Сheiloplasty

Non-invasive (non-surgical) cheiloplasty refers to minimally invasive procedures. It allows to enhance the lips by means of injectable hyaluronic acid fillers (lip contour plasty) or the patient’s own fat (lipofilling of the lips).

Indications for сheiloplasty

Surgical сheiloplasty is performed in order to:

• Reduce / enhance the volume of the lips.
• Correct the lip contour.
• Remove asymmetry.
• Lift the corners of the mouth.
• Correct lip deformities – “cleft lip”, cicatricial deformity, oral synechia.

General contraindications: cancer, cardiovascular and acute infectious diseases, chronic hypertensive disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes mellitus, blood-clotting disorder.

Сheiloplasty techniques

1. “Kesselring” surgery – removal of the skin above the vermilion border of the upper lip or under the vermilion border of the lower lip. The mucous membrane of the lip is slightly everted which leads to augmentation of the vermilion border and the lips volume.
2. “The bullhorn” lip lift – enhancement of the vermilion border and reduction of the skin area of the upper lip due to excision of the skin under the nose wings. As a result of the surgery, the distance between the nose and the upper lip is reduced, the upper lip becomes swollen.
3. “V-Y” plasty – pushing the mucous membrane of the lips forward in order to enhance the vermilion border and reduce the lip horizontally for the achievement of “Cupid’s bow” effect.
4. The corner lip lift technique – removal of the skin fragment above the corners of the mouth and some tissues from the inner side of the mouth with simultaneous lifting of the outer corners of the mouth.

How is the surgery performed in “Certus” clinic?

Pre-surgery examination: 1 hour.
Duration of the surgery: 30-60 minutes (depending on cheiloplasty method). The surgery can take place on an outpatient basis (the patient goes home after the surgery) or in a clinical setting (1 day).
Anaesthesis: general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedating medications.
Incision options: along the contour of the lips or in the oral mucosa. Performing the bullhorn lip lift, the incision is made under the nose. The incisions are sutured with dissolvable stitches.
*Recovery period: approximately 7 days.
*Side effects: temporary swellings, bruises, sensation of pain, sensory decrement.
*Risks: acute inflammatory processes, cicatricial deformity of the lips, visible scars, sensory decrement.
*The result: after the surgical cheiloplasty is permanent. The exception is the corner lip lift surgery, the effect of this procedure lasts for 1-2 years.

*The effect, result, risks, and recovery period depend on the individual peculiarities of the human body.