Lip & Smile Enhancement

There a multitude of procedures available to improve your smile. Whether you are concerned about your gummy smile, the size of your lips, your teeth, or the wrinkles around your lips, we offer the latest technology and products to customize your lip and smile enhancement.

If you are considering lip and smile enhancement, we want you to be thoroughly informed about the procedure. Below is some helpful information. A personal consultation with Dr. Newen is the best way to obtain the additional information you will need.

Am I a candidate for lip and smile enhancement?

You may be a candidate for lip and smile enhancement if you have one or more of the following conditions:

  • Thin lips and a desire to make them fuller with lip augmentation
  • Wrinkles around the lips
  • A desire to shorten the space between upper lips and nose
  • A gummy smile in which too much teeth and gums show
  • A desire to improve your smile

Your Personal Consultation

During the consultation you will be asked about the results you expect to achieve from lip and smile enhancement. This will help Dr. Newen understand your expectations and determine whether they can be realistically achieved.

How will Dr. Newen evaluate me for lip and smile enhancement?

The size and shape of your lips, your smile, and the quality of the skin will be evaluated. Measurements and photos may be taken for your medical record. You should be prepared to discuss your medical history. This will include about any medical conditions, drug allergies, medical treatments you have received, pregnancies, previous surgeries and medications that you currently take. It is important for to provide complete information.

How is a lip and smile enhancement performed?

The procedure will depend on what it is you wish to achieve. The following are some options for treatment:

Lip Augmentation

  • Fat – Your own fat is harvested for injection into the lips. The results last longer than most dermal fillers, usually between 2-5 years. More than one treatment may be required.
  • Juvederm, Restylane, or Belotero – These are dermal fillers that may be used to volumize the lips. It is made from a compound that naturally occurs in the body, known as hyaluronic acid, which fills in the space between collagen and elastin fibers of the skin.

Lip Surgery

These procedures can create permanent improvements in the appearance of your lips. They are usually brief with quick recovery although some swelling may persist for several weeks. As with all surgery, some scars may be visible depending on the technique and placement of incisions.

  • Lip lifts use a small incision at the lip line, raising the lip to show more red. This can create a fuller red upper lip.
  • Lip shortening employs small incisions placed at the base of the nose under the nostrils. This shortens the distance between the nose and the upper lip and may also allow the lip to “roll out”, creating a more pouty look.
  • Lip thickening can be created with small incisions placed inside of the lip to roll out the lip. This thickens the lip and also creates more pouting. Healing may take a number of weeks and sometimes the sensation of the lips are altered, although the changes are temporary for most patients.
  • Lip lengthening lowers the upper lip so that patients with a gummy smile won’t show as much teeth and gums. This is through small incisions inside the mouth and advancing the upper lip down.

Lip Wrinkles

Lip wrinkles may occur around the upper lip and can be caused by smoking, drinking out of a straw frequently, sun damage, and natural aging. Lip wrinkles do not respond to facelifts and need one or more of the treatments listed below to achieve an improvement.

  • Botox can be injected in the lip line to soften tight lines and enhance laser peels. Botox may require several sessions to obtain the desired effect.
  • Dermabrasion is a standard technique used for many years to actually “sand” away lines and scars. As with chemical peels, changes in skin pigment may occur. The results around the mouth have generally been extremely effective.
  • Chemical peels peel off the outer layers of skin. Many patients have been satisfied with the improved smoothness of their skin after undergoing a series of chemical peels combined with microneedling.
  • Laser peels not only peel off the outer layers of the skin, they also stimulate collagen production and skin tightening. Patients of Asian, Hispanic, or African ancestry may not be candidates for laser peel because they are at risk of developing skin pigment changes with laser peels.
  • NewenSkin MRP is a new innovative procedure, which involves using a microneedling device to create microchannels in the skin. This essentially allows for deeper penetration of stem cells or treatment serums. It also creates a huge collagen surge, much like the laser peel creates.

Cosmetic Dentistry

A lip and smile makeover is not complete without cosmetic dentistry! Whether you wish to whiten your teeth, straighten your teeth, or have veneers placed, Dr. Katherine Ahn from Impression Dental Care at The Image Center is available to provide a consultation during your consult appointment with Dr. Newen.

Understanding risks

Anyone considering surgery should be aware of both the benefits and risks. The subject of risks and potential complications of surgery is best discussed on a personal basis during your consultation with Dr. Newen. After surgery, there may be a temporary feeling of pain, swelling, and bruising. The types of symptoms experienced and the duration of the symptoms vary in patients.

Your surgical experience

Our goal is to make your surgical experience as easy and comfortable for you as possible. If you’re a smoker, you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery. Aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs can cause increased bleeding, so you should avoid taking these medications for a period of time before surgery. You will be provided with complete preoperative and postoperative instructions.

Lip and smile enhancement surgery is performed at Huntington Surgery Center, our outpatient surgery facility located within The Image Center. Please be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after your procedure and stay with you for at least 24 hours.

For more information

For more information on lip and smile enhancement or to schedule a consultation, please call our office at (714) 230-2430.

The services provided have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any therapy program, aesthetic treatments, plastic surgery, and other services that the Image Center provides.   Any designations or references to therapies are for marketing purposes only.