Lip Reduction Surgery

Candidates for Lip Reduction Surgery

Lip Reduction Surgery can be a suitable procedure for individuals desiring to reduce the size of their lips and/or enhance the balance of facial proportions. Ideal candidates for this surgery are nonsmokers who are in general good health and have realistic expectations.

The Lip Reduction Procedure

Dr. Cangello uses the “Bikini” Lip Reduction method because it maintains the natural architecture of the lips ². This surgery is an in-office procedure that requires minimal downtime, offers permanent results, and does not require general anesthesia. At the beginning of your surgery, Dr. Cangello will apply a topical local anesthetic directly to the treatment area to ease the discomfort of a subsequent injection of local anesthesia. Once the surgical site is sufficiently numb, Dr. Cangello will begin the Lip Reduction Surgery using the “bikini” reduction, a modified method for lip reduction consisting of excising a piece of skin resembling the shape of a bikini top from the upper lip and a piece of skin resembling the shape of a bikini bottom from the lower lip. Dr. Cangello is a proponent of this technique because it not only reduces the size of the lips, but places emphasis on labial contouring and balancing volume. To begin, Dr. Cangello will ask you to gently close the lips and will use a surgical marker to place a dot at the dry/wet junction in the midline between both upper and lower lips (Fig. 1, points a and a). Then, Dr. Cangello will request that you open your mouth slightly, and will manually rotate your lips inward, attempting to make them appear smaller, before requesting that you close the lips. This process is repeated until the size vermilion (the red part of the lips) that shows when the lips are closed is adequately reduced, while ensuring the lower lip has approximately 40 to 50 percent more volume than the upper one. Dr. Cangello will then make another dot in the midline on the newly created dry/wet interface (Fig. 1, points b and b), for a total of four central dots and forming the basis of the bikini design (Fig. 1, a, a, b, and b). Following the dot placement, Dr. Cangello will create the top of the bikini design by marking a central strip with two parallel lines between a and b with a distance of roughly 1 cm, to form two bilateral oval cups. The anteroposterior dimension of the cups (c to d) should be roughly double that of the a to b cups and should taper a few millimeters before the commissures at the edges of the bikini outline. Dr. Cangello will draw the bikini bottom as a triangle (Fig. 1, e to b to f), again tapering a few millimeters from the commissures. Then using the bikini markings as a guide, he’ll use a surgical scalpel to excise the bikini top from the upper lip, removing a triangular wedge of tissue. Following the upper lip, he’ll excise the bikini bottom in the same way. Finally, he’ll close the incisions with two layers of sutures, a deep layer followed by a superficial layer.

Preparing for Lip Reduction Surgery

Dr. Cangello will explain your treatment options during your initial consultation so you can make the most informed decision possible about Lip Reduction Surgery. If you decide that Lip Reduction Surgery is right for you and you are a candidate for this procedure, Dr. Cangello will provide you with detailed pre-procedure guidelines to follow to prepare for your surgery. As we any surgical procedure, when preparing for Lip Reduction Surgery, patients should:

• Stop smoking for at least two months prior to surgery
• Avoid alcohol for at least one week prior to surgery
• Discontinue using blood-thinning or anti-inflammatory medications
• Fill any prescriptions provided by Dr. Cangello
• Men should arrive for surgery with a clean shaven face

Recovery after Lip Reduction Surgery

Some patients report temporary swelling and mild discomfort immediately following Lip Reduction Surgery, but these side effects typically diminish within several days and can be managed with Tylenol. We advise that patients spend the day after surgery resting and remaining quiet, and waiting for at least 24 hours post-surgery before resuming normal activities. Additionally, patients should refrain from exercise for 7 to 14 days as the lip area heals, ingest soft foods that do not require a lot of chewing, and avoid hot liquids as well as salty foods for at least 48 hours after surgery. If at all possible, patients should avoid sleeping on the side or the stomach, and rest on the back with the head elevated to minimize unnecessary contact with the lips as they are healing. Patients should also avoid strenuous activities, and refrain from lifting heavy items, as well as bending over or straining for at least one week following Lip Reduction surgery. Moisturize the lips with Vaseline or Carmex and similar lip balms for up to three weeks or more after surgery. Dr. Cangello will also provide an Antibacterial ointment to be applied daily to the suture line to promote healing. Most patients heal quickly and require minimal downtime, if any, following Lip Reduction Surgery.