The lips represent one of the zones of our face that mainly attract the attention of people. Their movement, like their retired aspect, beyond to being an effective mean of communication, reflects the mood of the subject and corresponds to an important mirror of the character and the spirits of the person. There are determined equilibriums that must be respected in terms of volume, dimension and proportion both for the upper and lower lip or for the mouth “in toto” in comparison to the face.
The modern plastic surgery is able, through different types of corrective operations, to improve the external aspect of the lip. Such operations are studied step by step according to the requirements of the patient.

Operation

The technique consists in the preparation of 2 or 3 small borders of mucosa taken inside the lip and left over towards the outside so as to obtain a greater height of the red part of the lip, which is called vermilion. It can also been necessary to increase the thickness of the lip. In this case it’s convenient to introduce, always from the inner part of the lip, a piece of homologous material of the same patient or of synthesis (goretex).
There are other procedures less complicated in order to increase the volume of the lip such as the introduction of biocompatible material (collagen), but the they don’t guarantee a long-lasting result. Lip operation is executed in local anaesthesia in day-hospital. The operation, as the post-operative phase, is not painful.

Postoperative course

The lip does not require medication, but the use of a ice bag in the first post-operative hours is advised in order to reduce swelling.