Will Fat Injections Into The Lips Work?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to know what kind of result to expect by injecting 1cc of fat grafting in the upper lip. Thanks for your answer.

A: Your question in regards to fat injection grafting of the upper lip has a two-fold answer. First,  fat injections to the lips are associated with a very high rate of reabsorption often being completely gone within 6 weeks of the procedure. This is the most difficult area of the face in which to get fat to be persistent. Lip tissue is different than the rest of the face and their near constant motion all contribute to the low rate of sustained augmentation. When fat injections into the lips are done, overfilling is a common technique in the hope that even if most of it is reabsorbed some will remain. Based on this premise, usually 2 to 3ccs of fat is injected into a lip. Second, while 1cc of a synthetic injectate would be considered more than adequate for any lip (because the objective is to have an immediate but not overfilled result) that would not be a good approach with fat for the reasons just described.

Thus 1cc of fat injected into the upper lip will produce an immediate and satisfying result (just like that of a synthetic filler), I suspect most of it will be gone before a month has passed after the injection.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana