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Lip Reduction To Address Silicone Injection Deformities

Home » Blog » Lip Reduction To Address Silicone Injection Deformities

Lip Reduction To Address Silicone Injection Deformities

    Guide: 

    In most cultures today and for many previous years, the desired lip aesthetic is full, plump lips. Many people with naturally thin lips seek cosmetic procedures such as lip injections to give their lips some volume, improve gummy smiles, and add harmony to their facial features. Some people, however, either get too carried away or visit inexperienced doctors and end up with unappealing results that they regret.

    Although hyaluronic acid fillers are the most common lip fillers today, there was once a time when silicone lip injections were known to give the best results. People worldwide sought silicone injections because they permanently add volume to thin lips.

    While hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are dissolvable using hyaluronidase, liquid silicone can only be removed through surgery if complications happen because it is permanent and not absorbed by the body like other fillers.

    What Are The Risks Of Silicone Lip Injections?

    People flock to liquid silicone as a lip injection because its results are permanent. Unfortunately, it is that permanence that can lead to complications that are incredibly difficult to treat. While silicone injections can look great initially, they can migrate into clumps and bumps and cause inflammation and swelling. Many patients with silicone injections notice their lips increasing in volume over time.

    Liquid silicone has been used for over 60 years for facial injections, especially for the lips, but many doctors and researchers quickly realized the dangers of silicone injections. Many patients experience delayed reactions, including migration from the injection site and changes in the sensation and movement of facial muscles. If the silicone moves outside the injected area, it can block blood vessels in the brain, lungs, and heart, leading to stroke or death.

    According to Dr. Aaron Rollins in Harper’s Bazaar, deformities after silicone injections are caused by scar tissue forming around the injected area and growing over time.

    The FDA states that it will not approve injectable silicone for aesthetic purposes because it can cause long-term pain, infections, and serious injuries.

    Risks of silicone injections include:

    • Scarring
    • Tissue death
    • Permanent disfigurement
    • Silicone mastitis (infection of breast tissue)
    • Long-term pain
    • Pneumonitis (inflammation of the tissue in the lungs)
    • Granulomas (clusters of white blood cells signaling inflammation)

    Removing Silicone Injections With Lip Reduction

    Removing liquid silicone without lip reduction surgery is nearly impossible because it absorbs into the lip muscle, skin, and glands. Many silicone filler patients opt for lip reduction surgery to reduce volume, make their lips more harmonious with their other facial features, and address medical concerns.

    Having abnormally large lips can affect people daily, from functionality while eating or talking to self-esteem when looking in the mirror. Many of Dr. Kaplan’s lip reduction patients who visit him because of silicone filler concerns share that they feel happier, more confident, and more comfortable after their surgery.

    Lip reduction surgery is the only well-grounded procedure for treating excess lumpy tissues and asymmetries from silicone injections because liquid silicone is unpredictable and can cause inflammation and internal scarring.

    What Happens During Lip Reduction Surgery?

    During lip reduction surgery, a hidden incision is made just behind the lips in the mouth to remove excess scar tissue, silicone, lip skin, and abnormal tissue. It is usually done under local anesthesia, although oral sedation may provide additional comfort. The surgery typically takes about an hour to complete. 

    The incisions are inside the mouth for lip reduction surgery, with no visible scarring. After removing the excess skin and tissue, Dr. Kaplan closes the incision using small sutures made from dissolvable materials.

    Some patients do not want to lose all of the plump appearance of their lips after lip reduction. During your consultation, Dr. Kaplan discusses your volume and shape goals to remove the amount of tissue you desire. Dr. Kaplan may combine a lip reduction with a lip lift to achieve the desired volume and natural-looking shape. 

    Benefits of lip reduction include:

    • Restores natural shape by removing excess lip tissues and silicone nodules
    • Improves proportion between upper and lower lips
    • Improves facial harmony
    • Addresses functionality issues caused by medical concerns
    • Boosts confidence

    In New Jersey, the average cost of a lip reduction with silicone removal is $7,000-$7,500. The amount of silicone in your lips, the placement of it, and the extent of your surgery will affect the cost of your lip reduction.

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    Lip Reduction: 3 months post-op
    Before
    Before
    After
    After

    Ready To Feel Comfortable And Confident With Your Lips?

    If you’ve had silicone lip fillers and want to reverse your results as much as possible because of appearance or functionality, schedule a consultation with New Jersey and New York plastic surgeon Dr. Gordon Kaplan. After thoroughly assessing your lips, Dr. Kaplan will develop a treatment plan for carefully removing the silicone, reducing the excess volume, and creating a lip shape more desirable to you.

    The Kaplan Center

    The Kaplan Center is a medical practice ran by board-certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gordon Kaplan in Edgewater, NJ. With over two decades of experience, The Kaplan Center specialises in plastic and reconstructive surgery for the face and body, along with a number of non-surgical treatments.