Lip lift wih dermal suspension flap technique : effect on patient satisfaction and scar appearance

Abstract

Aim: This study was designed to compare the effect of the classical bull horn excision pattern lip lift technique (group I) and the lip suspension technique (group II) which was performed using a dermal flap prepared on the upper lip with the same pattern incision, on patient satisfaction and scar appearance in lip lift surgeries.

Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight female patients aged 48-66 years, operated by the author between 2016 and 2023, were analyzed in two groups. The first group included 14 patients who were operated on with the classical bull horn excision pattern lip lift technique, and the second group included 14 patients who were operated with the lip suspension technique using a dermal flap prepared on the upper lip with the same pattern incision under local anesthesia. At the end of the 6th month, the patients in both groups, who were followed up for 6 months, were asked about their satisfaction with the overall aesthetic result using the global aesthetic improvement scale. In addition, an evaluator surgeon scored the postoperative scar using the Vancouver scar scale. All results were evaluated statistically.

Results: 9 of 14 patients (66%) stated very much improvement in the group 2 in which the dermal suspension flap was used, while 6 of 14 patients (%42.9) stated very much improvement with classical technique in Group 1, in the postoperative assessment at 6th month. Likewise, when the scar score performed by the evaluator surgeon was examined in 6th month. The scar scale was 14 in group 1 and 4 in group 2. In Group 1, the values of the patients ranged from 0 to 4, and the mean value was 1.0. In Group 2, the values ranged between 0-2 and the mean value was 0.3. Overall patient satisfaction was clinically significantly higher in group 2 when compared with group 1 and the scar was found to be clinically significantly less in group 2 when compared with group 1, even though there is no statistical significance (p>0.05) between 2 groups in overall patient satisfaction and scar score, probably due to limited number of patients in groups.

Conclusion:

It has been concluded that lip lift surgeries performed using the dermal suspension flap technique can contribute as a valuable alternative to the classical excision method, due to both higher overall aesthetic patient satisfaction and less scarring in our patients.