Lip Aesthetics (Lip Contouring)

The lips, which make a significant contribution to the aesthetic beauty of the face, have today become an important focus of facial aesthetics thanks to their curves and sensual appearance. Lips with elegant curves and contours considerably enhance a person's attractiveness. The curve of the upper lip is called the Cupid's bow, and the shape of this bow has been the subject of numerous studies by many aesthetic scientists. With their width, fullness, thinness and position, the lips play an important role in creating beauty.

When, due to aging, heredity and other factors, the lips lose their red color, lengthen and sag, and their curves lose height and begin to flatten, these changes can be corrected with aesthetic surgery methods to restore the lips' attractiveness.

Methods used in lip aesthetics:

• Using filler materials,
• Lip lift,
• Through incisions inside the mouth,
• Aesthetic procedures performed through incisions on the outside of the lip

Lip Aesthetics with Fillers

Filling with the Patient's Own Tissues (Tissue Grafting)

Dermis strips: In this procedure, strips of tissue called dermis, located beneath the skin layer in various parts of the body, are harvested and placed inside the lip. With this method, which accentuates the curves of the lips and gives them a more attractive appearance, more natural and attractive lips emerge once the postoperative swelling subsides.

Fat tissue: Fat tissue, together with fat cells, is concentrated and injected into the lip with the help of a fine needle. The fact that no incision is required is a major advantage. For a long-term effect, 2–3 sessions at 3-month intervals will be beneficial.

Tissue cocktail: In this method, dermis and membranes harvested from the deeper layers of the skin are injected into the lip area using needles. It gives more effective results than procedures performed with dermis strips.

Foreign Filler Materials

Hyaluronic acid is the most preferred foreign material because it causes almost no complications, is FDA-approved and does not spoil the natural appearance. Its effect lasts 3 to 6 months. Collagen is not widely preferred because it can cause allergic reactions and is a substance the body may reject. Silicone, although it plumps the lips, is used less often because it can seep into the tissues and deform the subcutaneous tissues.

Other Filler Materials

Most of the substances presented as miracle products are not preferred because of their adverse outcomes.

Aesthetic Lip Procedures Using Incisions

Incisions made inside the lip

Through incisions made inside the lip, the mucosa and the lip covering are separated and the inner length of the lip is shortened. In this procedure, which turns the lip outward, the muscles are also gathered to increase fullness. This procedure also helps shorten wide lips. It leaves no scar.

Procedures performed from outside the lip

Through an incision made exactly along the lip border, the red part of the lip is turned outward. The lip contour is enhanced. With procedures performed beneath the area called the Cupid's bow, a more curved lip can be created. The patient should be informed that, although rare, scars may remain at the incision sites. However, these scars can be concealed with cosmetic products.

Narrowing the lip by working on the muscles so that the lip shape can be defined more easily, and shortening the lip by suspending it from the inside to the base of the nose, can be applied successfully, especially when the distance between the lip and nose is long.

Lip Reduction

This procedure, performed by removing an elliptical piece of mucosal tissue from inside the lip, is used in patients with very full lips.

Reducing Lip Width

This is an aesthetic operation performed particularly in patients with congenital lip deformities and in people with a wide mouth. It is performed by narrowing the lip from the corners and closing it with stitches. However, the possibility that surgery may leave more noticeable scarring should be discussed with the patient.

Correcting Lip Wrinkles

Lip wrinkles, which appear as the tissues beneath the lip skin break down, can deepen into grooves due to the microtrauma caused by constantly repeated facial expressions. Very good results can be achieved by replacing the lost tissue and applying laser peeling to the surface.