Our face is exposed to judgments and indirect glances daily. Many elements capture the observer's attention; among these, lips play a fundamental role, leading to increasingly frequent requests for aesthetic enhancement.
Proportions and Harmonies to Maintain
The physician's task is to assess form and proportions, along with their relationship to: perioral soft tissues, facial skeleton, and dental arches that support and project the lips. Morphologically, in static position, the lower lip appears fuller and more voluminous than the upper lip, which should be defined with a slight eversion of the Cupid's bow and filtral ridges, maintaining an appropriate skin portion length not exceeding 20 millimeters. Regarding dynamics, an aesthetically pleasing smile reveals the entire dental crown of the upper teeth (in women, 1-2 millimeters of gingival exposure is acceptable) and minimal or no exposure of lower dental crowns. A proper analysis must consider these morphological criteria, current condition, patient expectations, and feasibility.
Patient Requests and Desires
Lip volume decreases with age; however, younger patients often request volume enhancement, while mature patients seek restoration of definition and firmness. Resorbable fillers are our tool to meet these requests with harmonious and natural results in both smiling and static positions, thanks to their high tissue integration properties. These products characteristically have a limited duration.
Lipogems Technique for Natural and Long-lasting Results
For perfectly natural and permanent results, autologous adipose tissue grafting processed with Lipogems technology is an option. Lipogems technology preserves adipose tissue structure and its mesenchymal stem cell component, ensuring optimal integration and tissue regeneration. The infiltration is non-invasive, performed with fine needles or microcannulas, and typically well-tolerated by patients. For perioral care, besides resorbable fillers, we utilize biostimulants, peels, and lasers to improve skin tone, smooth fine wrinkles, and enhance texture.
When Surgery is Necessary
Vertical lip excess can be corrected with a minor procedure under local anesthesia (lip-lift). Additionally, outpatient removal (usually partial) of non-resorbable products previously injected for lip enhancement that have caused asymmetries and deformities over time is possible.
Natural Results Respecting Anatomy
The ultimate goal of any lip treatment must be a natural result that respects facial anatomy and expressiveness, ensuring harmony and balance with the patient's other facial features.
