Lip Implants are Still an Option

Lip implants have come in and out of popularity about every 10 years.  The have been great in some patients and not so good in others.  Over the past 20 years I have seen Gore-Tex, a saline filled implant and the more recent soft silicone implants.  The reason that lip implants were in demand in the past is the fact that the old fillers like Zyplast simply did not last.  With the advent of newer hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane and Belotero, the inject effects can now last up to a year and this has largely replaced the requests for lip implants.

There remains a group of patients that does not want injectable fillers in the lips for various reasons including fear of  needles and having to continually repeat the injections, which don’t last long enough for some patients.  For these patients, silicone lip implants are an option.  I have published numerous articles and textbook chapters on lip implants. The article below reported 80 implants that I placed.

Niamtu, J

Advanta ePTFE Facial Implants in Cosmetic Facial Surgery

J Oral Maxillofac Surg 64:543-549, 2006

The patient pictured below had lip implants placed in the upper and lower lips.

The positive aspects of lip implants are that it is a 10 minute procedure and is easily reversible.  The negative aspects include the fact that you can feel them (which most patients don’t mind) and is some cases they can shift.  The newer implants by SurgiSil are called Perma Lip implants and they are the best I have found to date.  They are very soft and stretchy and tapered to fit the lip.  This is not a procedure for every patient as contemporary fillers are more in demand but for patients that insist on lip implants, the Perma Lip is a viable option.

For more information about lip implants or cosmetic facial surgery by Dr. Joe Niamtu visit  www.lovethatface.com

Joe Niamtu, III DMD

Cosmetic Facial Surgery

Richmond, Virginia