Why Lips?
In normal conversation, we look from eye-to-eye and then to lips. Next to eyelids, most people notice aging changes that affect the lips and the perioral region the most.
"Well, the last time I had a picture taken I could hardly see my eyes because of the weight of heavy eyelid. Then I paid attention to how I was actually using my eyes and I really noticed when I was looking at anything especially the computer I was straining my forehead to see better. Since I have had it done I no longer have to lift the forehead and tilt my head to see. It is amazing! I love..." D. Rock 63 Yrs Old with Fat Droopy Eyes - Salt Lake City, UT
What procedures are available to rejuvenate lips?
Rejuvenation of lips can be achieved using minimally invasive techniques to surgical procedures. A detailed knowledge of the facial and perioral anatomy is vital whenever treating the lips or the perioral region, with surgery or fillers
How are lips assessed?
With great care and attention to surrounding surface anatomical contours and changes
What are the treatment options for lips?
Fillers: fillers can be used to achieve a number of different effects. In younger patients, creating further fullness to the lips can look very pleasing. In other age groups, fillers are used to recreate the curves and prominences of youth: the philtral columns, the cupid’s bow, the ridge along the lips, upward turning corners of the mouth, and fullness.
Lasers: with collagen degeneration and thinning of the skin associated with aging (and with smoking), vertical lip lines develop. These can be improved with fractionated or more aggressive lasers.
Botox: treatment of the depressor angularis orbicularis allows one improve the downturn to the corners of the mouth that develops over time.
Surgical shortening of the long vertical lip: using well-hidden incisions, the elongation of the distance between the nose and the lip can be reduced. This not only gives the lips a more youthful position, but also improves the pink show of the upper lip.
Lateral elevation of the angles of the lips may be achieved with surgery resection and repair.
"I had a excellent eye lift done by Dr. Patel. He knows what he is doing and is very pleasant. Dr.Patel was easy to get an appointment and he works with you. The office staff was very pleasant and made you feel calm." D. Gull Highly recommended for eye lift surgery - Salt Lake City, UT
“I don’t want to look like a duck after lip fillers”?
An aesthetic eye with judicious attention to race, sex, age, the relation of other facial structures, and natural history (of aging) are vital to augment lips and create more youthful lips so that the result is “invisible”to others.
Simply filling the upper and lower lips, especially when done to excess, leaves very undesirable results: no wonder people do not want to be left with “duck lips.”This is avoidable! An understanding of the normal anatomy of the lips and perioral region is vital
Surface anatomy and esthetic landmarks of upper lip 1. Philtral dimple/hollow (central esthetic unit of upper lip), 2. Philtral column, 3. Cupid's bow, 4. White roll, 5. Tubercle, 6. Dry vermilion, 7. Wet vermilion,
8. Oral commissure, 9. Lateral esthetic unit of upper lip, 10. Cheek esthetic unit.
What kind of lip augmentation will look best on me?
Rejuvenation of lips is a combination of giving some volume, but also creating the ridges, grooves and prominences inherent to beautiful youthful lips. This is where one needs to inject as an aesthete rather than by the numbers. With the help of before-and-after photographs, it is possible to show you what would look best on you, without it looking in any way “fake”. We have enough fake news, as it is.
remembering the proper proportions of upper and lower lips as shown below is important when designing lips with fillers or with surgery...
What kind of fillers are best for lips?
If you are undergoing any kind of surgical procedure, we often use fat grafts to give you some degree of volume in your lips. This is especially important when performing face lifts, to obtain proper proportions. However, fat will give volume, but is not very good at giving the desired shape. This is where proper fillers give the best results. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Juvederm are very good as lip fillers. They are invisible to the feel after a few days, cause the
least risk of permanent problemsand are controllable.
What are lip proportions?
Generally, lower lips should be fuller than upper lips. The ratio varies according to age, sex and race. Furthermore, the degree of fullness should not be the same across the full length of the lips.
The upper lips, in Caucasians especially, should be fuller centrally and para-centrally and peter out towards the outer thirds as shown in the photograph.