Lip Lift | Augmentation

Lip Augmentation in The Woodlands, Texas, with Dr. W. Marshall Guy

The lips are one of the first thing that draws the eye. They are a sign of youth and beauty, which is why so much time and effort is spent with cosmetics trying to make them appear more attractive. For some, they naturally have a full lip. For others, they lack the volume or shape they desire. As you age the upper lip (between the nose and mouth) beings to elongate. This creates the appearance of a long upper lip, drooping nose, and thin lip. The philtrum (the two columns connecting the lip to the nose) also smooths out. The lack of these two columns leads to the appearance of an aged lip. Finally, the red part of the lip turns inward as a result of shrinking of the upper bones of the mouth making the lip appear thinner.

Read on to learn more about surgical lip augmentation and lip fillers in The Woodlands, TX, with Double Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. W. Marshall Guy. Contact us online or call (832) 956-1040 to get started today!

The ideal lip naturally has certain characteristics. First, it should have a well defined Cupid’s bow. This is the area in the center of the upper lip that has two peaks (at each philtral column) and then comes down in the middle to form a little bow. A telltale sign that someone has been over treated with filler is when this bow disappears and becomes more of a rainbow. Furthermore, the central part of the lip should be more full to settle into a slight depression in the lower lip. On the outsides of the upper lip near the corners, the lip naturally disappears. It should not extend all the way to the edge. The lower lip lacks the bow but as mentioned earlier, has a slight depression centrally with two slight peaks to fill in the areas of the upper lip above. If you read the textbooks, the upper lip should make up 1/3 of what is seen from the front and the lower lip 2/3. In reality, most patients prefer more of a 50:50 ratio. From the side view, the upper lip should stick out just slightly more than the lower lip

View: Lip Augmentation Options

Depending on the degree of change there are various options for correction. These include both non-surgical (fillers) and surgical options including using your own collagen or fat. When it comes to fillers there are three different fillers Dr. Marshall Guy prefers at this time. These include Juvederm Ultra XC®, Restylane Silk®, and Restylane Kysse. Juvederm and Kysse tend to add the most volume and are ideal for patients looking for a more full lip. Silk does a nice job defining the margins of the lip without adding much volume. In any scenario, Dr. Guy takes a conservative approach to lip augmentation. It is easy to add more volume. As a rule of thumb, you should never focus on a set volume but rather a well-defined goal

Lip augmentation surgery can provide a more lasting result but it is not for everyone.  Dr. Guy is not a fan of permanent lip implants given the long term risks and complications as well as the unnatural feel.  The use of your own collagen, fat, or lifting procedures can be considered in the appropriate candidates.  Surgical options include making an incision directly around the mouth. There naturally is a white line around the mouth which blends this incision. However, it may still need to be masked with a lip liner. Another option is making an incision directly below the nose (known as a bull horn incision). This moves the incision away from the mouth but is only able to augment the upper lip. Both can be excellent options depending on your individualized goals of treatment. With the various options, Dr. Guy creates a very natural, youthful look, and not an artificial or “Hollywood” lip. The treatment possibilities can be discussed with Dr. Guy in consultation.

It's Your Time to Look Your Best!

Dr. Guy is a specialist in all areas of rejuvenation and reconstruction for the face and neck. As a double board-certified and fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Guy knows that everyone ages differently and that there is no one size fits all when it comes to restoring a youthful appearance. From surgical options like a facelift to non-surgical options like Botox® and dermal fillers, there’s never a better time to look your best. 

Lip Augmentation in The Woodlands - FAQ

A surgical lip lift augmentation creates permanent results.

Most non-surgical lip augmentations last anywhere between six to eight months. We recommend scheduling your treatments every six months to a year for patients who want to achieve year-round plumpness and structure in their lips. For patients who require subtle results, we recommend replenishments on a yearly basis as well. However, every patient is different, so we’ll tailor your treatments according to your unique needs.

For surgical lip augmentation, on average, recovery can last anywhere from one to four weeks, depending on the invasiveness of the surgery.

Since lip fillers are a non-surgical procedure, they don’t require invasive surgical measures like cuts or stitches around the mouth. Some patients may feel slight discomfort during the injection process, but it is usually very tolerable. Most patients report a tiny scratch at the injection site and a tingling sensation as the filler enters the skin. A local anesthetic can also be applied to the area to minimize discomfort for patients who are feeling anxious.

Lip fillers vary depending on how many units of filler are used, so it’s difficult to determine an exact amount. The same is true for your surgical lip lift augmentation. Price is determined by what technique Dr. Guy believes will be the best option for you and the extent to what is involved during your surgery. During your consultation with Dr. Guy, he will thoroughly discuss each component involved in the cost of either your lip fillers or your lip augmentation surgery.

There is no medical reason why you cannot wear lipsticks or lip glosses immediately after your non-surgical lip augmentation. A treatment can leave your lips feeling slightly tender, so we do recommend that you allow a day or two for you lips to settle and the injection site to heal before applying make-up.

If you’ve chosen to have surgical lip augmentation, you will want to wait until any stitches are removed and incisions are fully closed before applying makeup to your lips.

Yes, it is entirely possible for your lip fillers to look completely natural. Natural results are in fact one of Dr. Guy’s primary goals. He’ll study your facial structure and help determine the best amount of filler for your lip augmentation to deliver results that look and feel like you were born with a lush, beautiful pout.

Apart from the negative health issues that come with smoking, there is no reason you wouldn’t be able to smoke after receiving your lip augmentation. However, it is important to keep in mind that although smoking won’t affect the outcome of your treatment, smoking is known to dry out the skin and lips, which can lead to premature signs of aging. We generally advise our patients to refrain from smoking after treatment and quit altogether to prolong the results of their lip augmentation.