Lip Enhancement

This will be assessed at your consultation. During this time we will discuss your goals for surgery. Your lips will be examined and evaluated in relation to the rest of your face. After discussion, a treatment option will be based on your goals and concerns as well as your anatomy and lifestyle.

You will also be asked about your medical history, drug allergies, and check for conditions that could cause problems, such as active or dormant skin infections (i.e. herpes simplex) or non-healed sores from injuries. Lip injections are generally off limits for pregnant women, patients who suffer from autoimmune diseases and those who are allergic to local anaesthetics.

There are effectively three kinds of lip enhancement procedures:
1. Injections (Restylane, Hydrafill, Fat)
2. Surgical insertion of implant (Alloderm, Permalip, or own tissue such as dermis)
3. Surgical advancement of own tissue

It is Mr. Karidis’s opinion that if you are contemplating lip enhancement for the very first time, it would be best to use temporary products and techniques for your lip enhancement in order to be able to get an initial impression of what lip augmentation entails, but at the same time feel reassured that the lip will return to its previous state in the event that you do not like your new look.

The main ingredient of the injections used in Mr. Karidis practice include a form of hyaluronic acid. These treatments are probably the simplest and most commonly performed. All commercially prepared solutions used for injections (i.e., restylane Lipp, perlane, hydrafill) however are usually temporary in nature. There are some variations between them in terms of longevity, as well as the likelihood of allergies.

Restylane is an injectable gel composed of non-animal stabilised Hyaluronic acid (NASHA). It consists of complex sugar chains, which have been stabilised for longer lasting effect in the skin. It is biodegradable and is non permanent. The manufacturing process of Restylane is similar to the production of insulin or antibiotics. When combined with the body's own Hyaluronic acid, it creates volume for the treatment of lips, as well as other lines or wrinkles. It basically acts by restoring your skin’s volume, creating softness and revitalizing your appearance. It contains no animal ingredients and therefore no skin test is needed.

This is when fat is suctioned harvested from one part of your body, and then subsequently injected into another part of your body i.e. Face. This is associated with varying degrees of permanence however it is generally accepted to be somewhat unpredictable and therefore as a result would probably best be classified overall as having a temporary effect.

The fat is usually harvested from somewhere on the body, usually the hip or abdomen, by micro liposuction using a syringe. First the area that the fat will be taken from (donor area) is anaesthetised and then, using a specialised instrument called cannulae, fat is gently hand suction out then washed and filtered. The small amount of fat extracted does not noticeably change the donor area. The filtered fat is then injected under the skin of i.e. the lips or cheeks, to build up a fuller lip or cheekbone area. Although theoretically live fat cells should be able to "take" well in the injected area, there are several factors that influence this. An important factor is movement. The less movement the treated area gets, the more fat cells survive. Therefore in highly mobile areas like the mouth and surrounding tissues, "take" after one injection is probably only about 30%. Multiple injections are therefore necessary. Injection intervals for the fat transfers are recommended at about 8 weeks. Since one's own fat is used, there is no risk of an allergic reaction to the fat. After the injection there is some temporary swelling, soreness, and bruising. Patients can usually resume normal activity the day of surgery, although strenuous activity should be delayed for a week.

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 6 million treatments worldwide, continuous research and safety as top priority, Restylane has today been proven to be safe, effective and long lasting.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

This depends on how much restylane product you will require. Of course once you have been examined and assessed during your pretreatment consultation, we will be able to discuss the cost of the treatment with you.

One of the great advantages of Restylane is that the effects are long lasting but not permanent. Longevity varies from individual to individual however as rough guidelines the following apply:

Facial lines and facial shaping: follow-up treatment or top up is usually needed after 6-9 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.

Some people may experience the treatment as a mild discomfort. A local anesthetic cream is often used. Another form of anesthesia, a dental bloc, can be used to numb the area when enhancing lips.

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.

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. If you wish you may apply light makeup over any treated area to disguise any ensuing bruising.

Like any medical treatment there is always the potential for risks and side effects. However more than 6 million treatments have been carried out since the launch of Restylane in 1996 and during this time Restylane has shown to have an excellent safety track record. Nonetheless, 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. Scarring is extremely rare. After a lip enhancement, your lips may be swollen for several days.

Most people can benefit from Restylane treatment. Restylane however 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.