‘Lip’ it with attitude!

A person’s facial appearance and the way others perceive them is greatly influenced by the structure of their lips. Once you’ve reached facial maturity, the shape and size of your lips are set. As with any other facial feature, irrespective of their age, many people tend to be self-conscious and believe it is a hindrance on their path to professional success.

While many aim to correct thin lips through lip augmentation procedures and lip fillers, there are also those who want to make their excessively large lips smaller. The procedure that facilitates this facial alteration is called lip reduction surgery or “Bikini Lip Reduction.”

Lip reduction surgery is a procedure to remove excess lip tissue for a more thinner lip appearance. It is gradually gaining momentum with people across the globe. This consists of an excision of a “bikini top” from the upper lip and a “bikini bottom” from the lower lip.

Research suggests that this procedure not only makes the lips smaller but also aesthetically more pleasing. Such a procedure aims to fulfill the three basic requirements of a good lip reduction treatment decreasing the overall size, restoring the curves of the lips, and to maintain volume between the upper and lower lips.

Things to  keep in mind before procedure:
It is important to be in good shape, a non-smoker, and to openly communicate any known allergies with the doctor. You may also be advised to take a blood test, urine test and any other standard tests the doctor deems necessary.
The reduction procedure is done under local anesthesia and lasts for half an hour to 45 minutes. You may experience some swelling, bruising and pain for the first three to four days. The initial healing period takes about a week, and you will be advised to follow a liquid diet for the same amount of time.

Although the lip reduction surgery is fairly simple, an asymmetrical appearance, cyst formation, and numbness are some of the possible side-effects. The results of paring the bikini lip reduction surgery with any other treatment and their benefits are still unknown. Based on your requirements, your doctor will decide the number of required sessions.

While these cases are common in Western countries, recently a “bikini” lip reduction surgery has been performed in India. Bikini lip reduction surgery is now slowly gaining momentum in India and will continue to grow.

COST: The procedure cost is about Rs 50,000.

— The writer is a Cosmetic Surgeon.

Disclaimer: Always check with a specialist before going ahead with this procedure.