Permanent lip augmentation with serial fat grafting.

A simple technique for lip augmentation with autologous fat is presented. Local anesthesia is injected into those areas used for fat harvesting and the perioral areas that are to receive the grafts. The fat is taken with a large needle and syringe, washed over meshed gauze, placed into the syringe, and injected into the lip tissue. Multiple passes with a small needle deposit the strained fat in horizontal tunnels within the lips. Subsequent injections are performed at a minimum of 3 months. Lip swelling is short lived and permanent lip augmentation occurs when patients undergo two to three grafting procedures.