Fat Transfer To The Lips Bellevue & Kirkland
Procedure Time
3-6 Hours
Recovery Time
2 week
Fat Transfer To The Lips Bellevue & Kirkland
Plump, juicy lips are a goal for many patients visiting Northwest Face & Body. In most cases, patients will opt for dermal filler injections into the lips because this offers a reversible, safe, and natural-looking result. However, for some patients, their lip structure may not be ideal for fillers, or they are tired of refreshing their fillers every few months. These patients may consider fat transfer to the lips to achieve a longer-lasting lip augmentation result. Northwest Face & Body provides the best fat transfer to the lips Bellevue and Kirkland offer.
What Is Fat Transfer To The Lips?
Fat transfer to the lips is a surgical fat grafting procedure that uses liposuction to harvest fat from an area of the body. Common areas to harvest fat include the chin, abdomen, thighs, and waist. The fat is then injected into the top and bottom lips to add volume and create fuller lips. This can help shape the lips and address significant asymmetry.
Patients can often undergo other fat transfer procedures at the same time because only a small amount of fat is necessary for lip enhancement. Usually, Dr. Allegra will need to remove more fat from the area to ensure a good liposuction result. Therefore, patients may choose to also have fat injected under the eyes, into the cheeks, the breasts, or the buttocks.
Benefits & Risks
Lip augmentation via fat grafting comes with benefits and risks, like any surgical or clinical procedure. Dr. Allegra will help patients gauge the benefits and risks and how they affect their particular goals and health.
Some of the possible benefits of fat transfer to the lips include:
- Fuller lips
- Improved pout
- Better symmetry
- Treatment of a thin upper lip
- Improved lip shape based on the patient’s needs
- Disguise thinning due to the aging process
- Aid in a gender transition
- Long-lasting
- Low-risk procedure
- Easy to combine with other fat transfers
- Injects the patient’s own fat and nothing else
- Possible to perform under local anesthesia
- Limited recovery time
- Natural looking and feeling results
- Performed by an experienced cosmetic surgeon
- Prolonged or severe side effects like bruising and swelling
- Infection
- Scarring
- Uneven results
- Bleeding
- Complications associated with anesthesia
- Stiffening of the lip
Types Of Lip Augmentation
There are many ways to augment the lips. Non-surgical options tend to be the most common, but depending on a patient’s goals and medical history, other procedures may better serve the patient. Dr. Allegra will discuss all of the options with each patient to help them determine the right one for their goals and needs.
Non-Surgical
- Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that is suspended in a gel and injected into the lips. This is perhaps the most common way to augment the lips. Restylane and Juvederm are the two primary brands of hyaluronic acid fillers.
- Lip Flip: For a more subtle effect or to address only the top lip, a lip flip using Botox can help relax the muscles to reveal more of the lip. This can result in a plumped look without filler. This tends to last only two or three months and is not commonly performed on the bottom lip.
Surgical
- Fat Transfer: Fat from elsewhere in the patient’s body is harvested, purified, and injected into the lips for natural and longer-lasting lip augmentation.
- Lip Implant: A silicone lip implant can also be used to increase the fullness and improve the shape of the lips. This is common for transgender women during facial feminization because it arguably has the longest-lasting results.
- Lip Lift: Similar to a lip flip, a lip lift results in a more subtle lip plump. During this procedure, Dr. Allegra shortens the length between the bottom of the nose and the top lip. This can result in a fuller-looking top lip and a more feminine lip shape. This option is also commonly performed during facial feminization surgery.
Before & After Fat Transfer To The Lips
Consultation
During a consultation with Dr. Ludwig Allegra at Northwest Face & Body, he will want to discuss your goals for the procedure, medical history, and experience with lip injections or surgeries. From there, he will conduct a brief examination of the area to determine whether you are a viable candidate for fat transfer to the lips in Bellevue.
If you are, Dr. Allegra will help the patient pick the ideal fat harvesting area and give the patient a good idea of the results they can expect. Patients will also receive a personalized price quote and information on the next steps before the end of their appointment.
Surgery
If a patient is only undergoing fat transfer to the lips, only local anesthesia will likely be utilized. Dr. Allegra will use lidocaine injections to numb the area where he will harvest fat as well as the lips. Sometimes, patients may be given an oral sedative or be placed under light IV sedation.
Dr. Allegra will begin the surgery by making a tiny incision in the fat harvest area and inserting a thin liposuction cannula, he will move it back and forth until he has collected enough fat and the treatment area has achieved a good aesthetic result. Dr. Allegra then performs a purification process that removes blood or other bodily substances to ensure that only fat is injected into the lips.
Finally, Dr. Allegra will use a syringe and cannula to precisely and gently inject the fat into the lips. The entire process could take as little as thirty minutes depending on the size of the liposuction area. It usually does not take more than an hour.
Recovery
- Ice the lips occasionally and carefully
- Wear a compression garment in the area treated with liposuction
- Refrain from strenuous physical activity
- Limit activities that require a lot of lip movement, like sucking through a straw
- Attend post-operative appointments
- Massage the lips
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Fat Transfer To The Lips Last?
Fat transfer to the lips is said to last for at least five years. However, it can absolutely last significantly longer or even be permanent in some cases. It is not uncommon for patients to refresh their results after several years or as they age. The fat in the lips will act like natural fat, and the lips can still lose fat with age or even with weight loss.
Does Fat Transfer To The Lips Look Natural?
Yes, fat transfer to the lips looks and feels incredibly natural because it uses only real human fat. It can take up to a year for the final results to come in.
Can You Get Lip Fillers After Fat Grafting?
Yes, but patients should be careful if they want to get lip fillers after having fat injected into them. Patients should wait at least one year before undergoing any lip procedure and should ideally work with Dr. Allegra to ensure a safe and effective result. If a patient wants more than a small touch-up, they may consider transferring additional fat. Needing to do so soon after surgery is not common, but it can happen due to natural fat loss during the recovery process.
How Much Fat Is Transferred To The Lips?
The exact cost will vary based on the number of liposuction and transfer areas. Patients will receive a customized price quote at their consultation. They can also use Price Simulator to get a rough estimate for all of their procedures.
Northwest Face & Body does work with outside companies who offer affordable financing options such as Care Credit, Alphaeon Credit, and United Medical Credit. You can learn more on our financing page.
The Best Fat Transfer To The Lips In Bellevue
Northwest Face & Body has served the Bellevue and Kirkland area for over three decades. Performing premier cosmetic surgery, injections, and master esthetics, Northwest Face & Body aims to help patients reach all of their goals with procedures that work well with their lifestyles. Located along Lake Washington, Northwest Face & Body’s office is luxurious and relaxing. Dr. Ludwig Allegra offers the best fat transfer to the lips Bellevue and Kirkland provide.
To learn more and schedule a consultation, call us at 425-576-1700. Patients can also reach out online via chat, contact form, and Price Simulator. Consultations can also be scheduled online through our booking page.
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