Lip reduction surgery is not as popular as other procedures that involves the lips like lip augmentation that makes the lips to become fuller. Lip reduction surgery is the opposite of lip augmentation; while the first decreases the volume of the lip, the later makes the lips fuller.
Although lip it is not very popular, the cases have shown successful results. It is very effective for getting small lips or if you the result from your previous lip augmentation is not successful. Lip reduction surgery is not the same as other skin procedure involving the lips but the surgery is very safe if done by a board-certified and experienced surgeon. In this article, we will explain all about lip reduction surgery, the cost, candidate, side effects, before and after
WHAT IS LIP REDUCTION SURGERY?
Lip reduction surgery or reduction cheiloplasty is a plastic surgery that reduces the lips thereby creating a balance between the upper and lower lips. The procedure is done to enhance the appearance of the lips while they retain their normal function.
The surgery procedure changes the shape of the lips by getting rid of the excess fats in the lips. The elliptical strip of tissue is removed although in some procedures or processes of this surgery, different shapes and strips of tissue are removed.
This surgery is common in places or populations where the people have large lips naturally. People in the African-American, Asian, and Caribbean-American are among this category. The lip reduction surgery is not only done for beauty or cosmetic purposes but also to treat medical conditions.
Read Also:
- Lip Discoloration: 11 Causes, Treatment & Prevention
- White Blanching After Lip Filler: Causes, Procedure & Treatment
- Lip Filler Swelling Stages
WHICH MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE TREATED WITH LIP REDUCTION SURGERY?
There are people with very large lips, this can be caused by medical conditions.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), having very large lips can be caused by:
- Trauma or injury
- Infections
- Thickening of the tissues in the lips
- Dentofacial deformities (abnormalities of the facial and dental structure)
- Hemangioma (extra blood vessels in the skin of the lips)
- Lymphedematous infiltration
- Glandular hypertrophy
- Inflammatory infiltration
These conditions causes speech problems, drooling, low self esteem, social anxiety and others.
CANDIDATES FOR LIP REDUCTION SURGERY
It is not recommended for anyone who wants to reduce the size of their lips so as to give their face a balanced look.
If you are going for a lip reduction surgery, you should be or have:
- Good health
- Naturally large lips
- Nonsmoker
- Good and stable body weight
- Any mental conditions
You are not eligible for lip reduction surgery if you:
- Drool due to poor facial muscle
- Cannot retract your lower lips
- Have at least or more than 3 mm intralabial space
LIP REDUCTION SURGERY COST
This surgery is classified as a cosmetic surgery so it is not covered by insurance. The average cost of getting lip reduction surgery is $1,943 (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2017). Anesthesia and other expenses are not included in this cost.
The overall cost depends on many factors like:
- Location and cost of the clinic
- Physician
- Extent of the surgery
- Fees for the anesthesia and anesthesiologist
- Price for the tests and x-rays
- Medications prescribed after the surgery
Some surgeons provide payment plans that will make the cost easy.
BEFORE AND AFTER LIP REDUCTION SURGERY
Before Lip Reduction Surgery
Lip reduction surgery needs preparation, you have to select a plastic surgeon and it must be the best to avoid complications.
Before selecting a surgeon, you should:
- Be sure the surgeon is certified by a board of cosmetic surgeons
- Find out the experience of the surgeon in performing lip reduction surgery
- Check and compare the before and after pictures of clients who have done lip reduction surgery with the surgeon.
- Find out the experience and qualifications of the anesthesiologist.
Your doctor or surgeon will give you instructions to prepare your body for the surgery.
You will have to avoid:
- Smoking
- Use of medications like anti-inflammatory or blood-thinning drugs
- Procedure for lip reduction surgery
The procedure for lip reduction surgery can last within 30-60 minutes and can be done with local anesthesia although general anesthesia can be used. The anesthesia is to reduce pain and make you comfortable.
The Procedure Include:
- Making horizontal cuts on the insides of the lips. The surgeon will first mark out the areas to be worked on to make the process easier.
- Removing excess and unwanted tissue or augmentation filler (if used). The tissue can be removed from the lower, upper or both lips.
- Closing the cuts with dissolvable stitches. The stitches are expected to fall off on their own after some days or within the week.
Lip Reduction Surgery After or Recovery
The effects of the anesthesia can last for few hours so it is recommended that you go to the location with a friend who will help you get home after the procedure. In most cases, patients experience their surgery wounds healing in about 1 or 3 weeks. The recovery time is not as much as most surgery procedures. In fact, some go back to work after the effects of the anesthesia have worn out.
There will be mild swelling and pain, this can increase within 3 or 4 days after undergoing the procedure. You can ask your doctor to prescribe pain relieve and anti-inflammatory drugs to help with the pain, swelling and infections. Your lip will feel numb and you may not be able to do certain things with your lips for some time. The numbness will wear off after some days. The stitches for the surgery cuts will fall off within 7-15 days.
You have to do certain things to help fasten your recovery process like:
- Drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated
- Apply a natural lip moisturizer on your lips from time to time
- Avoid strenuous exercise and activities for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.
BRAZILIAN LIP REDUCTION SURGERY
There are many procedures for lip reduction surgery but they all focuses on making the lips smaller. While some lip reduction surgery work on both lips, others work on removing excess tissues from only one of the lips which can either be the upper or lower lip. Brazilian lip reduction surgery focuses on reducing the lower lip, the surgery makes the lips to look like bikini lines which is a triangular shape.
This procedure uses the same preparation methods like the full lip reduction surgery but the process involves the surgeon removing more of the excess tissues from the center of the lower lip, this gives the lips a beautiful look and balance.
SIDE EFFECTS OF LIP REDUCTION SURGERY
The first reason why you are asked to get a board certified and experienced surgeon for your lip reduction surgery is because the lips are sensitive and should be handled with care. Also, to minimize many side effects, you should use a qualified surgeon. The common and expected side effects are redness of the lips, swelling and pain which will go away after some days.
Some less common side effects of lip reduction surgery are:
- Severe bruising and scarring
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Severe swelling
- Allergic reactions to the anesthesia used.
BENEFITS OF LIP REDUCTION SURGERY
There are lip augmentations but they are not as effective as lip reduction surgery. Lip reduction surgery has many benefits that places it above dermatological procedures.
Some of these benefits are:
- It gets rid of excess tissues which makes the lips to be deformed
- It balances the relationship between the upper and lower lips
- A single treatment can give you desired and permanent results
- There is no visible scars from the cuts made during the procedure
- Little recovery time is needed for lip reduction surgery
KOREAN LIP REDUCTION SURGERY.
Korean countries undergo and perform lip reduction surgery. One of the keys for getting the best result is for your doctor to find the right proportion of your lips. The results from this procedure is immediate and permanent but you will feel some common and expected side effects like swelling and pain.
Other considerations are:
- The thickness of the lips which should be 1:1.615 – the lower lip should be bigger than the upper lip by 1/3.
- The slant of the cupid bow should approximately be at 10%
- The degree for the slant of the lower lip should be 5 %>
WHAT OTHER LIP SURGERY COMPLEMENTS LIP REDUCTION SURGERY?
There are some surgery that go well with lip reduction surgery, they all focuses o the lips.
These lip surgeries are:
- Cupid’s Bow Surgery: This is done specifically to engage the shape and add noticeable curves yo the cupid bow thereby giving you a perfect pout and lip appearance.
- Smile Lift Surgery: Some people have lips that are turned down and make them look angry or sad always. Smile lift surgery will lift the lips and bring back smile to your face.
- Lip Valley Surgery: The lips have a slight valley in the middle of the lower lip. Done have theirs pronounced than others. To make the valley more pronounced, lip valley surgery can be done.
CONCLUSION
Lip reduction surgery is a very effective procedure that involves making cuts on the lips, removing excess tissues to reduce the volume of the lips and make them look beautiful. It is a very safe procedure and very popular in many countries including Korea. You are expected to select a board certified surgeon with experience to carry out this procedure because the results are permanent.