Dr. Sam Lam Plastic Surgery Forum

I had a lip graft on my top lift long ago (14 yrs), done by a ps in Miami. He took fat supposedly from my belly (right near my pubic area) and put it in my lip. When I first got it, it was too large and he had to reduce it. Very painful, I was awake. It is still larger than my bottom lip. Now I have to get Juvaderm put into my bottom lip to match the top lip. Also, it has bothered me since I've had the graft done, feeling tingly and irritated. (One ps said there may have been scar tissue. The ps who did it of course said no one ever complained about his lip grafts feeling irritating.) The lip up close looks wrinkly and is thick. My front teeth are almost all covered by my duck-like lip. The top lip continues to feel irritated. I do not understand why--perhaps it is stretching out the real lip too far? Sometimes when it's cold out it's very bad. Anyway, I'm wondering if this cannot be removed because the fat graft has grown into the lip. Another alternative I can think of is a lip lift. This may be helpful in that at least my teeth would show more again--but my lip may look fatter yet. It is a mess. When I smile big, there's almost a flabby fold between my lip and nose. Very depressing. p.s. I cannot figure out how to submit picture here.

Hi,
Your situation seems quite fixable. I remove fat from lips all the time. You simply need to reduce part of the outside lip along with removing some of the fat inside. A lip lift is absolutely the wrong thing. It will make you upper lip bigger weirder. Here is a photo of a fat grafting lip reduction correction:
http://lamfacialplastics.com/gallery2/v ... 6.jpg.html
best,
sml
ps: find my name in red, click on it, then you can see how to send me a private message with a photo if you like.

I have tried to send two pictures, but can't figure it out. I clicked on your name, thought I sent, but... Anyway, I have two jpgs. Can you please tell me another way to send?

ok, got the photos. yes, your upper lip looks quite fixable. doesn't not need a big reduction but i should be able to make it look a lot better. if you are interested in pricing and scheduling, you can email constanze@lamfacialplastics.com. please allow a little time in response, as i am on vacation and the office is half closed.
best,
dr. sam lam

okay, thank you, Dr. Lam. It doesn't look real bad because I bonded my front teeth to make them a little longer and use Juvaderm on the bottom lip to match the fullness. However if I smile big there is a fold and the top lip is thick. I would like to try to remove almost all of the fat graft. Do you have a link you can send that shows how this procedure occurs? p.s. I am interested in a SLIGHT lip lift also because the space between my nose and lips is long. You don't seem to like lip lifts, though. Perhaps we can discuss at the consult--or I should send another picture? I will wait for your response until after the holidays, have a good one. JA

hi,
1. i don't have a link but a summary is that i do an absolutely painless dental block. you will feel no burning or needles. i have got this done very well. that is after i mark out the intended area of reduction. i should be done in less than an hour and i close with dissolvable sutures. you should be ok to drive or to fly that same day. just book enough time in case i run late.
2. yes, i am opposed to lip lifts in 95% of people. i think they just make red lip show look terrible. of course, i can see you to decide but i will most likely tell you that it will not be good. the word slight does not capture the inability to create predictably small changes. it is the same problem when someone pulls their face back a little and wants a slight tuck. it is hard to translate moving fingers around to move a lip, nose, skin, neck, etc. that is just hard to translate for a surgeon. read this blog:
http://lfp-blog.com/dr-lams-blog/2-fing ... nger-rule/
best wishes,
dr. sam lam

I wrote to constanze@lamfacialplastics.com on Jan 6 for an estimate and have not heard anything. It has been cold here (Miami) and for whatever reason, my top lip really bugs me when it's cold. Anway, I am on a tight budget and need to pay for air to/from your office in Dallas. Unless you ever go to Miami....

Also, it's still not clear how a lip graft (taken from my stomach) is removed. I think it "grew" with the lip, didn't it? It's different from Gor-tex or other things like silicone.

so sorry for the delay. we have been totally swamped. my staff gets a hundred emails a day. they are trying their best. can you call 888-866-3388 to expedite things? since i was not there, i have no idea what your surgeon did. however, if it were removed out and then injected, the fat can grow in the first 1 to 2 years especially if a ton was placed in there. i look forward to take care of you.
best,
sml