A lip reduction is done when for the following conditions

• Upper and/or lower large lips
• Lips that show excessive pink tissue, turned outward or drooping excessively
• Lips that is enlarged and uneven due to previous cosmetic enlargement procedures
• Enlarged, uneven or unusual looking lips
• Unusual smile or unusual movements of the lips while talking or eating

• Candidates with lips that are too large causing interference in speaking
• Candidate without oral herpes, diabetes or lupus, any scarring or connective tissues disorders such as blood clotting problems.
• Candidates without any cardiac condition or serious incidence of hypertension
• Candidates not taking anticoagulants such as warfarin or heparin
• Candidates who wish to improve their external appearance
• Candidates who are physically healthy, psychologically healthy and have realistic expectations from the procedure
• Candidates who seek improvement rather than perfection

• Allergic reaction to the anaesthetic
• Infection
• Asymmetry
• Haematoma
• Seroma
• General dissatisfaction
• Permanent numbness
• Excess scar tissue and lumps

• During the initial consultation, a thorough discussion on the expectations of the patient is understood
• Photographs are taken for further comparison after procedure.
• The doctor discusses and advises on options of anaesthesia, surgery options, incisions (if any), type of facilities and cost with the patient.
• The doctor provides guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications
• The patient must arrange for transportation and assistance to leave for home after the surgery
• The doctor will perform a physical examination to evaluate the general health, skin and facial structure
• Patients should stop smoking and discontinue all medications containing aspirin or NSAIDs for two weeks prior to surgery
• The patient should not eat or drink anything for eight hours prior to the procedure.
• Patients scheduled for an intraoral approach should rinse the mouth with mouthwash three times a day for two days before surgery.

The surgery takes 1-2 hours

The surgery is done as an outpatient procedure and the patient may return home after an hour.

• The patient may experience numbness, swelling, and difficulty chewing or speaking.  Any discomfort can be alleviated by pain medications prescribed.
• Swelling is moderate and peaks at two to three days then disappears rapidly over the next week.
• The patient may notice a change in the smile, odd sensations of hollowness, tingling, sporadic sharp pain, or pulling, burning, and cold sensations, which usually subside within the first few weeks

• The patient must sleep with the head elevated for 7-14 days
• The patient can shower and use make up on the day after surgery
• The patient can resume all activities within the first week.
• The patient can return to work immediately or after a day
• The patient must not bend over or lift heavy objects.
• The patient must not do any activity that increases the blood pressure.
• The patient must not participate in contact sports for at least 6-8 weeks
• The patient must make sure that the fresh fruits and vegetables have been washed and not eat raw fish (sushi), very rare meat or other types of foods that may contain high amounts of bacteria
• The patient must not pick or tongue the incisions or sutures
• The sutures will be removed after 7-10 days