Q&A

First, the design for the lateral area is planned in 3 stages: Balance Design, Photo Design, and Custom Design. Next, along the design pattern, the skin on the outer lips is excised, elevated, and fixed. The procedure is finalized with multi-layer complex suturing of 4 layers or more, along with micro-suturing, to reduce the burden of postoperative scarring and side effects and to extend the longevity of the results. The incision range covers more than 3/4 of the outer lips, excluding the upper lip peaks (Cupid's bow area), expanding the outer lip areas that were curled inward.

The surgical duration for a Lateral Lip Lift is 1 hour, and anesthesia is administered as sleep anesthesia / local anesthesia. Stitches are removed 4-5 days after surgery, and clinic visits are 3-5 times. Side effects such as bleeding, swelling, and scarring may occur, and the occurrence of side effects and recovery time may vary depending on the individual.

During the process of elevating and suturing the outer upper lip, the lip corners may appear relatively lower than before the surgery. In particular, for individuals whose lip corners naturally droop, they may appear to droop further, so a Lip Corner Lift or related procedure is combined if necessary. A Lip Corner Lift is also combined when lip corner elevation or horizontal lip lengthening is needed concurrently. At Golden Diamant, we plan by taking both the lip line correction and the lip corners into consideration. Results may vary depending on the individual.

Philtrum Augmentation is a surgery for concerns caused by a short philtrum. It is recommended for cases of gummy smile where the gums show when smiling; when the philtrum is excessively short and difficult to resolve with dental orthodontic treatment alone; when the philtrum is congenitally short; when the philtrum appears short because the nasal tip is upturned due to contracture after nose surgery; when an improvement in facial proportions is desired because the distance from the eyes to the lips is short; or when the philtrum is too short, making one appear overly childish. For gummy smiles, there is also a non-surgical method of administering Botox to the muscles that lift the upper lip to weaken their strength.

There are two methods. Philtral Groove Surgery uses a C-curl suturing method, creating a natural C-curl using a specialized suturing technique without dermis grafting or muscle manipulation. Philtral groove dimple surgery works on the same principle as Dimple Surgery, creating a philtral groove through a partial incision inside the mouth. Whichever method is used, we design a philtrum type suited to the individual's facial shape and lip line, and establish a surgical plan using photo design and a custom chart that takes the A-U line into account.

There are largely two reasons. First, if the bullhorn-shaped subnasal philtrum reduction incision line extends past the subnasal sill into the inside of the nose, philtral skin shifts into the original subnasal sill position, causing the classic sill shape to disappear and become flat. In this case, mustache hair that was originally on the philtrum may grow on the sill. Second, if someone inherently has a low and weak subnasal sill, and philtrum reduction is performed without surgical techniques to reinforce it while minimizing changes to the low sill, the same phenomenon can occur.

Perioral Botox is a procedure that injects Botox into target muscles among the muscles around the mouth to control mouth movements. It is injected into the depressor anguli oris to address drooping mouth corners; into the mentalis muscle to address chin dimpling (cobblestone/pebble chin) where the front chin becomes bumpy when pursing the mouth; into the muscles that elevate the upper lip to treat a gummy smile where excessive gum shows when smiling; and it is also used for mouth asymmetry caused by differences in muscle activity between the left and right sides. At Golden Diamant, we plan this as a 'three-part harmony Botox' that simultaneously considers the depressor anguli oris, mentalis, and levator labii superioris, and we adhere to the principle of using genuine, properly dosed Botox from Allergan USA.

Corner mouth Botox is selectively injected into the depressor anguli oris. When the depressor muscle is weakened, the strength of the muscles that elevate the mouth corners becomes relatively greater, aiming for a brighter and more natural appearance when smiling. What is important is to inject accurately into the target muscle and determine an appropriate dosage considering the activity of that muscle. Therefore, rather than injecting a large amount all at once during the first procedure, we proceed by observing the condition and adding as much as necessary through a touch-up correction procedure. Results may vary depending on the individual.

An asymmetrical mouth shape is rarely caused by a single factor; in many cases, multiple factors overlap. Typical causes include congenital or acquired facial nerve palsy; facial asymmetry due to differences in facial bone structure and soft tissue or resulting from accidents; differences in the shape or position of the gums, teeth, lips, or mouth corners; and muscular asymmetry, such as left-right differences in the lip levator and depressor muscles or differences in the activity of the levator anguli oris and zygomaticus muscles. At Golden Diamant, we first identify how these causes overlap, and then formulate a plan aimed at correcting deviations at rest and alleviating asymmetry during movement, all while ensuring the functional integrity of the mouth is not compromised.

It depends on the cause. If the tilt of the lips is uneven, jaw or gum treatments, or orthodontic care may be necessary, while differences in the shape of the lips themselves can be corrected through surgical procedures such as partial lip reduction or augmentation, mucosal advancement, and Lip Corner Lift. If differences in muscle activity or volume are the primary causes, we first consider balancing muscle strength with Botox and supplementing volume with filler. Mouth shape correction using Botox and fillers can sometimes alleviate symptoms that are difficult to resolve surgically. Results may vary depending on the individual.

When the thickness or shape of the lips differs (volume difference or slope), it can be corrected with filler by simultaneously taking into account the lip line, inner mucosal line, and volume differences. When the tilt or length of the lips differs, Botox can be injected into the levator labii superioris (philtrum Botox) or zygomaticus muscle on the side that pulls up more, or into the depressor labii inferioris muscle on the side that pulls down more. If the mentalis muscle is overused to unconsciously close the mouth due to a protruding mouth or a receding chin, mentalis Botox is considered; for asymmetry where the lip corner elevates less when smiling or appears droopy at rest, lip corner Botox and lip corner filler are considered together. Results may vary depending on the individual.

Correcting habits through mouth exercises may bring slight improvement, but in reality, it is not easy to correct and has limitations. This is because asymmetry when speaking or smiling is heavily influenced by differences in muscle activity, such as when the depressor anguli oris muscle on one side is stronger or weaker, or when there is a difference in strength between the left and right depressor labii inferioris muscles. In such cases, we first consider using Botox to balance the muscle strength on both sides or fillers to supplement volume. As Botox and filler treatments are repeated, the maintenance period may become longer and habits may gradually be corrected. Results may vary depending on the individual.

Lip Augmentation is performed using two methods. Lip line augmentation is a method where a gull-wing-shaped incision is made above the upper lip to increase the volume of thin lips and simultaneously correct a drooping lip line. Mucosal advancement is a method where the inner mucosa of the lip is moved forward to roll out (evert) an inward-curled lip to increase volume; it is mainly performed on the lower lip for those whose philtrum and chin are not long, who have clear vermilion borders, and who are sensitive to scarring or prone to keloids. Usually, lip line augmentation is used for the upper lip, and lip line augmentation or mucosal advancement is used for the lower lip. With lip line augmentation, the firm tissue at the border (white roll) may disappear, which can make the side profile look flat, so suturing is performed to slightly elevate that area.

Lip Augmentation is performed under twilight anesthesia (sleep sedation) or local anesthesia, and the surgery time is 1-2 hours. Stitches are removed 4-5 days after surgery, and you will visit the clinic 3-4 times to check your progress. After surgery, we prescribe scar prevention medication and scar treatment gel, and provide a customized aftercare kit tailored to the surgery. When an incision is made along the lip line, the area will feel firm and reddish for a while after stitch removal, and then typically fades and softens over 4-6 months; during this time, you must take care not to open your mouth wide so that the scar becomes less visible. Side effects such as bleeding, swelling, and scarring may occur, and the occurrence of side effects and recovery time may vary depending on the individual.

An incision is made on the oral mucosa inside the lip, and after excising the predetermined amount of mucosa, it is delicately sutured with dissolvable threads. Because the incision is made strictly on the inner mucosa and not on the external skin, concerns regarding scarring are minimal due to the characteristics of the surgical site. For those whose mouth and lips are not protruding and only have thick lips, only a portion of the mucosa is removed. However, if the lips are thick and both the mouth and lips protrude together, a portion of the lip muscle is also removed to increase the reduction amount and allow the lips to roll slightly and naturally inward. The surgical site may feel firm initially, but it softens over time. Results and recovery timelines may vary depending on the individual.

Lip Reduction is considered when the lips are overly thick, when the lips appear large relative to the face and you wish to balance the proportions, when the size ratio between the upper and lower lips is unbalanced, or when the shape of the lips has become deformed due to frequent filler procedures. This surgery reduces the thickness and volume of the lips. If the horizontal width of the lips is long, there is no surgical method to shorten that length itself, so during the consultation we also discuss ways to make them appear less long. The amount of reduction is predetermined based on overall facial proportions, aiming for a size and shape that harmonizes with the face.

Lip Reduction is performed under twilight anesthesia (sleep anesthesia) or local anesthesia, and the surgery time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Sutures are mainly done with dissolvable threads, but some sutures may need to be removed; suture removal is scheduled 5-7 days after surgery, with 3 follow-up visits to the clinic postoperatively. After Lip Reduction, reduced sensation due to sensory nerve damage inevitably occurs, so the lip sensation may initially feel partially numb and then gradually recovers. You can eat right after the surgery, but please avoid foods that are too spicy, irritating, or hard. Side effects such as bleeding, swelling, and scarring may occur, and the occurrence of side effects and recovery timelines may vary depending on the individual.

While Cupid's Bow Lip Filler is a procedure that injects filler to add volume, Cupid's Bow Surgery is a method that surgically creates volume and three-dimensional definition in the central area of the lip. The mucosa on the inner side of the lip is excised in a pre-designed Cupid's bow shape, followed by specialized suturing to make the central portion prominent, and a dermis graft is combined if necessary. Depending on the condition of the lips, a method tailored to the individual is chosen between advancing the mucosa forward or adding volume through a dermis graft. Results may vary depending on the individual.

It is recommended for cases where you want to add three-dimensional definition to flat lips, when the lip line is indistinct and you want to make it sharp and clear, when you desire full and voluminous lips, or when you want a cheerful and lively image. Cupid surgery aims to create a natural wave line by adding volume to the central area of the lips. Even for the same concern, the appropriate surgical method varies depending on lip shape and facial structure; therefore, we first assess the lip type and design the procedure taking into account the balance between the face and lips. Results may vary depending on the individual.

Cupid surgery is performed under sleep anesthesia or local anesthesia, and the surgery time is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Stitch removal takes place on days 5-7, and you will visit the clinic 3 times after surgery. At the end of the surgery, after controlling bleeding and suturing with dissolvable threads, swelling prevention medication is injected; after surgery, scar prevention medication and scar treatment gel are prescribed, and a customized aftercare kit tailored to the surgery is provided. Through this post-operative care, we manage both the recovery process and the outcome together. Side effects such as bleeding, swelling, and scarring may occur, and the occurrence of side effects and recovery timeline may vary depending on the individual.

Having a foreign substance inside the lips does not immediately cause problems in all cases, and if the foreign substance does not directly contact the outside, there are cases where there are no major issues. However, unverified substances such as liquid silicone, paraffin, and petroleum jelly (Vaseline) may appear fine on the surface, but over time can cause side effects like shape deformation, inflammation, skin necrosis, and dermatitis; furthermore, if a wound connects them to the outside, the foreign substance can become a source of infection. When deformation begins to set in—such as when the mucosal surface of the lip becomes uneven, small lumps are felt, or frequent swelling or increasing pain occurs—we recommend consulting for removal.

It is extremely difficult to remove foreign substances from inside the lips completely without leaving any residue. This is because, as time passes, they spread between surrounding tissues or adhere to existing tissues, making them difficult to separate, and conservative resection must be performed to avoid damaging major nerves or blood vessels. Therefore, at Golden Diamant, rather than simply removing a large quantity of foreign material, we consider minimizing tissue damage while restoring and preserving the shape of the lips as much as possible to be the core objective. If the amount is large and tissue infiltration is severe, we may remove it gradually across 2~3 sessions without overstraining the tissues. Inflammation, asymmetry, and reduced sensation may occur after surgery, and additional correction may be required. Results and recovery timelines may vary depending on the individual.

The surgical method is determined based on the type and location of the foreign material, as well as the status of any side effects. The standard approach involves making an incision inside the lip mucosa to separate and remove the foreign material from normal tissue. This reduces the burden of visible external scarring, though a feeling of pulling or hardness may persist for a certain period during recovery. For the lower lip, gravity over time causes the foreign material to gather in front of the lip line, making the lower portion protrude; in such cases, removal through an intraoral incision is difficult, so an incision is made along the lip line, with the incision site and suturing decided while considering the possibility of scarring. The surgery takes 1-3 hours under sleep anesthesia or local anesthesia, stitches are removed after 4-6 days, and you will visit the clinic 3-4 times. Recovery times may vary depending on the individual.