POSTED UNDER Lip Lift REVIEWS
Liplift Complications
ORIGINAL POST
Over 2 years ago, I had a liplift where the...
sarah36February 5, 2013
$5,000
Over 2 years ago, I had a liplift where the plastic surgeon operated on skin and muscle. Immediately after surgery I noticed that the lip did not move normally. It’s longer now. I cannot lift the center vertically. The middle part of my lip seems to be partially paralyzed. When I smile I have a horizontal crease below my nose. This doctor removed the sills under my nose. I have a feeling that he damaged the muscles that lift my upper lip. Now my upper lip hangs, the openings to my nose look huge and my upper lip looks flat and flaccid. I have difficulty speaking.
Replies (13)
February 7, 2013
Sarah,
So sorry to hear of your diappointing results. The LL surgery is one I could benefit from. Due to unresolved health issues I have not actively pursued any consultations or such. Coming here and reading post by others who have had said procedure done is quite helpful. I hope that you will be able to find satisfactory resolution with the revision. Would you consider listing/rating doctor? Best wishes
February 9, 2013
I am very sorry for you and thank you for sharing so people will be careful who they go to. There are many helpful doctors here and I would suggest that you post a picture of just your lips so they can advise you. Did you talk to the doctor? I had a problem with the way a doctor re-attached my ears and he was new and he fixed it and did some complementary lipo as well so I was fortunate; only you know if it is worth even trusting him but it wouldn't hurt to reach out and put your story in a question format with a photo and see if you can get some corrective surgery. Accidents do happen even to good doctors.
UPDATED FROM sarah36
Consultation Report
sarah36August 9, 2013
I was pretty upset to get a copy of one of the reports from a doctor that I saw for a revision and in the report it stated that I had multiple deformities from the muscle injuries due to the lip lifting technique that was used.
Replies (6)
August 13, 2013
Hi sarah36, I am so very sorry to hear about your complications. I'm considering the procedure and have been seriously looking at two doctors in LA who use the muscle technique. Could you possibly post/PM the name of the doctor you went to? Thank you and again, I'm very sorry for your troubles.
August 26, 2013
Thank you so much for sharing your experience on RealSelf! Is there a way to revise this?
August 26, 2013
Sarah you made me cry. I can't believe how much you've endured for two years. I'm shaking how furious I am knowing that you lived all this time with such pain. I don't even know what will be appropriate to say to make you feel better. I think you should write an email to my doctor Dr Niamtu with some pics attached and see if he can help you. He got miracle hands and a gold hearth. I have a feeling that he might help you one way or another. ((((((huge hugs dear Sarah)))))))
UPDATED FROM sarah36
More consultations
sarah36November 7, 2013
It's been awhile since I've updated my review. I recently saw 4 plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills who told me that they have seen similar deformities from liplifts that were done using the same technique that was used on me. That is why no other plastic surgeons use this technique, too many risks of permanent damage. One of the plastic surgeons told me that the liplift may look OK when you just look face on, but when the patient would speak, it was obvious that their movement was impaired. He also told me that one of the patients that he saw had to have a skin graft because too much was removed, so now she has obvious demarcation areas. It's really a jungle out there. The good thing about going on all these consults is that you realize that there are ethical doctors out there.
Replies (14)
November 7, 2013
WOW babe, I never knew there can be complications with the lip and so many girls who happened to get complications. Still even if I would read your story b4 going under the knife, I would be so ignorant thinking that it can't happen to me. I still pray that one day , a miracle will happen, and one of the millions doctors will know how to correct your lip. Trust me, I do feel your pain, and I am happy that you saw many docs .
November 8, 2013
Babe, I wish I could give you the name of the best of the best doctor. Even I've never saw you personally, I have such a beautiful image of you in my mind. I know it is not easy to live with regret in your heart, but we are not what we look like. We are what we project into the Universe. And the Universe whisper into my ears that you're gorgeous. I want you to know that I love you just the way you are. Look around. No one is perfect and everyone is beautiful despite any imperfections. Keep your chin up. I'm here, any time you need a hug or a shoulder.
November 9, 2013
ZiZI, Thank you. You really project such warmth. Thank you!! You are truly a ray of sunshine.
November 19, 2015
You really are a beautiful, beautiful spirit ... your comments triggered such emotion. Thank you for being so uplifting!
November 8, 2013
Sarah36,
I do hope that you will be able to find a doctor who can offer you some type of satisfying resolution with your LL revision issue. I have been coming to this board for a little over 2 yrs. now. During that time I have observed LL that I thought looked great on the person who had, had it done. It was not until the person shared info about the nasal sill and muscle hemming that I realized that there was so much more to it, than how one looks face on. I do believe that time has brought about more knowledge and better techniques from surgeons, and therefore Hope. Stay Hopeful! Many Blessing to you.
April 28, 2014
I'm in the same boat as missmila. In traveling to LA to see Dr Haworth who uses the muscle hemming technique. Please let me know if this was the Dr you went too!! Hugs
June 9, 2014
Ohhh dear :( first I wanted muscle hemming technique on myself when I saw dr Haworth job... but later I decided to read all of reviews about lip lifts on realself and read most of forum topics... and when I found a lot of people complaining about nerve demages post muscle hemming I knew I dont want to do it by this way... I dont know what to say to make you feel better but I want tell you I wish you all best and that one day someone will manage to help you. I really can imagine how you feel because after my lip lift when everything was still swollen but I didnt look like, I couldnt smile proper and I looked weird I stressed out ! :( [RS bleep] kisses to you!
January 13, 2018
I'm so sorry for what you went through. Did you ever find a revision expert who could help? I'm dealing with the same problem now, except that it was caused by an where an incision was made during open rhinoplasty. I'm considering an in-office lip lift to help. The incision that was made during the rhinoplasty added length to the philtrum, and one theory is that this could also contribute to the creasing effect, as creases are seen in normal aging of the upper lip as it lengthens.
January 13, 2018
Also, the depressor septi muscle is sometimes resected during a rhinoplasty to correct this. Several studies blame the smiling deformity on the the depressor septi nasa muscle (which pulls down the nose when smiling.)
January 13, 2018
Hi, i am so sorry that you are going through this. It is so hard to go through surgery hoping to look better and end up with multiple complications and in my case have been called deformities by a very well known surgeon. I've had multiple doctors (and I have seen so many throughout the US over the years), blame this doctors technique of operating on the muscle plus the skin for my lip lift complications. If you get a lip lift, just make sure that you get one that is skin only. I would recommend that you see DR Pearson in Beverly Hills or Dr. Mascaro in Delray Beach, Florida.
January 23, 2018
Thanks so much! Yes, I've been looking into Dr. Pearson too. Did you ever do a lip revision or talk to a rhinoplasty expert on the depressor muscle? One way to test it to see if the depressor muscle is causing the crease is by injecting Botox into the depressor muscle at the base of the nose. Unfortunately, because botox is a nerve relaxant this might not help how much the middle part of the lip rises when smiling, so my feeling is that a revision lip lift might be the best choice. Looks like Dr. Pearson has lots of positive reviews!
I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. Have you gone back to that doctor, or to another one to see if a correction is possible, or is that too scary a thought for you?
I can definitely understand why that would be upsetting. :( Don't hesitate to post your questions in the Q&A section while you are going through the consultation phase and trying to sift through the treatment options.
Please continue to keep us posted on how you are doing, and what you are finding out.
We're here when you need hugs & encouragement along the way!!