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lip lift
My Lip-Lift Surgery!
Vertical lip-lift OR Modified Bull-horn lip-lift with alloderm implants in upper lip and gore-tex strands in lower lip.
This page shows some graphic photos and are done not to scare, but to educate those who are looking at lip augmentation surgery options.  
First 24 Hours
(9/4/02)
Woo Hoo, made it through surgery!  It was very odd, I was awake the whole time.  "Twilight Sleep", I think not...They did give me local's in my lip area too, but the Dr. kept saying, "give her more, give her more", because I was SO awake.  It didn't bother me, and hey, at least I got to hear everything that was said and done!  I still remember most of it too!  My surgery lasted a total of 1 1/2 hrs.  First, he did the gore-tex strands in my lower lip, then the alloderm implant in my upper lip and lastly, the lip life.  It was odd being filmed the whole time for the video.  Not to mention those cameras have REALLY BRIGHT lights that were shining in my face!
(9/5/02)
Things got pretty rough in the first 24 hours, had some unexpected bleeding.  At least,I thought it was.  When my Doctor called that evening, and talked to my hubby, he told him that was normal.  I look like I was in a boxing match with Mike Tyson!  All things considered, I really didn't bruise too bad.  My lips did turn fairly black, but healed up fairly quickly.  
I had my first post-op appointment within 24 hours and they said I was looking wonderful.  OK, if they say so!  They washed my face and re-taped it and gave me a 10 ml & a 20 ml syringe for eating.  AMEN!  Even baby spoons were a chore!
Approximate drawing of surgeon's markings on my lip area for surgery.
12 hours post-op
"Hey, did anyone get the license plate of that truck that hit me?!"
"Hey, you shoulda seen da other guy!!"
One hour post surgery
2nd Day
9/6/02: Well, the nurses were right, you DO feel WORSE before you feel better!  I didn't know at this point, if the pain meds they gave me were going to out-last the pain! The tape they put on was coming off (that was OK).  So, I finally got to see what I really looked like.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I guess, I was very prepared to see something pretty gross, so I was pleased.  Yep, there was a lot of swelling, but I could see improvement.  I couldn't even drink from a glass without drooling.
Day 2, after tape came off.
Notice, swelling from nose is moving to swelling of lower cheeks.
24 hour re-tape
close up-no tape
3rd Day
9/7/02:  The pain is SO much more manageable.  Pain is being managed mostly by just regular tylenol (500mg).  I can move my lips more and my family is starting to understand me!  : )  I am starting to move around much more.  The Dr.  wanted the first 48 hours still & upright!  Darn, I was looking so forward to rearranging the furniture!!  I am actually moving around now and feeling more like myself.  I've graduated from being fed with a syringe to feeding myself with a silicon covered baby spoon!  What a BIG girl!!
Stitches count - 16 stitches under nose, 6 stitches each side of mouth, 28 total!
close up - day three
Day 5 (9/9/02)
Day 6 (9/10/02)
Day 4 (9/8/02)
Day 7 (9/11/02)
Day 8 (9/12/02)
No Stitches!  But PROBLEMS...see below*
Notice that bump is going down!  Yeah!  Also notice that upper lip area is relaxing.
Woo-hoo, lip-liner, color & gloss!
Bruising almost all gone!
First day for solid food (pasta alfredo) in little pieces.
For Comparison...BEFORE!
Two Months Post-Op!
Post re-do of implants
For when we think, "maybe I should go bigger"!  Remember where we started!
Day 12 (9/16/02)
Day 11 (9/15/02)
Day 13 (9/17/02)
Day 10 (9/14/02)
Day 9 (9/13/02)
A little color on the lips, no make-up.  Stitches fading more every day!
You can see the scar under my nose pretty well.  Considering it's less that 2 weeks post op...not too bad!  
Closed mouth!  Lips have not changed much during the past few days.  Perhaps the final result?
Stitches fading, infection clearing up.  Note that as swelling from lip lift subsides, that sides of upper lip becoming more pronounced.
Infection getting better, bump smaller still!
Day 6 (9/10/02)  AAARRRGGHH!!
GRRRRR!  Just when I was getting excited...I noticed a bump on my lower lip the day after my surgery.  When I asked at the first post-op appt., I was told "Oh, that will go away, it's just swelling".  I had also noticed in the past few days that the right corner of my mouth was feeling a little "tweaky".  This morning I looked and there was a tiny hole with gook in it.  YICK!  So I showed the Dr. and he was much more concerned about the hole, than the bump and isn't totally convinced they are related. (I am convinced; same side of mouth, only swelling remaining is the right side, etc)  So, Dr. gave me TWO antibiotics to take at the same time and a follow-up appt. in one week.  Best case:  antibiotics clear up hole and bump.  Worst Case:  Removal of lower implant, and re-do "Much Later".

The Wound & Bump!
Infection, Rejection & Removal!
WAAAAA!  Well, unfortunately, I am having a "worst case scenario".  The Doc is pulling my lower implant tomorrow morning.  My own lips are rejecting it.  Although the infection is better.  You can now see the implant and he fears my own lip will never grow over & heal.  And with the open wound, EVERYTHING can get in it.  So tomorrow, I will have my small lower lip back.  I am so sad, I can't express it.  He said in 3 - 4 months he can replace it.  We'll see...
I can' t imagine how goofy I'm going to look for the next 3-4 months with a big poofy upper lip and a little saggy lower lip.
REMOVAL - Youch!  Boy, they're not as nice about removal as they are putting the dang thing in!  No twilight sleep, just syringes upon syringes in the lips to numb.  The back of my neck was soaked with tears.  Some emotional baggage, but pain mostly.  Now that the numbing has worn off, it's certainly not the most comfortable I've been.
RE-DO - I had a re-do of my lower gore-tex implant in Mar 03.  My wonderful PS also put in more alloderm as well at no charge!  MWAH!
Where gore-tex is coming out!
4 hours after.
One day post gore-tex removal
1 hour post gore-tex removal.  PAIN!  Lovely color, huh?
Lower lip fullness - I think that the majority of the lower lip fullness that I had in the above pictures was due to infection.  A  week has gone by and if you compare this latest picture with my "before" picture, there isn't a lot of difference in the lower lips.  That makes me happy!!  Upper lips - VERY DIFFERENT STORY - LOVE THEM!!
Post gore-tex re-dol!
Would I Do It Again?
YES, YES, YES!!  Although I had a set-back, I would do it again.  The Lip Lift was much easier to deal with than I would have thought.  It really has changed the entire look of my face and taken away years off of my age.  Has it added to my self worth?  No, That I didn't need.  Did it change the way I feel about myself?  Only when I look at the outside, I'm still the same on the inside!
BEST ADVICE:
Be prepared, do a LOT of research, follow your Doctor's orders, Remember, implants can get rejected...it is not your fault (IF you follow Doctor's orders)!
WHAT I THINK OF SIN ECCH, BROMELAIN, ARNICA GEL:
Did it help my recovery?  I believe so.  I think being able to go out in public after you've had your upper lip cut in half after only four days is pretty Dang good!  I bruised & swelled less than another woman who "only" had her lips augmented the same day.
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