While many people may associate full lips with beauty, there are others who feel self-conscious about their lips being too full or disproportionately large compared to their other features. In addition, overly large lips may even interfere with speech or chewing. If you’re concerned about oversized lips, then you may want to consider lip reduction surgery at Atlanta Face & Body. Dr. Elizabeth Whitaker is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who has helped many people improve their confidence by restructuring their lips to be thinner and more symmetrical.
How is lip reduction surgery performed?
A lip reduction is an in-office, outpatient procedure that’s performed under local anesthesia. It involves the careful removal of excess tissue through horizontal incisions just inside the lips to produce a thinner, more pleasing appearance. Dr. Elizabeth tailors her incisions based on the level of reduction you desire. Lip reduction surgery can be performed on one or both lips, depending on your goals. Once the desired amount of volume is achieved, incisions are sutured, typically with stitches that dissolve in about a week to 10 days. Since the incisions are made just inside the lips, any resulting scars are undetectable to others.
Who is a candidate for lip reduction surgery?
Candidates for lip reduction surgery are people in generally good health who don’t smoke and are concerned about the size and girth of their lips, how their smile appears, or their lips’ overall functionality. People who have had a previous augmentation procedure may also be good candidates. Dr. Elizabeth and her staff will discuss lip reduction surgery in detail at your private consultation and answer any questions you may have.
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What are the risks involved with lip reduction surgery?
As with most surgical procedures, lip reduction surgery may carry a few risks. Some of these may include:
- Lip numbness or sensation changes
- Hematoma or seroma
- Improper closure of the lips or expression changes
- Reaction to anesthesia
- Asymmetry
- Development of scar tissue
Luckily, these potential risks are minimized when lip reduction surgery is performed by an experienced facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Elizabeth has extensive experience performing these procedures at Atlanta Face & Body.
What is the recovery from lip reduction surgery like?
Temporary swelling and mild discomfort are common after lip reduction surgery but can be managed with ice packs and pain medication. These effects typically resolve in a few days. You’ll want to spend the first day after surgery resting with as little talking as possible. Also, you should avoid any heavy exercise, drinking with a straw, and eating foods that require a lot of chewing for about one to two weeks. Many patients find they heal quite quickly from this procedure, but the extent of tissue removal will play a factor in that. We’ll thoroughly go over all post-surgery details at your private consultation.
What are the results from lip reduction surgery?
Once swelling completely subsides, your lips should appear less full and more balanced with the rest of your facial features. Complete healing takes from 2 to 4 weeks up to a couple months before optimal results are achieved. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, results are typically permanent.
