Procedures to add volume and definition to the lips are becoming increasingly popular with dermatologists offering a variety of methods for lip augmentation, including synthetic lip implants, tissue grafts, and injections of substances such as hyaluronic acid. Silicone oils are also occasionally used. Steven Wallach, MD, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan, NYC, says the impossibility of removing silicone from lips -- coupled with its potential for causing granulomas, or lumps -- makes silicone inadvisable for use. Wallach adds that the Plastic Surgery Society does not recommend silicone oils for lip augmentation.
Silicone Injection Features
According to Lip Augmentation, injections of silicone oil are not approved for cosmetic use in the United States. Silicone's medical use is to treat retinal detachment; the substance is meant be removed from the body at a later date. Silicone oils are used off-label as a permanent filler for lip augmentation; the website notes that this use is not illegal, but that doctors are not allowed to advertise or sell the substance. Silicone injections make lips larger by triggering a foreign body response, with the body forming more and more collagen around the silicone, encapsulating it like a grain of sand in an oyster. The amount of augmentation does not depend on the volume of silicone oil injected, but rather the body's response to it.
Silicone Damage and Complications
Complications from silicone injections, which can occur many years after the procedure, are irreversible. Derma Network notes that silicone can cause granulomas, severe inflammation, swelling and infection. Silicone also carries the risk of permanent discoloration, scarring and deformity. According to Ira D. Papel, author of "Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery," lips treated with silicone injections often develop a fleshy look. In addition, impurities within the silicone itself can cause negative reactions.
Expert Opinions
B. Pat Pazmino, M.D., a plastic surgeon in Miami, FL, notes that droplets of silicone cannot be removed and cites the occurrence of severe scar tissue. If damage is extensive enough, Pazmino says a portion of the lip may have to be excised. Steven H. Williams, M.D., a plastic surgeon in San Francisco, CA, concurs, saying silicone lip injections are potentially dangerous and can cause swelling, pain and chronic inflammation. Brent Moelleken, M.D., a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA, says that after many years silicone can migrate to the bottom of the lip, causing a "trout-lip" deformity. However, some doctors defend the use of silicone injections. Channing R. Barnett, MD, a dermatologist in NYC, says silicone is absolutely safe and can yield excellent results when used by experienced and board-certified physicians. Barnett adds that problems with silicone result from incorrect use.
Precautions
Eric M. Joseph, M.D., a facial plastic surgeon in West Orange, NJ, recommends finding a board-certified dermatologist experienced with the micro-droplet technique to administer silicone. Joseph advises looking at pictures of the doctor's other patients, with an eye towards attractive, natural-looking results. Lip Augmentation concurs and recommends people to ask the doctor how long he has been injecting silicone, as well as questioning him about the occurrence of severe inflammation, migration or granulomas in any of his patients. The website warns that you should never get silicone injections from any unlicensed person, and you should never have the procedure in a hotel, salon or private home.
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