the implant. The surgeon will position the implant under the fat but above the muscles before closing the site. The entire process will take around 30 minutes to complete.
During fat and tissue grafting, doctors harvest fat from other body parts, purify it and inject it into the lips. Tissue grafting removes a layer of skin from another part of the patient’s body, rolls it up, and inserts it into the lips.
Lip reduction surgery minimizes the size of the lips. It can help patients who have been affected by too many fillers or silicone injections. The process will extract excess tissues through an incision inside the mouth to reduce the overall size of the lips.
A Lip Lift can help to create younger-looking lips without adding fillers or implants. During the procedure, surgeons remove a strip of skin from under the nose and position the lip higher. Reducing the space between the lip and nose gives an illusion of plumper lips. Surgeons can use different techniques for a lip lift. These include the direct lip lift, subnasal bullhorn, central lip lift, corner lip lift and Italian lip lift. The surgery is done under local anesthetic and usually takes an hour.
Cleft lip/palate surgery corrects facial malformations that involve the upper lip, nose, palate and jaw. The procedure aims to improve the appearance of the cleft gap while maintaining the function of the lips.
Lip reconstructive surgery can correct scars and asymmetrical lips resulting from accidents, other such injuries, and cancer. The procedure will improve the appearance and functionality of the lips.
