Cleft lip

Most corrective options for cleft lip are surgical and begin at approximately 10 weeks of age.

Secondary procedures are used to address primary complications or functional and cosmetic deficits, such as speech problems or upper lip hypoplasia.

By the time cleft lip patients reach adolescence, they have often undergone 10 or more surgeries related to aesthetic-functional defects and many desire less invasive options to improve residual cosmetic imperfections.

Soft tissue augmentation with injectable fillers can be used to address the aesthetic considerations of cleft lip volume decrease and asymmetry. Hyaluronic acid is frequently used to enhance the lips and is FDA-approved for soft tissue augmentation.

Adverse reactions occur rarely and most are self-limited, including erythema, edema, and ecchymosis.

Injectable soft tissue fillers, especially hyaluronic acid, may provide a minimally invasive method for aesthetic improvement in patients with cleft lip who desire additional aesthetic improvement after surgical repair.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

* NH Robin, H Baty, J Franklin. The multidisciplinary evaluation and management of cleft lip and palate. South Med J. 2006;99:1111-20.
* JM Sykes, TT Tollefson. Management of the cleft lip deformity. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2005;13:157-67.
* ES Schweiger, CC Riddle, V Tonkovic-Capin. Successful treatment with injected hyaluronic acid in a patient with lip asymmetry after surgical correction of cleft lip. Dermatol Surg. 2008;34:717-9.
* PM Friedman, EA Mafong, ANB Kauvar. Safety data of injectable nonanimal stabilized hyaluronic acid gel for soft tissue augmentation. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28:491-4.