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.

CAMEO Surgery relocates to NYC-Let the blog begin

What a wonderful way to launch my blog and my New York City practice with such positive feedback from a former patient. I appreciate those kind words, and I hope all is well with you and your family.

That being said, I am please to announce the formation of my new practice, CAMEO (Cosmetic And Maxillofacial Elective Outpatient) SURGERY. At CAMEO SURGERY we offer state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery and non-surgical treatments for the face and body in a caring, safe and comfortable environment.

On this website you may notice a link to the Cosmetic Channel. I invite you to tour these videos that explore cosmetic surgery and other issues addressing improvements to your health and appearance. Each month these videos are updated and available to you through my website.

My hope in launching a blog is to provide a real-time exchange for people and prospective patients to post questions – and get answers. I have found that so many patients have the same concerns and questions and I hope my site will become a valuable resource to those contemplating cosmetic surgery for themselves or their loved ones. I will periodically post my point of view – the “what you need to know” - about different surgical procedures as they are approved or covered by the media. The best patient is an educated patient.

My first blog entry is dedicated to the lips. I have had many inquiries about more permanent options to enhance the lips and I am excited and pleased to announce the newly FDA-approved Perma Facial Implant, which we have been using at CAMEO for lip augmentation with much success. The Perma Facial Implant offers a reversible, safe, permanent, and natural result that is cost effective for the patient who enjoys the look of a more voluminous, sensual lip.

I am currently the only surgeon in New York trained to perform this procedure.

I encourage patients who have already tried a lip filler (Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, etc) and liked the results to think about this solid silicone implant. Please read my blog entry with more information (the lip shtick) about the Perma Facial Implant.

Best wishes to all of you.

Dr. SMB