Lip Enhancement
A great smile can light up a room, and an essential part of a great smile (or an attractive pout) is full, well-shaped lips. Some people are born with thin, long, or otherwise disproportionate lips. These conditions may also occur with age. If this is the case for you and you're unhappy with the way your lips look, it may be time to consider lip enhancement from Charlotte, NC facial plastic surgeon Dr. M. Sean Freeman.
Patients who choose Dr. Freeman at The Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery are choosing a physician who has specialized in lasers and facial cosmetic surgery since 1988. At The Center for Facial Plastic and Laser Surgery, our motto is "Only Faces, Only the Best Care." To learn how Dr. Freeman delivers high quality care for his lip enhancement patients, you can request your consultation online to receive $25 off your consultation fee or call Dr. Freeman's office at 704-543-1110.
Lip Augmentation
Lip augmentation can be safely accomplished using injectable fillers or surgical implants. There are many types of implants for lips; Dr Freeman's years of experience have led him to recommend implantable dermis as the safest implant. The choice of using one approach or the other depends on the goals of the patient. During your consultation, Dr. Freeman will review the pros and cons of each method and help you decide which is best for you.
Lip Augmentation with Fillers
Patients who choose to use a filler to improve lip fullness generally desire a subtler enhancement. The filler used varies depending upon the wishes of the patient. Dr. Freeman prefers to use a hyaluronic acid product such as Restylane®. Fat injections are another alternative. They each have their advantages and disadvantages. To learn more, you can review our page about injectable fillers.
Lip augmentation with fillers is performed right in our Charlotte, NC office – comfortably, privately and conveniently. The filler is injected into the lips following adequate numbing of the area. Most patients experience localized swelling for 24 to 48 hours and, very rarely, some mild bruising.
Lip Augmentation Surgery
Surgeons specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery began using dermis many years ago, mainly for reconstructive purposes. Today, more than 40,000 patients around the nation have received dermal allografts. Dr. Freeman has found that a dermal allograft is the best material for surgical lip augmentation because it gives lips a soft, natural look.
An allograft is any human tissue that is transplanted from one person to another. Allograft tissues have been used for many years in millions of surgical procedures. Dr. Freeman receives dermal allografts from specialized sources within the U.S. where cells are removed from donated allograft skin, leaving only the collagen scaffold of the dermis.
The corporations that provide allograft dermis are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tissue banks throughout the United States surgically remove skin from donors using sterile operating room techniques. Before donated skin can be processed, the tissue donors undergo rigorous screening by the tissue bank.
This type of surgery is usually performed in an office operating-room environment, and most patients return to work in a several days. Allograft dermis is used under the surface of the skin to enhance soft tissue. Allograft dermis can be folded, rolled or stacked to provide the amount of enhancement needed. When transplanted to a patient, the allograft dermis gradually becomes a natural part of the patient's own tissue and performs like normal, healthy tissue thereafter. That is what makes it so effective for lip augmentation.
Lip Lift
When Dr. Freeman examines a face, one of the things he looks for is facial balance. Most patients look better when there is a 1/3 to 2/3 relationship between the length of the upper lip as compared to the length of the lower lip and chin. If the upper lift is too long (and thus out of proportion) and the patient complains of thin lips (a common coexistent problem), then that patient is a candidate for a lip lift.
For most patients, this procedure is accomplished with minimal sedation in an office setting. The incision for a lip lift is hidden underneath the nose and has a "gull-winged" shape. Excess skin is removed and the corresponding muscles are tightened as needed. After surgery there is minimal swelling and bruising. Visible sutures are removed in 5 to 6 days, at which point makeup can be applied. The resultant scar from the incision typically heals well enough that nothing other than routine post op care is needed. However, should the patient find the scar too visible, a laser procedure will improve the appearance of the scar.
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Surgical Procedures
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Dr. Freeman has specialized in Facial Aesthetic Surgery since 1988 and is one of the few double board certified & fellowship trained surgical specialists in the Southeast with this level of experience and training.