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LIP ENHANCEMENT

If you’d like to have fuller lips, or want to erase fine lines and wrinkles around your lip area, Dr. Burton of Gary Burton, M.D., LLC Plastic Surgery, located in Bowie and Baltimore, Maryland, can discuss the different lip augmentation procedures available that will significantly enhance the size and shape of your lips and mouth. If you are dissatisfied or self-conscious about your lips, Dr. Burton can open up new possibilities for you to change your appearance and self-image. All involve inserting a synthetic, biocompatible materials—you can even use tissue from your own body. Dr. Burton can either inject the lips with different types of materials to make lips fuller and more attractive, or Dr. Burton can use implants.

Following is a list of materials that Dr. Burton can use to perform the various procedures:

• Artecoll - a synthetic material that plumps up the lips.
• Autologen -an injection of your own collagen, extracted from another place on your body.
• Collagen - extracted from cows and injected into the lips. The results are temporary lasting 4 weeks to three months.
• Dermalogen is collagen extracted from deceased human donors. It's also called injectable Human Tissue Matrix. This is also a temporary fix, but your body should not reject it.
• Fascia injections use a specific type of connective tissue harvested either from your own body or from a deceased human donor. It can be implanted surgically or injected.
• Fat from your own thighs or abdomen can be injected into your lips. There's no risk of allergic reaction and you may achieve permanent results. This can also be implanted surgically.
• HylaForm is a material created from natural body substances. There's no risk of infection, but you will need repeated treatments to maintain the result as it's only temporary.
• Restylane is a clear gel. It contains hyaluronic acid, which naturally occurs in humans, so there's little chance for an allergic reaction. It's biodegradable, so your body will absorb it within about six months of the injection.

If you prefer to use implants, these are the materials used by Dr. Burton:

• Alloderm is a sheet of collagen. Dr. Burton inserts the collagen through tiny incisions made on the inside part of the lip. This material offers only a temporary fix, lasting up to 12 months.
• Fat grafting is the surgical method of inserting your own fat into your lips to achieve the desired fullness. You may achiever permanent results, but this method varies from person to person. Because it's your own fat, there is a chance that your body can reabsorb it.
• Gore-Tex, SoftForm and soft ePTFE are synthetic materials that can achieve a permanent result. Unlike some of the other options we've listed above, your body will not absorb these. However, because they are synthetic, there is a risk of allergic reaction.
• Local flap grafts is a surgical procedure that takes tissue and skin from the inside flap of your mouth. It's far more invasive than any other technique, and is often the last resort among plastic surgeons.

Whether or not an anesthetic is necessary depends on the lip augmentation procedure. For lip injections, Dr. Burton will use a topical anesthesia so that the procedure involves no discomfort. During grafting procedures, Dr. Burton will use a local anesthesia. This makes the procedure painless, although there may be some discomfort afterward.

Dr. Burton advises that patients use cold compresses for 48 hours after the procedure in order to control the swelling. During this time, talking and chewing should be avoided as much as possible. Oral pain medications may be used to control the discomfort. Antibiotics may be given to reduce the possibility of infection. To help avoid infection, it is also important to keep the lips clean. Recovery takes about a week, after which your lips will feel normal and look marvelous.

Recovery time varies depending upon the type of procedure you have performed. Dr. Burton says that most people report little discomfort in the days following the lip augmentation. If you have an injection, you will be able to return to normal activities within a couple of days, but bruising and swelling may last for up to a week. If you decide to have implants or grafting, you may need to wait between one to two weeks before returning to your normal routine.