I lost my entire lower lip to SCC cancer and I am trying to recover some normalcy in my face

Question

Three months ago I had what was to the last of the repair of the "defect" where I received some incisions and fat harvesting were placed in the area of my new lower lip-- this done by a well-respected plastic surgeon, Steven Cohen in La Jolla, Ca. After 1 month everything seemed to collapse... my lower lip deflated in an uneven matter I am embarrassed to be in the public. I'm told I have "hypertrophic scarring".. Is there a surgeon out there who can help me?

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

Usually, total lower lip reconstruction involves multiple stages to close the defect and then optimize the function of the lip. It is impossible to give even general recommendations without seeing photos of the condition of your lower lip. Reconstruction of large lip defects is very challenging and even in the best of outcomes the appearance and function is never the same as it was prior to skin cancer, Mohs surgery or reconstruction. Your options will typically range from scar treatments, volumization or rearrangement of remaining lip and scar tissue to provide better range of lip function. I hope that you are still in touch with your plastic surgeon. If you are not or are seeking a different approach, I would recommend that you consult a very experienced facial reconstructive surgeon for further information. I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACSDenver Facial Plastic Surgeon

Channing R. Barnett, MD · Answer

Pictures would definitely help to understand exactly what your lip looks like at this point. If you have hypertrophic scarring, a good dermatologist should be able to inject cortisone into that area to soften and loosen it up. Once that is done, it may be easy to then fill any depressed or collapsed areas with a filler to give the lip more volume and shape again. A great filler for the lips is silicone which yields very natural-appearing results. Good luck!

I lost my entire lower lip to SCC cancer and I am trying to recover some normalcy in my face

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