30 Years Old Lip Lift

Thank you for your kind comment. From my columella it is a good 1 cm now (I will attach a photo with a ruler). I never really measured my philtrum length before the surgery. But Dr. Sigler mentioned she took off roughly 2 mm and fixed a tiny fold my philtrum would make when I smiled.

Indeed. Although subtle, Dr. Sigler is also very flexible about doing adjustments in the future if needed.

Thank you very much!

Thank you so very much! Although Dr. Sigler's website doesn't mention it, I believe RS user sharkmark had a corner lip lift and was happy with his results. I'm pretty confident Dr. Sigler offers this procedure. I feel like the mouth area is her specialty. She is known for her extensive work in helping kids with cleft palates.

Yep, tomorrow (Wednesday) will be 4 weeks however. Dr. Sigler said the scar would disappear. She made the incisions pretty high up my nose. The most visible one is the one right bellow the columella. I have no makeup in any of the photos I posted. But I will post a photo of the scar in better lighting today. I do put on mederma as much as I can, but upon really close observation, it's as if there's a thin red line below my nose outlining the incision that was stitched up. I was also concerned about scarring but this one so far hasn't really bothered me. Dr. Sigler took off roughly 2 mm (which is the same amount another surgeon in a different consultation suggested). Not much, because I asked her to be conservative. I even sent her a "let's review the main points" email before my surgery to be on the same page. But she did ask me to contact her in 3 to 6 months post op to see if I need any revisions. So far so good tho :) She will cater to the patient's needs. I should also mention that "maybe" because she placed the incisions nice and high up my nose, I still haven't been able to blow my nose properly because it's still sensitive. But every day, it gets a little better.

Thank you so very much for your informative answers to my questions. I hope I'm not being presumptuous... just wondering if it would at all be possible to see your results in person as I live in the San Diego area and would be more than willing to drive to where ever you are. It would give me so much more reassurance and courage if I could view an actual patient that has had this procedure done. If this is not possible, I understand completely. I feel very bold for asking. I think the idea of never having actually seen the results in person are keeping me from getting it done. I particularly would like to see the scars. I wrote to Sharkmark a few months ago, but he didn't respond. I don't know if I'm breaking a "polite" rule, but if not, would you consider a personal consultation? I also wrote to Dr. Sigler and asked the same thing, but to no avail. And I apologize if its not meant to be.

I totally understand you wanting reassurance; having any surgery has its risks. Here's my 2 cents on scarring: you know best how your skin heals and reacts. For example, my olive skin is prone to hyperpigmentation and I tend to take a little longer with blood coagulation. This made my incision area quite bloody and part of the discomfort of healing was having crusty blood in and around my nostrils for many days. I ripped about 4 stitches while trying to clean my nose after 1 week. Even when stitches were removed at the 2-week mark, cleaning the dry blood was still an effort. This said, I will reiterate that the scarring in my opinion is minimal and hasn't made me self-conscious at all. I don't mind meeting up so you can see my results "live." Feel free to set it up. But just be cognizant that everyone heals differently. If you decide to proceed with any surgery, consultation and pre-lab work will also help the Doctor better access the procedure.

Dear Dorian~Thank you for your response. You are intelligent, knowledgeable and compassionate in your answers. May we get together at the end of February at your two months post op? You've no idea how much I appreciate your openness to do this.
Yesterday I read your experience of getting into Tiajuana and disclosure of what we can expect. It was very helpful for me to understand the procedure and how to adjust my expectations. When you left the Dr. Sigler's office, after the surgery, did the surgery center van drive you back across the border? Were you able to drive yourself home? And lastly how may I arrange to meet you in another month. I don't believe RealSelf permits email addresses?

Sure thing, I will respond to your private message. And yes, the surgery center van drove me across the border to San Ysidro where my car was parked. They charged me $70 to drive me (and my father who accompanied me) there. The fee may change depending on time or day and is up to their discretion; They quoted me the same with or without my father and I tipped the driver $10. My original plan was to drive myself home, but my father drove that day. I tend to be very conscious and have normal functioning motor skills soon after surgery. From past surgery experiences, I knew I could drive after a good 4 hours of recovery. Driving after a lip lift surgery is possible but if you drive, recover and rest as much as you need, pay attention to your body and pull over to rest if needed or have a friend you can call as a back-up plan.

Absolutely, the 2 week mark is tough but hang in there it gets better! I think it is easy for us to fixate on those glitches, as I certainly did and do! But I remind myself to let my body heal, and my mind to be patient. As they say, it is at 6 months to a year that one must accept the results or seek revisions; certainly part of the journey and human experience. :)

Thank you --- you are beautiful both inside and out!