Lip augmentation is a popular and very satisfying procedure. Full lips are one of the most significant signs of youth. In my San Francisco Bay Area, Walnut Creek office, I perform hundreds lip enhancements. The most common method for lip augmentation is with a dermal filler like Restylane®, Juvederm® or Perlane®. While fillers of the most widely used method for lip augmentation, there are several other options available.
When I first started writing this week’s article on Lip Enhancement Walnut Creek, my goal was to quickly cover today’s options for lip augmentation. I realized, however, this is going to take more than one post. Over the next two weeks I will briefly review the latest trends in enhancing lips. Be it the ubiquitous injectable fillers you see advertised daily on TV, or lip enhancing surgical procedures known to a smaller group who desired a longer lasting result, and who can afford a little more downtime.
There is more to lip augmentation than meets the eye. In the coming weeks, links to the latest and the most popular ways to enlarge and rejuvenate your lips will be activated at the end of this article. I will try to illustrate each method with lip enhancement before and after pictures. The goal is to provide general information, but to determine the methods best for your lips, you will want to make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon, and explore your options.
It Seems So Simple
Plastic surgery often looks simple, but it takes careful planning and the meticulous attention to detail to makes it look simple. Lip enhancement is more than just lip enlargement. While making the lips larger is often the goal, it must be done carefully to keep the lips balanced. It is important to match the volume of the lips to the size of the face, and more importantly, to maintain proper proportions between the upper and lower lips. Hint: the lower lip is meant to be bigger.
So What is Important for Beautiful Lip Enhancement?
The goals:
Volume, volume, volume … the correct volume is very important
The shape of the lips … maintaining or creating the curves
The projection of the lips … the proper pout (not the trout pout)
The height of the lips … must match the facial proportions
The amount of vermilion (red stuff) seen on the lips … fillers may not be enough
The softness of the lips … one of the big benefits of HA’s over Collagen
The motion of the lips … one of the limiting factors for lip implants
Correcting the wrinkles around the lips … last but definitely not least
Most lip enhancement treatments can help with more than one of these goals, but no treatment is perfect. It is important to discuss all the available options with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who is experienced in all methods of lip enhancement. This way, you can be certain that you are getting the best possible treatment for your individual lips.
Alternative Lip Augmentations
Several alternative methods are available for enhancing your lips. To learn more click on the links below:
Lip Enhancement 101 – Lip Augmentation San Francisco (Lip Enhancement): Introduction (You are here.)
Radiant Life – RLM Success Files features breast augmentation by Dr. Joseph A. Mele.
As seen in Radiant Life Magazine. (Click to enlarge.)
Radiant Life® Magazine is The Aesthetic Wellness Magazine, and is dedicated to innovations in cosmetic plastic surgery. The current issue of Radiant Life® features an article by Lindsay Haakenson on the latest innovations in Breast Augmentation entitled Breast Surgery 2.0.
Radiant Life Magazine approached me with a short deadline and the need for an example of modern breast augmentation. My staff contacted a few of our many satisfied patients. Jennifer was the first to respond, and she immediately agreed to both an interview with Radiant Life Magazine and the use of her pictures, and for that she gets my sincere thanks. This is a true testimonial* to how worthwhile breast augmentation surgery has been for her. Thanks goes out to my other happy patients who also graciously responded, and to Lindsay Haakenson for including me.
Jennifer first came into the office for a consultation after noticing her breast volume had decreased after pregnancy. She was interested in restoring what mother nature had both given and then taken away. She expressed a desire to maintain proportions with her body, and wanted a natural look that would be attractive, without being distracting.
The excerpt to the right is from the Breast Surgery 2.0. At the top are her breast augmentation before and after pictures. Before submuscular (subpectoral) breast augmentation, her breasts where asymmetrical, small, had a relatively low set nipple and a constricted base. The distance between the nipple and the inframammary fold was short, and the remaining breast tissue was firm. She had a mild form of what is sometimes referred to as a tubular breast.
The simplest way to correct a tubular breast is with a subglandular breast augmentation. Often a periareolar mastopexy is performed to lift and reshape a protruding nipple/areolar complex at the same time. Okay, that may not sound so simple, and in Jennifer’s case, the easiest way was not necessarily the best way.
Every patient requires careful thought and consideration. In Jennifer’s case, the tubular deformity was mild, and a periareolar breast lift was not needed. The lack of breast tissue higher on the chest meant that the upper pole of the implant was more likely to be seen. A saline implant was placed behind the muscle to help soften the upper pole of the implant, and to give a more teardrop shape. A periareolar incision was used, and this, as is usual, healed very well.
For a more pronounced tubular breast deformity, this approach may not work. Unlike the approach using a periareolar lift, it will not correct a bulging areola that is often seen in concert with the narrow constricted breast base. If you are considering breast augmentation, it is important to seek a qualified and experienced, board certified plastic surgeon, so that the safest and most predictable plan can be constructed.
I want to thank Jennifer for volunteering to share her results with you. The best part of my job is helping my patients. I am thrilled that Jennifer is happy with the results of her breast augmentation.
* As per the latest American Society of Plastic Surgeons Code of Ethics this is a true testimonial. I have not reimbursed my patient in any way for her kind words, and I have not paid Radiant Life Magazine to be included in this article. To read the entire Radiant Life Magazine article, click here. You need to be able to view pdf files in order to display the contents properly. To download the latest version of Adobe Reader for free click here.
You have reached the fourth and final part of Post Bariatric Surgery San Francisco. The segments can be viewed in any order, but if you missed the first three releases, links are included at the bottom of the page.
I have had the opportunity to discuss post weight loss plastic surgery live on KRON4‘s Body Beautiful. The 800 number appearing on the video was only for the live show. To contact my Walnut Creek plastic surgery office for additional information, or to schedule a private consultation appointment, please call (925) 943-6353. Alternatively, a contact form on the lower left side of this web page has also been provided for your convenience, or click on this link for an expanded contact form.
Topics covered in this segment of Body Beautiful include:
Arm Lift Surgery, with Brachioplasty before and after pictures.
How do age and health effect plastic surgery?
How do I get rid of my baby pooch? Exercise, Tummy Tuck, both?
How can lumps left after liposuction be corrected?
What is the difference between liposuction and lipodisolve?
Post Bariatric Procedures
More information about Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery can be found on the Post Bariatrics page of DrMele.com. Here are links to video presentations about the more common Post Bariatric Plastic Surgery Procedures, and links to the first 3 parts of the above video can be found at the bottom of the page.
This is part 3 of a 4 part series on cosmetic plastic surgery after bariatric surgery or cosmetic plastic surgery after massive weight loss.
Who Gets Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery?
When we lose weight, there is often enough elasticity in the skin to maintain our shape. With the massive weight loss seen after Bariatric Surgery, and often after pregnancy, the skin is stretched beyond its ability to recoil. Skin can change from form-fitting to redundant, causing bulges in the same places that the fat used to. Skin can change from an unnoticed covering, to an organ that moves with its own momentum, making exercise uncomfortable. When this happens, a board certified plastic surgeon can help.
Cosmetic or Reconstructive? The Answer is Yes.
A lot of time is spent trying to pigeon hole plastic surgery into cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. The truth is all plastic surgery is a mixture of cosmetic and reconstructive elements. The classification is less absolute and more yin and yang. Everything I do is a mixture of both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, and for post bariatric plastic surgery it is easy to understand.
Post bariatric plastic surgery removes excess skin and tightens the skin that remains. Yes is it cosmetic. Excess skin is not life threatening, and the cosmetic appearance is improved when skin no longer overflows the waist band. However, excess skin can also be painful. It can develop rashes in the folds which can lead to sores and life threatening infections. Correcting or preventing these types of problems is reconstructive.
The following segment focuses on the interplay between weight, exercise and plastic surgery. The 800 number appearing on the video was only for the live show. To contact my office for additional information, please use the form on the lower left side of this web page, or give us a call at (925) 943-6353.
Questions answered in this segment of Body Beautiful include:
Who has more surgery? Men or Women?
How does age, weight and weight loss effect plastic surgery?
Does plastic surgery replace exercise?
How much weight should I loose before plastic surgery?
Once the weight is lost, how long should I wait before plastic surgery?
Post-Bariatric Surgery (Plastic Surgery after Massive Weight Loss) Links:
Sometimes weight loss is not enough. I see many patients who have lost hundreds of pounds, who still are not happy with their shape. If you were overweight, and lost 100 pounds, you should be very proud of yourself. It is not easily done. Whether accomplished with diet and exercise or bariatric surgery, it takes a lot of effort to change one’s lifestyle dramatically. Most patients are very happy with the weight loss. Often, however, more improvement is desired.
Where did all this skin come from?
After weight loss, the problem is no longer excess fat, but excess skin. Rolls of skin that bind at the waist. Redundant skin that drapes on the inner thighs. Flaps of skin that keep moving after the arm has stopped waving. Loose skin that can no longer support the breast and keep it on the chest.
The skin is an amazing organ. It is our greatest barrier to the outside world. It keeps us warm. It cools us down. It protects us from the elements and infection. When we gain weight, it grows, and continues to protect us. When we lose weight, it can shrink too, but there are limits. With weight gain, the skin can be stretched too far, and it cannot shrink back to its original size.
Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery
Post-Bariatric Plastic Surgery can help. As a member of The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, I am able to assist my patients in their transition to a happier, healthier lifestyle. By removing excess skin, an tailoring what remains, I can help complete the transformation in ways that weight loss alone cannot.
Below is part two of a discussion about post weight loss plastic surgery that originally aired on KRON4‘s Body Beautiful.
This segment shows before and after pictures for liposuction, mini-tummy-tuck and tummy tuck. While most tummy tuck have only a horizontal scar that runs below the bikini line, I have included a fleur-de-leis tummy tuck. This type of tummy tuck is most often used after massive weight loss. A fleur-de-leis tummy tuck has a vertical incision in the midline in addition to the lower incision, which is used to further reduce the excess skin left after massive weight loss.
Please note, the 800 number appearing on the video is only for the live show. For more information, or to schedule a consultation appointment, please call me at (925) 943-6353, or contact me via the form on the lower left side of this web page.
Massive weight loss can lead to massive skin excess. Whether from diet and exercise, or after weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery), excess skin can mask your hard work, and still make it difficult to find clothes that fit. Post bariatric surgery can help remove and tighten excess skin and reveal your true shape after weight loss.
What is Post-Bariatric Surgery?
Post bariatric plastic surgery is a collection of modified cosmetic plastic surgery procedures designed to remove and tailor the excess skin that weight loss leaves behind. While removing extra skin also means removing extra weight, the real strength of these procedures tightening the skin to reveal your new shape.
In my San Francisco post-bariatric plastic surgery practice, I use modified cosmetic plastic surgery procedures and specialized procedures to achieve optimal results. All post-bariatric plastic surgery requires careful, in-office, consultations and planning. Safety and predictability are paramount.
Video presentations for most post-bariatric procedures can be viewed by clicking on the list below. The back and buttock lifts have many variations, and are best discussed on an individual basis. More video presentations on cosmetic plastic surgery after massive weight loss, can be viewed on the post-bariatric page of DrMele.com.
I have had the opportunity to discuss post weight loss surgery on KRON4‘s Body Beautiful. Since the show is broadcast live, it allows you to call in with your questions during the show, and get them answered. Below is part 1 of 4 videos. You can find more videos on post-bariatric surgery (plastic surgery after massive weight loss) posted on the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, or they may be viewed on my YouTube channel.
The 800 number appearing on the video was only for the live show. To contact my office for additional information, or to schedule a private consultation appointment, please call (925) 943-6353, or use the contact form on the lower left side of this web page.
After bariatric surgery, it is best to wait a year to allow your weight loss to stabilize. The body has time to adjust to its new physiological state, and the skin can tighten to the best of its ability. Post bariatric plastic surgery can then be tailored to the areas where the excess skin remains.
This video describes:
The differences between post-bariatric and other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures.
Why it is important to wait a year after bariatric surgery before having cosmetic plastic surgery.
Where stretch marks can be removed on the body.
How many pounds can be removed with liposuction.
Post-Bariatric Surgery (Plastic Surgery after Massive Weight Loss) Links:
Lip augmentation is a popular and very satisfying procedure. Full lips are one of the most significant signs of youth. In my San Francisco Bay Area, Walnut Creek office, I perform hundreds lip enhancements. The most common method for lip augmentation is with a dermal filler like Restylane®, Juvederm® or Perlane®. While fillers of the most widely used method for lip augmentation, there are several other options available.
