Lip Restoration, Augmentation & Enhancement

For centuries, a woman's lips have been viewed as a sign of her sensuality. More recently, celebrities have brought beautiful and luscious lips to the forefront of fashion.

Over time, the sun, the environment, smoking or the aging process take their toll on lip fullness and definition. The aging process often results in thinner lips along with a visible lengthening of the distance from the base of the nose to the upper lip border. Downturned corners of the mouth, which also often develop due to aging, give a person the undesirable frowning appearance. Occasionally, lack of lip symmetry or other defects are congenital in nature, or the result of major dental procedure, such as dentures and bridges. Thanks to modern medical advances in cosmetic enhancements, Nu Vela can renew, restore or plump and enhance your lips with laser treatments or injectable fillers or synthetic implants. All of these fillers are soft, pliable and have a natural feel.

But it takes a physician with an eye for beauty and symmetry to give you results that are natural and beautiful. Dr. Dishakjian, a cosmetic surgeon, has a keen sense of beauty and artistry that will help give you the results you desire. A consultation with your doctor is the best way to find out which treatments are best for you.

Laser Lip Rejuvenation - The "Remington Lip" uses a combination of laser treatments to rejuvenate wrinkled or aged lips. During the healing process, the collagen and elastic tissue beneath the skin tighten and remodel, restoring the "V" to the upper lip, providing a healthier, more youthful shape to your lips. Most of the healing occurs during the first one or two weeks. During this time, the treated areas must be kept moist.

Injectable fillers - There are many types of fillers that can be directly injected into the lips to make them larger, fuller, or to correct defects. The most common injectors include collagen, Juvederm, Resylane, and fat from your own body. The filler is injected in small amounts, through a very fine needle, allowing for precision and minimizing trauma to the lips. Each of these fillers has its own set of benefits and risks, and the materials vary in permanence. On the average, synthetic fillers last between three to nine months, depending on the patient and the filler. Your body will ultimately absorb these materials and ongoing treatments may be necessary. Fat grafting; on the other hand, usually gives longer-lasting results; sometimes the results are noticeable even after many years. Fat grafting for lip augmentation involves taking fat cells from a donor area of the body, such as the abdomen or buttocks, and grafting them to the lips to add volume and make them larger. The main reason for resorting to fat grafting instead of synthetic fillers is that fat poses no risk of allergy, since the cells are being taken from the patient's own body. The treatment generally takes 20-30 minutes. Pain is minimal because lips are gently numbed using lidocaine. Dr. Disahkjian can also eliminate vertical lines and correct drooping corners of the mouth during the procedure. Following lip enhancement procedure with an injectable product, your lips remain swollen for only a few hours. You may return to normal activities the same day.

Botox® - These injections relax the lip muscles that cause lip lines and wrinkles. Whenever a patient has lip wrinkles, Dr. Dishakjian, the cosmetic surgeon at the spa, usually injects both a filler, like Restylane or Juvederm and a small amount of Botox. To achieve best possible results, Dr. Dishakjian would occasionally use botox to relax the chin muscle, which pulls the lips down, and thus give a lip lift to the corners of the mouth. This procedure usually will also contribute to the smoothing of marionette lines and jowls. A less frequent use of Botox is in situations where upper lips become excessively thin during an open smile. To this end, injections are made along the top lip. A down-side of the last procedure is that patients would probably not be able to whistle or drink through a straw until the effect of the procedure dissipates after several months.

Implants - These are biocompatible synthetic materials, such as Goretex implants, which are permanent and well tolerated by the body, or naturally derived implant, such as Alloderm. These come in various sizes and are implanted below the lip skin. Two small cuts are made in the corners of the mouth from the inside, then the implant is placed inside using a special passer. Small stitches may be used to close the implant site and are removed in a few days. When implants are used for lip augmentation, discomfort is minimal. Some swelling may last up to a week. Elevating your head and applying cold compresses during the first 24 hours will help keep swelling to a minimum. Postoperative discomfort can be controlled with medication.

Questions About Cost or a Treatment?

You may reach our Los Angeles medical spa and clinic by clicking the "Contact us" button at the top of the page, or by calling 818-832-4500. Our receptionist will be delighted to assist you with any enquiries regarding cost, additional information, or scheduling a free consultation session with Dr. Dishakjian, a cosmetic surgeon and phlebologist.