It’s Not Just Lip Service
In the quest for perfectly plump and pouty lips, it’s safe to say many women have bitten off more than they can chew. From celebrity photos in tabloid magazines to the real people aspiring to these looks, maintaining a lip that is full yet manages to balance harmoniously with the rest of the face, is no easy feat. However, there is a new option on the horizon: Approved in early October 2007 by the FDA, Perma Facial Implant is a new permanent lip implant, tested in the UK (by the name PermaLip), and poised to take center stage, offering cosmetic surgeons the most natural lip augmentation option yet.
As a cosmetic surgeon, I currently have two options to offer my lip augmentation candidates: temporary or permanent enhancements – both of which have their pros and cons. Temporary techniques, the more popular of the enhancement choices, are typically administered with injectables such as Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, etc. The drawback here is that these fillers are just that – temporary. Plus, using more of the filler doesn’t ensure it lasts longer; it simply makes for an unnatural finish.
To date, patients looking for a more permanent “fix,” only had the option of lip implants created from materials such as Gore-Tex (yes, the same Gore-Tex used in your favorite rain jacket). The practical upside to any implant is that, unlike an injectable, it can be removed. The biggest concern with these implants, however, is that over time they can become hard and feel unnatural. More recently, actual saline-filled implants with a silicone shell have been approved for use and are becoming increasingly popular. While these implants appear to better maintain their natural structure, the actual aesthetics can be limiting; although the volume can be adjusted intraoperatively, the length cannot, compromising customization and therefore a truly authentic result.
Enter Perma Facial Implant…
If saline filled lip implants are the ready-to-wear of lip implants, than Perma Facial Implant is the couture. It is the only implant designed exclusively for lip enhancement. Thus, it comes in a shape resembling the dimensions of the lip, and actually tapers at both ends to mirror the lips’ natural shape. The implant itself is made of soft, solid silicone and therefore cannot rupture or leak, won’t grow into the surrounding tissue or degrade over time. The implant procedure takes less than half-an-hour, and since pain is minimal, most patients have little to no swelling after one week. Most importantly, since no two lips are exactly alike, Perma Facial Implant is available in a variety of diameters and lengths to accommodate the uniqueness of person’s characteristics, and can be manipulated as needed.
The first trials of Perma Facial Implant have taken place in the UK to nearly universally positive results. The FDA recently announced Perma Facial Implant’s approval for use in the US where it is being used exclusively in Manhattan at CAMEO Surgery Center.
As a cosmetic surgeon, I currently have two options to offer my lip augmentation candidates: temporary or permanent enhancements – both of which have their pros and cons. Temporary techniques, the more popular of the enhancement choices, are typically administered with injectables such as Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, etc. The drawback here is that these fillers are just that – temporary. Plus, using more of the filler doesn’t ensure it lasts longer; it simply makes for an unnatural finish.
To date, patients looking for a more permanent “fix,” only had the option of lip implants created from materials such as Gore-Tex (yes, the same Gore-Tex used in your favorite rain jacket). The practical upside to any implant is that, unlike an injectable, it can be removed. The biggest concern with these implants, however, is that over time they can become hard and feel unnatural. More recently, actual saline-filled implants with a silicone shell have been approved for use and are becoming increasingly popular. While these implants appear to better maintain their natural structure, the actual aesthetics can be limiting; although the volume can be adjusted intraoperatively, the length cannot, compromising customization and therefore a truly authentic result.
Enter Perma Facial Implant…
If saline filled lip implants are the ready-to-wear of lip implants, than Perma Facial Implant is the couture. It is the only implant designed exclusively for lip enhancement. Thus, it comes in a shape resembling the dimensions of the lip, and actually tapers at both ends to mirror the lips’ natural shape. The implant itself is made of soft, solid silicone and therefore cannot rupture or leak, won’t grow into the surrounding tissue or degrade over time. The implant procedure takes less than half-an-hour, and since pain is minimal, most patients have little to no swelling after one week. Most importantly, since no two lips are exactly alike, Perma Facial Implant is available in a variety of diameters and lengths to accommodate the uniqueness of person’s characteristics, and can be manipulated as needed.
The first trials of Perma Facial Implant have taken place in the UK to nearly universally positive results. The FDA recently announced Perma Facial Implant’s approval for use in the US where it is being used exclusively in Manhattan at CAMEO Surgery Center.
posted by Dr. Scott M Blyer at
7:45 AM
8 Comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.
I have received the following question via email:
Hello Dr. Blyer,
I am currently on my 4th month of Accutane (80mg), can I still undergo the lip implants surgery (permafacial implants)? If not, when would it be ok to?
Thank you,
M
My response:
Hi M,
You ask a very good question. The medical literature suggests waiting for 6 months AFTER completing a course of treatment of Accutane. Accutane puts patients at risk for developing hypertrophic scars and keloid formation. I would not consider the procedure before this time period. Additionally you should avoid dermabrasion, laser skin treatments, and even waxing until 6 months after.
Are these implants available for changing the shape of other parts of the face, e.g. the cheek or areas in the lower face that tend to show age?
There are so many implants available for many parts parts of the face. These particular implants are shaped like a lip, so there are limited places to put them aside from the lip. We do place many cheek, chin, and pre-jowl implants every month. I actually recently published a chapter in a cosmetic surgery textbook regarding facial implants.
Short story-long: Yes, there are implants available for many areas of the face, but the Permafacial implant is best suited for the lip.
Thanks for your question, and sorry for the delay in response (the email was lost in the shuffle)
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