Atlanta
Lip Lift

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How a Lip Lift Provides A More Youthful and Rejuvenated Appearance to the Face

The Lip Lift procedure (Upper Lip Lift) helps rejuvenate a patient’s face by reshaping the upper lip and balancing the lip proportions and shape. Lip proportions affect the lower face as we age. With time, the upper lip gets longer and thinner, hiding the upper teeth both at rest and even when one smiles or speaks.

The visibility of the upper teeth while smiling and speaking is one of the characteristics associated with a youthful-looking face. Therefore, a lip lift helps rejuvenate the lower portion of the face.

An upper lip lift is one of the most overlooked procedure in facial rejuvenation, and its benefits are undeniable to patients looking to improve their facial appearance.

Who Should Consider a Lip Lift in Atlanta?

Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriele Miotto performs upper lip surgery both in the office (awake) or in the operating room (under deep sedation or general anesthesia). The goal is always to balance the lip proportions, better expose the upper teeth and even correct asymmetries. During the procedure a modified bullhorn incision is planned at the base of the nose to reduce the cutaneous area of the upper lip and create balance in the lower third of the patient’s face. Patients who have long upper lips and want more natural volume and may want to consider upper lip surgery.

In addition, individuals who have previously tried to plump their lips with fillers, but the filler caused their lips to appear long and heavy may want to consider having upper lip surgery to aesthetically improve their lips.

Lip Lift before and after photos

Lip Lift surgery before and after photos. Lip Lift performed by Dr. Miotto in Atlanta, GA.

What Causes an Individual to Have a Long, Thin Upper Lip?

Some people naturally have a long upper lip, others develop these lip characteristics as they age.

Aging is the main cause of an individual’s elongated, thin lip, where the area between the nose and the upper lip gradually deflates and lengthens. Eventually, the teeth on the upper arch remain hidden behind the lip when the individual speaks or smiles. With a lip lift surgery, Dr. Miotto can make the hidden upper teeth more visible and the proportions balanced.

Lip Proportion and Projection vs Plumper Lips

Although many individuals place a great deal of emphasis on attaining plumper lips, the reality is that fuller lips do not always translate into more beautiful lips. In fact, the most important lip characteristics are the proportion and projection of the lips. As such, whenever performing a lip procedure, it is vital that the plastic surgeon takes the patient’s lip anatomy into consideration, otherwise, the result could resemble “ duck lips”.

As a experienced plastic surgeon and filler injector, Miotto always takes the anatomy of their patients’ lips into consideration, therefore, patients need not worry about experiencing the dreaded duck lips.

Lip Lifts Offer Patients Long-Lasting Results

While fillers can add volume to the lips, the results are short-lived and sometimes artificial looking. The results achieved with upper lip surgery are permanent and more natural. That said, there is no way to stop the aging process, which means that as time passes patients may find that the natural aging process continues to change their upper lip, but there are maintenance procedures that can be done over time to improve lip shape and proportions.

An Atlanta Lip Lift Can Be a Singular Procedure or Combined with Other Procedures

Upper lip surgery is a simple procedure that Dr. Gabriele Miotto performs regularly. ME Plastic Surgery patients can choose to have a lip lift alone or during the same surgical session as other facial rejuvenation procedures (e.g., fillers, lasersls, etc.) and with other surgical procedures in the operating room(e.g., a facelift, a rhinoplasty, eye surgery, etc.).

A Consultation for Upper Lip Surgery

During the patient’s initial consultation Dr. Gabriele Miotto will go over your overall health and discuss any ongoing medical conditions that need to be addressed before any surgical procedure (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.). In addition, patients must be prepared to discuss previous surgeries and current medications, as well as whether the patient has any allergies or any kind of medication reaction.

Patients must be candid during this appointment. For a patient to attain the results he or she desires, the individual must make these desires known.

Dr Miotto will examine the patient’s upper lip overall facial anatomy. If Dr. Miotto thinks the patient may benefit from upper lip surgery and the patient is interested in moving forward she will plan the procedure with the patient and decide if it can be done awake or under sedation. Dr. Miotto encourages patients to be open and never hesitate to inquire about their procedure or other procedures they are interested in.

A Lip Lift in Atlanta is an Outpatient Procedure

Upper lip surgery is an outpatient procedure, therefore, once their lip lift is complete, patients return home. If local anesthesia is the only form of anesthesia the patient receives during upper lip surgery, he or she will not require a driver or a caregiver.

Patients Receiving General or Twilight Anesthesia

If the patient is having upper lip surgery at the same time as other facial rejuvenation procedures that do require twilight (IV or conscious sedation) or general anesthesia, the patient will need a driver as well as a 24-hour caregiver.

A Lip Lift Procedure in Atlanta

Upper lip surgery takes approximately an hour.

When Dr. Miotto performs a lip lift as a single procedure, patients only need to receive local anesthesia, with or without Pronox, which is just like the anesthesia dentists use.

Dr. Miotto provides their patients with local anesthesia to ensure that they experience very little discomfort during their lip lift procedure.

Administering Local Anesthesia

Dr Miotto takes measurements and then makes markings on certain areas of the patient’s face to use as a guide for the lip lift. Dr Miotto uses an injection to administer the patient’s local anesthesia.

Once the local anesthetic takes effect, which can take up to 25 minutes, Dr Miotto begins the upper lip surgery. She will carefully remove the excess skin and dermal tissue and then suture the patient’s upper lip muscle to a higher position to reshape the upper lip.

She uses tiny sutures to close the incision within the crease of the patient’s nose. This shortens the upper lip and reshapes it. Dr. Miotto takes great care to make sure the sutures they place are tension free so the incision heals beautifully with minimal scars.

Between 5-7 days after surgery the patient returns to ME Plastic Surgery for suture removal. During this appointment, our nurse will remove the patient’s sutures.

What to Expect During Recovery

Directly after a lip lift the patient’s upper lip becomes swollen and feels stiff and a little sore. The amount of swelling and bruising an individual experiences varies from one person to the next. The swelling usually worsens during the first 48hs following the lip lift and then starts to subside.

The healing period following a lip lift is usually two to three weeks. During the initial 48hs hours after upper lip surgery, patients should rest, apply ice to the lips and take the prescribed medications.

For 5-7 days, patients must limit their physical activity to speed up healing.

Patients can shower twenty-four hours after their upper lip surgery. Patients must not scrub their surgical sites, instead they should gently clean their incisions using the technique they learned from Dr. Gabriele Miotto.

During the first week, patients need to keep their incision clean and regularly apply antibacterial ointment. Following upper lip surgery patients have very fine skin sutures closing their incisions. Patients return to ME Plastic Surgery during the following week for suture removal.
Most of Dr. Miotto’s patients return to work within 5-7 days of their upper lip surgery.

For about 14 days, patients must not exert themselves, and they need to avoid excessive heat, sauna, hot tubs. Patients should avoid applying lotion to their surgical sites for two weeks. Nonetheless, if desired, patients can apply moisturizer to other areas of the face.

Lip stiffness and maybe a little numbness following a lip lift is common, this symptom usually lasts for about two-three weeks.Some patients will feel a tight sensation in their upper lip. This sensation can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

Until the surgical wounds heal, patients cannot submerge themselves in a pool, a tub or any other body of water. For most patients, the healing process is complete in about three-4 weeks’ time, but the final results takes 3-6 months from any surgery.

Addressing Pain and Inflammation

ME Plastic Surgery’s patients receive supplements and medication before, and after their lip lift. In addition, after their upper lip surgery patients receive anti-inflammatory and pain medications. Patients are encouraged to perform icing of the surgery site (cryoptherapy) at home because it helps reduce inflammation and swelling.

The cryotherapy treatment:

• Patients should gently place an ice pack or, preferably, a frozen gel pack, that is wrapped in a cloth on the area that is inflamed. Gel packs can be purchased at the local pharmacy.
• This ice pack can remain in place for up to 20 minutes every hour when the patient is awake.
• This procedure can be repeated several times a day.

Following a Lip Lift at ME Plastic Surgery in Atlanta Patients Enjoy a Natural-Looking Final Result

After six weeks have passed, most of the inflammation has subsided and the patient’s lips will be nicely shaped, and look completely natural.

Experience, Skill and Dedication Are the Keys to a Beautiful, Natural-Looking Lip Lift Result

As long as the plastic surgeon takes the patient’s facial measurements and particular face type into consideration while performing upper lip surgeries, the surgeon can create the patient a natural-looking, well-balanced result. After a lip lift with Dr. Gabriele Miotto patients enjoy facial balance as well as fuller, more beautiful lips.

Facial rejuvenation procedures that are frequently performed at the same time as a lip lift include:

• Lip fillers
• Eyelid surgery (upper and lower)
• Chemical peels for skin resurfacing
• Facial fat grafting
• Lasers

After about a week, patients can return to their normal activities. However, to ensure most of the residual swelling has diminished and the lip stiffness has subsided, patients need to wait at least eight weeks before they commit to any major social events.

Since every patient is unique, determining which patients will experience more swelling and excessive bruising is impossible.

Important Preoperative Information from Dr. Miotto

There are several products that patients must avoid before their upper lip surgery:

For a week to 10 days before upper lip surgery taking aspirin or any product that contains aspirin (e.g.,Alka Seltzer®, Bufferin® and Bayer®) must be avoided.

For at least five days before upper lip surgery patients should avoid taking NSAIDs. NSAID medications include Motrin®, Ibuprofen and Aleve®. If a patient needs to take a pain reliever during this five-day time span, he or she can use non-aspirin (aka Tylenol® or Acetaminophen).

Patients with questions about medications they are taking should call the office at (404) 850-5851.

Ten days before upper lip surgery patients must stop taking vitamin E. In addition, patients must discontinue taking herbal supplements.

Do Not Drink Alcoholic Beverages

Since alcohol can increase the incidence of inflammation, patients need to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for at least a week before and a week after their upper lip surgery.

Do Not Use Products That Contain Nicotine

At least four weeks before and four weeks after a lip lift, patients must stop using products that contain nicotine. These products include e-cigarettes, traditional cigarettes, nicotine patches, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, etc.

The Dangers of Using Nicotine Containing Products Before and After Surgery

Following the no nicotine recommendation is extremely important because nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it causes the blood vessels to contract. Since this contraction makes the blood vessels smaller, it takes longer for the blood to reach the wound, which slows healing.

Slower healing increases the patient’s risk of developing an infection, experiencing open wounds and necrosis (i.e., tissue death).

Will Upper Lip Surgery Leave Visible Scars?

Dr Miotto performs the patient’s upper lip surgery with very precise surgical technique using a modified bullhorn lip lift and/or a corner lift. There will just be a fine line hidden into the nose crease or along the corners of the lip depending on the anatomy. As long as the patient protects this incision from UV rays and follow’s Dr Miotto’s intructions for scar treatment, the visibility of the scar becomes inperceptible within six to twelve months’ time.

Recovery Recommendations from Dr. Miotto

Extra Pillows

Following any facial procedure Dr. Miotto recommends that patients use a few pillows to keep their head elevated at night. This speeds up swelling recovery

Use Recommended Scar Treatment

After the patient has his or her postoperative evaluation, Dr. Miotto will recommend a scar treatment to help the patient’s scar improve faster.

Do Not Expose Surgical Incisions to UV Light

Patients must avoid exposing their surgical incisions to the sun until all the inflammation has dissipated and bruising is no longer present. Physical sunscreen products are also recommended after 2 weeks from surgery.

Diet: Foods That Are Easy to Digest

Directly following a lip lift, the plastic surgeons at ME Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, recommend that patients consume a diet full of easily digestible foods and softer foods for the first week after the procedure.

Avoid Foods That Are High in Sugar and Salt

Patients should avoid consuming foods that are high in sugar. Furthermore, since salt causes water retention patients should avoid eating foods that are high in salt. Disregarding this recommendation could lead to the patient experiencing more inflammation, which could result in additional pain.

Consume Healthy Proteins

Patients need to eat healthy proteins, such as canned tuna, lean meats, natural peanut butter, plain Greek yogurt and eggs as well as softer fruits, rice, and cooked vegetables. Eating these foods will provide the body with the nutrients it needs as it heals.

How to Prevent Pain Medicine Induced Nausea

Before taking medication, patients should eat some food. Otherwise, they may experience nausea, which is a side effect of many pain medications.

Reasons to Stay Hydrated

Flush Out the System and Reduce Inflammation

Staying well-hydrated following any surgical procedure, including upper lip surgery, is essential because water helps flush out the system and reduces inflammation.

Prevent the Constipation that Pain Medications Can Cause

Many pain medications cause constipation, which can lead to abdominal bloating and an overall feeling of being unwell. Drinking a lot of water and low-sugar sports drinks can help prevent this side effect.

Following Up

Dr. Miotto believes that keeping the lines of communication open with their patients is an important aspect of the patient / surgeon relationship. Therefore, after a patient has upper lip surgery, he or she is encouraged to keep the follow-up appointments because Dr. Gabriele Miotto likes to closely monitor her patients as they heal. This close monitoring ensures that each patient achieves the best results possible.

Final Upper Lip Surgery Results

The objective of any aesthetic surgery or cosmetic procedure is not necessarily to achieve perfection, but to enhance the patient’s natural features. By keeping this in mind, patients can have realistic expectations in relation to their final results.

From Start to Finish — Comparing the Patient’s Photos

At ME Plastic Surgery, Dr. Gabriele Miotto documents her patients’ aesthetic changes with photographs. Once a patient’s healing is complete, the doctor and patients view these photos together.

Potential Risks and Complications of Upper Lip Surgery

All surgical procedures have risks.

Risks associated with upper lip surgery include:

• An allergic reaction to medications used during the lip lift procedure.
• Poor wound healing.
• Blood loss.
• Nerve damage.
• Scarring.

How Much Does Upper Lip Surgery in Atlanta Cost?

Every patient is unique, which is why Dr. Miotto creates each patient a customized treatment plan. To determine how much upper lip surgery will cost a particular individual, he or she must be evaluated during an initial consultation.

For years, Dr. Gabriele Miotto has been helping people enhance their facial features with surgical and nonsurgical procedures.

If you are in or nearby Atlanta, or planning to visit, and you would like to learn more about the lip lift procedure, please call (404) 850-5851 to make an appointment. ME Plastic Surgery’s address is 3200 Downwood Circle Northwest, Ste 640 in Atlanta.

There are a number of reasons men and women come to me to have a lip lift surgery. Some patients have naturally long and thin upper lips and a lip lift reshapes the lip proportions to create younger and fuller lips, and to rejuvenate the face. For others, the aging process lengthens the upper lip (the area from the top of the lip to the base of the nose becomes too long, hiding the upper teeth). A lip lift will shorten the cutaneous upper lip, reducing this area and creating balance to the lower third of the face. More upper teeth showing is a sign of youth.

A lip lift is one of the most powerful but still overlooked facial rejuvenation procedures with fast recovery and high impact. Many people focus on only fuller lips, but fuller lips are not necessarily more beautiful lips. What really matters is the upper and lower lip proportions and the right projection respecting the lip anatomy. No “duck lip look” for my patients!

A lip lift is a powerful and permanent lip rejuvenation procedure commonly done under local anesthesia to shorten the cutaneous upper lip, to reshape the upper lip and to improve facial balance.
 

-Dr. Gabriele Miotto, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

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