Using silicone as a lip filler is now understood to be an outdated idea. Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals continue to push this damaging treatment on the public. While many well-meaning individuals had high hopes that silicone would serve as a safe and effective means to contour and fill the lip, it has proven otherwise. Unfortunately, today many of those who underwent silicone treatment suffer from disfigurement of the shape of their lips, lumps that are present, and abnormalities as a result of their treatment. If you are one of these individuals, you may ask if there is hope to save you from this predicament.
There’s good news and bad news; it would be a disservice to not be straightforward about this. Silicone in the lips is essentially irreversible. Very little of the material can be removed. If you hear otherwise, and someone promises a miraculous fix, you are, to be kind, having your leg pulled. At worst, you may be at risk of some one prey on your predicament. Silicone is a long-lasting, permanent material when used as a filler. Its side effects are just as long-lasting.
Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, which can be reversed with an enzyme injection if there are unwanted side-effects, there is no such process for silicone oil. Granulomas, lumps, and nodules commonly caused by silicone oil injection can be helped by well-planned surgical intervention. Dr. Steinsapir uses a 5-step approach in providing help to address these disfiguring contour abnormalities along the edge of the lips. First, he does a detailed consultation. It is important that your surgeon carefully listen to your concerns and understands you objectives in having filler in the first place. Second, he educates you to understand how the body reacts to this filler. Third, some individuals who come for consultation have active inflammation from the silicone oil and benefit from 5-FU injections to help quiet the inflammation. This may not be effective when no inflammation is present. Steps 4 and 5 are surgical. Individual granulomas can be excised. This needs to be done to avoid new contour issues and scars. Finally, the overall volume of the lip can be improved by very precise liposuction using micro-cannulas. We have found the combination of removing the worst abnormalities, followed by shaping with liposuction, to be most efficacious in improving upon old silicone treatments.
Dr. Steinsapir has found that the best course of action for you will always depend on your particular facial concerns, a physical examination that includes an overview of your medical history, and a personalized consultation. In this way he can individualize your treatment plan to best address your concerns and unique issues. Dr. Steinsapir is considered a world leader in facial cosmetic procedures, including fillers, minimally invasive treatments with fast recovery times and natural results, fixing previous surgeries and treatments, and overall facial balance. He regularly helps people dissatisfied with a former procedure to achieve better results. We invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Steinsapir, who can answer your questions, provide hope, and help you plan a solution that’s catered to you. You deserve the best and don’t have to wait any longer for improvement.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is a board certified eye surgeon and dual fellowship-trained in oculoplastic surgery and cosmetic surgery in Los Angeles where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert in cosmetic surgery, which can be a vital part of your evidence-based treatment plan.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician or surgeon and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.