Lip Reduction

Atlanta, Georgia

Full, pouty lips have been regarded as highly desirable for a long time, and Lip Augmentation is a popular facial plastic surgery. However, some people feel that their lips are too full and would rather have them reduced a little. In some cases it is just the upper or lower lip that seems too large.

The lips are important in facial attractiveness and in expressing emotions. They have a relationship to the chin and nose and can be in or out of balance with those two facial parts. There are ideal measurements in millimeters for males and females, where the chin is a certain distance in back of the lower lip, which is a certain distance in back of the upper lip. There are also ideals for how much “vermilion” there is – the red part of the lips – and for how wide the lips are horizontally.

However, regardless of those ideals, if you feel that your lips would look better in a somewhat reduced size, Dr. Kim will be happy to talk with you about it.

The Lip Reduction Procedure

This is a short procedure lasting about 15 to 30 minutes. It can be done with local anesthetic and a sedative for relaxation or with general anesthesia. If you are having both lips modified, they can be done in the same procedure.

The incision is made inside the mouth between the gums and lip which means there will be no visible scar. A horizontal strip of unwanted tissue is removed and the incision closed. This pulls the remaining lip tissue inward so that it looks less full.

You will need to have a ride home even if you had just a sedative, as it will not have worn off entirely in 30 minutes. As it does wear off your mouth may feel rather tender and tight.

Lip Reduction Recovery

Before you go home, Dr. Kim will talk with you and make sure you are feeling ready to leave. He will advise you on how to care for yourself during the recovery period and will give you a printed sheet with that information. It is very important to follow it exactly.

For one or two weeks it will be advisable to sleep with your head elevated. The swelling should go down during the first week, as well as any bruising. Because there is an incision in your mouth, it will be important to avoid acidic fluids like orange juice or salad dressings with vinegar. You will want to eat only soft foods. You may have an antiseptic mouthwash to use a few times each day, as it is important to avoid infection.

If the sutures are non-dissolvable, they will be removed seven to ten days after your surgery. You will have a series of follow-up visits so Dr. Kim can monitor your recovery. Avoid all vigorous activity until Dr. Kim gives you permission for it.

Lip reduction surgery can enhance your facial proportions beautifully and our patients have been very pleased with their results. Please see the Testimonials page for the comments made by some of our patients about their plastic surgery procedures.

If you would like to know more about lip reduction, please contact our office today for a personal consultation with Dr. Kim. We provide facial plastic surgery to the residents of Atlanta, Georgia, and we look forward to meeting with you soon.

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