Adult Lip Revision...

[Anonymous]

I am a 33-yr-old woman considering having lip revision surgery. I was born with a unilateral cleft that left me with a very tight, thin top lip. My doctor has suggested the "Abbe Flap" procedure? Has anyone ever had one of these done? How painful and uncomfortable was the recovery? Were you able to speak? What were the results? Were you pleased? Did you have a "cupid's bow"? And was the scar less pronounced? And finally, did your insurance pay for it? Thank you for any help you can offer me!!


Andrea M.

[Bill Magee]

I saw your note about Abbe Flaps and wanted to say that if you have a bilateral cleft and the lip is too tight, it is a wonderful proceedure. I have been treating people with clefts for over 22 years and have operated on over 3000 people with clefts. On quite a few individules with bilateral clefts the milline segment was just never big enough and for that reason it becomes impossible to get a good result. When you do it you do get two good peaks of the cupid's bow but more importantly you also get a good midline dimple which is missing in most repaired bilatyeral clefts. If you need any other questions answered please don't hesitate to call me eithae at my office 757 627 6700 or at my home 757 489 1247 and I be more that glad to discuess it with you. Good luck. Dr. Magee

[Anonymous]

I am also 33 years old and I had the abbe flap procedure done when I was about 23. I have a unilateral cleft. There was much discomfort, but I am glad that I had it done. I could not speak while my lips were stitched. I have more of a cupids bow now (I never had one before). I had laser surgery at a later date to help diminish scars. (I can give you many more details if you'd like.) My insurance paid for it. But sometimes it's a struggle. If your insurance company tries to deny it, don't take "no" for an answer. Make sure they know that it is NOT cosmetic surgery, but reconstructive surgery for a cleft lip repair. Talk to your human resource person if your insurance is through your employer. If your insurance company tries to deny it, take your case to an independent group not affiliated with your insurance company--I had to do that once (again, talk to your human resource person for this). Good luck!

[sunnflwr076@aol.com]

Can you give me some info on the laser surgery?...I was born with unilaterel cleft..I am 24 and i am not really happy with my scar...Can you email me?

[cphill02@yahoo.com]

Hello;


I have been lurking here for a bit and thought I might respond to this post. I had this procedure done and I guess it was worht it. Really it was a trade off. I ended up with another scar on my bottom lip from the mid line to about 1" down to my chin. I do have the dimple & a slight cupids bow from it however since I am a guy and prefer to wear a beard the hair above my upper lip grows up-side down! This is because tissue from the lower lip is fliped upside down for what goes on top. If I don't keep it trimed it would grow right up my nostrils. I think it's kinda funny.


The worst part of this operation is going back in to get the two attached pieces of lip seperated. I only got a local anesthetis and remember that entire surgery. It disturbed me for a long time remembering being awake during the operation.


If I had it to do all over again I can't say if I would have done it or not - not really my choice at the time as I was only 12 years old.


BTW I think very thin upper lips on women is very sexy. Didn't one of the Victoria's Secrets models (Kathy Ireland??) have one?