Lip Augmentation in Beverly Hills, CA
Surgical and Non Surgical
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Renato Calabria has been on the forefront of lip augmentation, lip lift and lip revision. Several options are available according to any specific problem that the patient may have.
“Nowhere in the face there is a finer line between natural and overdone then in the lips.”
Lip augmentation: Also we need to make a distinction between a young patients who may wish to have a fuller lips versus an older patient who has other problems including fine lines, photo aged skin a longer distance between lip and the base of the nose.
The younger lips necessitate only filling the lips, in the older patient, attention must be devoted to address the other problems.
Surgical Lip Augmentation
Lip Lift
The lip lift is used to shorten the distance between the upper lip and the nostril. The procedure is done under local anesthesia trough a small incision at the base of the nostril. It is a very effective procedure and is usually combined with a filler to enhance the lips themselves.
Lip Augmentation with Dermal Graft or Alloderm
The lip augmentation is usually done using a dermal graft or Alloderm. This graft is previously harvested and then placed in the lips trough a stab wound incision. It has more longevity then filler and in some cases is considered permanent.
Lip Augmentation with Fat
Fat can be harvested from your own body and injected trough a minuscule cannula in the lips. It is a very effective way to achieve the goal of fuller lips. Also the fat may not be permanent but has a longer duration that some of the fillers.
Laser Peel
To improve the fine lines a laser peel may be effective. Attention must be devoted to the type of the patient’s skin in order to choose the appropriate type of laser. Fraxel may be an option for the darker type while a fractional Co 2 laser may be a more effective option for a lighter type of skin.
Lip Revision
Lip revision is usually done because the patient is unhappy with the shape of the lips or has a problem after using a permanent form of filler like silicone.
It’s a very difficult problem to solve because the silicone or any of the permanent material can cause an allergic reaction and trigger a chain reaction that ends with severe scarring of the lips.
In selected cases the silicon granulomas can be removed successfully with a surgical procedure and the residual scarring may be improved with non permanent filler.
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Calabria can help you out in solving this difficult problem.
Non Surgical Lip Augmentation
The non surgical lip augmentation relies on fillers to enhance the shape and the size of the lips. The patient may have nice shaped lips but thin and all she needs is to make them fuller or she may also need to alter the shape.
Several types of filler are available:
Restylane®
What is Restylane®?
Restylane® is an injectable gel that should always be administered by a trained, medically qualified practitioner, like Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Dr. Renato Calabria.
Restylane® enhances your natural looks by restoring your skin’s volume, creating softness and revitalizing your appearance.
Who makes Restylane®?
Restylane® is produced by Q-Med AB. Q-Med is a Swedish biotechnology/medical device company with headquarters in the city of Uppsala, near Stockholm, and offices all around the world. After a decade of clinical use, more than 10 million treatments worldwide, continuous research and safety as top priority, Restylane® has today been proven to be safe, effective and long lasting. The company continues to invest in research and development in the interests of further improving patient safety.
What are the benefits of Restylane®?
Restylane® can instantly soften telltale aging lines or improve your looks by enhancing your natural features, such as your cheeks or lips. Restylane® restores volume, improves skin elasticity, and smooths niggling lines and imperfections. Long lasting but not permanent, Restylane® allows you to stay in control of your looks.
What is the clinical experience behind Restylane®?
Restylane® is one of the most tried and tested dermal fillers available today. It is the benchmark for clinical excellence in its field. Its safety and efficacy are clinically proven and supported by robust clinical data, spanning 10 years. Research and development is continuous.
How does Restylane® work?
Restylane® is a crystal-clear gel produced biotechnologically using stabilized, nonanimal hyaluronic acid and water. The hyaluronic acid is a tissue-friendly substance closely resembling the hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally in the body. By replenishing nature’s supply of hyaluronic acid, Restylane® revitalizes and plumps up the skin, instantly diminishing the appearance of lines and giving a softer look.
What does Restylane® treatment involve?
Restylane® is injected into the skin in small amounts using a very fine needle. The gel provides hydration and structure and gives natural volume to smooth away the appearance of lines, enhance facial shape, or create fuller lips.
The treatment is very quick and often takes less than 30 minutes. The treatment benefits can normally be seen instantly and Restylane® does not affect facial expression. No skin test is required because Restylane® does not contain any animal-derived ingredients.
What areas can be treated?
Restylane® treatments can be used to smooth out facial lines, create fuller lips and shape facial contours, such as cheeks and chin. It is a subtle approach to enhancing looks naturally.
The most common areas treated are:
- from the nose to the angle of the mouth (the nasolabial folds)
- lips (enhancement)
- cheeks and chin (shaping)
- back of the hands, décolletage, face (skin rejuvenation)
- between the eyebrows (the glabellar lines)
How much does a Restylane® treatment cost?
During your pretreatment consultation, you should discuss the cost of the treatment with Dr.Calabria.
How long does Restylane® treatment effect last?
One of the great advantages of Restylane® is that the effects are long lasting but not permanent. You are always in control of your looks.
– Facial lines and facial shaping: follow-up treatment is usually needed after 6-12 months
– Lip enhancement: follow-up treatment is normally needed in about 6 months
– Skin rejuvenation and deep hydration: after the initial intense treatment of 3 treatment sessions every 2-3 weeks, follow-up sessions are normally recommended around every 6 months
Duration depends on many factors, such as skin type, lifestyle, age, the degree of perfection demanded by the patient and the injection technique of the practitioner.
Does Restylane® treatment hurt?
Some people may experience the treatment as a mild discomfort. A local anesthetic cream is often used. Another form of anesthesia, a dental bloc, is used to numb the area when enhancing lips.
Can Restylane® be used if I have had laser treatment or a chemical peel?
If you have recently had some kind of cosmetic treatment, it is recommended you wait until the area is totally healed and the skin is back to its normal condition. This usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Is there any downtime with Restylane®?
You can expect slight redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, itching and/or bruising following Restylane® treatment. This is the same as you might expect with any type of injection. However, the discomfort is temporary and generally disappears after a few days. With lip enhancement, it is wise to choose your treatment time with care since your lips may become swollen and appear slightly uneven for a few days.
Are there any risks with Restylane®?
More than 6 million treatments have been carried out since the launch of Restylane® in 1996. Some common injection-related reactions might occur after a Restylane® injection; they typically resolve spontaneously within one or two days after injection. These reactions include redness, swelling, pain, itching, bruising or tenderness at the injection site. Inflammatory reactions may last for up to two weeks in rare cases. After a lip enhancement, your lips may be swollen for several days.
Are there any side effects with Restylane®?
Most people can benefit from Restylane® treatment.
Restylane should not be used in or near skin sites where there are or have been active skin disease, inflammation or related conditions. Nor should it be injected into an area where a permanent implant has been placed. Restylane has not been tested in pregnant or breast-feeding women.
During your pretreatment consultation, you should thoroughly discuss your medical history with Dr.Calabria.
Juvéderm®
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers like Juvéderm® injectable gel offer a safe and effective nonsurgical option for smoothing facial wrinkles and folds. In fact, they are the fastest growing nonsurgical aesthetic procedure in the United States according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
- Juvéderm® is the ONLY hyaluronic acid (HA) filler FDA approved* to last up to 1 year. Our unique manufacturing process provides a high concentration of cross-linked hyaluronic acid for long-lasting results. It also creates a smooth consistency gel that flows easily into the skin and provides a smooth, natural look and feel–so everyone will notice (but no one will know)! Only Juvéderm® is so smooth–other hyaluronic acid fillers currently on the market are made of granular consistency gels.**
- A “next-generation” filler: Juvéderm® is a “next-generation” non-animal dermal filler that is made from hyaluronic acid” hyaluronic acid–a naturally occurring substance that plays a vital role in hydrating your skin and replenishing its natural volume. No allergy skin tests are needed prior to receiving treatment.
- Proven safety and effectiveness: Juvéderm® injectable gel is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler proven safe and effective in persons of color.
- Quick and easy procedure: Juvéderm® injectable gel is a nonsurgical physician-administered treatment that requires no allergy skin test and minimal recovery or downtime.
- Personalized treatment: Juvéderm® injectable gel is available in two formulations – Juvéderm® Ultra for versatility in contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds, and Juvéderm® Ultra Plus, a more robust formulation for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles. This allows your healthcare professional to tailor treatment to meet your unique needs.
What to Expect During Treatment?
Because Juvéderm® injectable gel is a simple, nonsurgical wrinkle treatment, there is minimal recovery or downtime. So you can make an appointment to stop by Dr.Calabria’s office for treatment on the way home from work or the gym, or even while the kids are at soccer practice–and get right back to your life. Here’s what to expect when you visit your healthcare professional’s office for treatment. (Please note that although this experience is typical, the routine at your healthcare professional’s office may be different.)
Before you go: Some doctors recommend that you avoid any medications that can prolong bleeding, such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), for at least a week prior to treatment in order to reduce the risk of bruising and bleeding at the injection site. Ask your healthcare professional what he or she recommends.
When you arrive: Dr. Calabria will ask about your medical history, including any allergies you may have or medications you may take, and will tell you more about wrinkle treatment with Juvéderm®. Juvéderm® injectable gel does not require an allergy test.
Determining your treatment needs: Dr Calabria will examine the soft tissue of your face to assess the depth of wrinkles and folds to determine your treatment. Juvéderm® injectable gel is available in two formulations – Juvéderm® Ultra for versatility in contouring and volumizing facial wrinkles and folds, and Juvéderm® Ultra Plus, a robust formulation for volumizing and correcting deeper folds and wrinkles. This allows Dr. Calabria to better tailor treatment to your unique needs. They may even take pre-treatment photographs so you can see the difference after treatment!
Before the procedure: Although anesthesia is not required, Dr. Calabria may use topical or injectable anesthesia to numb the treatment area first.
The procedure: Dr Calabria will ease the Juvéderm® injectable gel under your skin to augment, or fill, wrinkles and folds. Following the injection, your healthcare professional may gently massage the treated areas. The procedure is quick and easy. The injection itself usually takes only about 15 minutes.
After the procedure: With Juvéderm®, there is minimal recovery or downtime.
For the first 24 hours following treatment, you should avoid strenuous exercise, excessive sun or heat exposure, and consumption of alcoholic beverages in order to help minimize the risks of temporary redness, swelling, and/or itching at the treatment sites. After the treatment, some temporary injection-related reactions may occur, including redness, pain, firmness, swelling, and bumps. Studies have shown that these are usually mild to moderate in nature and clear up on their own in 7 days or less. If you experience swelling at the injection site, you can apply an ice pack for a brief period. Dr Calabria will tell you when makeup may be applied after your treatment.
Seeing results: You should see an immediate improvement in the treatment areas. Most patients need one treatment to achieve optimal wrinkle smoothing. And one treatment could smooth your lines and wrinkles for up to 1 year! However, results may vary and correction is temporary. Supplemental “touch up” treatments may be required to achieve and maintain optimal results.
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