Is Alloderm a Good Choice for Lip Enhancement?

For a longer lasting augmentation for the lips, I like to use a patients own skin/tissue taken from another place in your body and grafted into one or both lips. The advantages of using your own skin are that it will not be rejected and a custom piece can be accurately tailored. This is a very popular procedure to do in conjunction with a Facelift and the extra tissue is readily available.

Alloderm is an older option for lip augmentation. Most commonly, we use a hyaluronic acid facial filler like Restylane or Juvederm for lip augmentation. Best, Dr. Karamanoukian 

In my experience, alloderm lasts longer than injectable fillers, and can be shaped. It usually feels fairly natural and is unlikely to cause problems. Although alloderm inegrates and becomes living tissue in other applications such as implant support for  breast reconstruction, it doesn't provifde a permanent result in lips.

Alloderm is not a good product in the lips.  An injectable version of it was out called Cymetra, however, it had issues with longevity.  In addition, lumpiness and non uniformity in results was reported.  Consider an HA product such as Juvederm or Restylane as a worthy alternative.

AlloDerm is essentially cadaver skin minus any living cells.  It is used as a scaffold through which a persons living cells can grow into.  It has many uses, but, in use his in breast reconstruction.  AlloDerm does not help in mastectomy recovery.  It does however help in breast reconstruction. In this application, AlloDerm was used to cover the lower portion of an implant that spans from the lower border of the pectoralis muscle to the breast fold.  Because AlloDerm is a foreign substance in can always get infected and as such your doctor and you need to pay close attention to the signs and symptoms.  AlloDerm has also been used in nipple augmentation as well as augmentation of other body parts.  Its efficacy is really not known in these realms because it is not common.  Some providers may use AlloDerm for these applications but please note that its most widespread use is particularly in breast reconstruction as well as repair for abdominal wall hernias.  Please speak with a board certified plastic surgeon if you have any specific concerns regarding your care.