• Face lifts, Brow lifts, Fat Transfers, Lip Lifts

    facial rejuvenation patient holding her before photo

    Facial rejuvenation procedures have come a long way in the past few decades, offering individuals a range of options to reverse the effects of aging and restore a more youthful appearance. The majority of patients can achieve a fantastic youthful result with just component facial procedures, as opposed to a full-blown face lift. You can […]

  • Lip lift pre-op markings

    Pre-op lip lift markings on a patient's face.

    This patient is being prepped for an upper lip lift today.  After completing the surgical plan markings, she graciously allowed me to take this quick video to explain the pre-op markings I make for lip lift patients.

  • Smile surgery to help permanent frowns

    An illustration showing a smile surgery.

    A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted a Korean Plastic Surgeon who is popularizing the so called Smile Surgery. MSN News also recently featured an article about smile surgery, called a “smile lipt,” – a combination of the words “lip” and “lift.” While this procedure may sound odd, there are definitely some patients who are good candidates for this procedure. I have performed it in my practice in Baltimore. Some people have a distinct permanent frown type expression and Smile Surgery can help them because it lifts the corners of the mouth. It helps change the permanent sad or angry look to a more pleasant expression. This technique is different than a traditional lip lift procedure, as that technique focuses solely on the long space between the upper lip and the base of your nose.

  • Lip lift technique: Lifting skin only vs muscle

    An illustration showing the nerves around the upper lip.

    Patients today are doing a lot of research about the upper Lip lift,. One of the most frequent questions I get is if the surgery involves the muscle of the upper lip. Patients want to know if my technique involves only the skin, or if I lift the muscle in any way. My Lip lift technique involves lifting the skin only, and I do not involve the muscle. It seems one of the biggest proponents of technique incorporating the muscle is Dr. Randall Heyworth in California. In 2008, he and I met on a trip to China representing the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and I enjoyed his company. But I have a different approach to the upper lip lift and I will explain why.

  • Getting rid of those Real Housewives Duck lips!

    duck lips comparison

    We so often see photographs of celebrities that have duck lips. If you don’t know what I am referring to, please tune into the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and take a look at most of the women. You know the story–the lips protrude out like duck bills because too much filler is put into the lips. While Taylor wins the prize, Kyle is catching up to her. It does look terrible. So, how can YOU have fuller lips without getting duck lips?

  • Lip lift – A technical description of the procedure

    Upper lip length 1.1 cm.

    Let’s clarify what lip lift does first. The lip lift shortens the long space between the base of the nose and the upper lip. Some people are born with a longer space, while other people start to notice it more during the aging process.

    Here are the considerations to make when planning the procedure, and the steps involved in the procedure.

  • Lip augmentation, Duck lips, and Lip lifts

    duck lips comparison

    Dr. Rodriguez explains why some people need a Lip Lift instead of a Lip augmentation. Beautiful lips are identified by a nice cupid’s bow and having the perfect amount of space between your upper lip and your nose. Find out whether you need a lip augmentation or a lip lift with Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez on his Cosmeticsurg blog.

  • DAO release – Lifting the corner of the mouth

    A photo of a patient's face, showing her lips before a lip lift.

    “DAO” (Depressor anguli oris) release to lift the corner of the mouth. I have always been a fan of the lip lift procedure. There are many reasons why it’s preferable to fillers, but the most important one is that it looks so good and natural. The effect is best in the central part of the…

  • Very comforting! (Lip implants and Sculptra)

    A photo of a patient's face, showing the areas that have been corrected.

    I went to see Dr. Rodriguez on Sept 25th for Lip Advanta Implants and Sculptra. I was greeted by the nicest staff and made to feel very comfortable. I was more than briefed on every option that I asked about to ensure a confident choice in procedure. After my procedure, I was a bit terrified by the immediate effects of surgery (swelling), but the entire staff assured me that the swelling was completely normal.

  • The Lip lift: More youthful lips without the use of fillers

    A collage of photos of a patient's mouth, showing her lips before and after a lip lift procedure.

    Yesterday I did a Lip lift. My patient was a young woman, which is unusual for this procedure. Most women that need a Lip lift are older, and they have noticed the upper lip getting “thinner” as they age. Since the red part of the lip is getting thinner, they assume this is the part that needs to be augmented. So when a woman comes to me for lip enhancement, most of the time she is thinking…