Khanyi Mbau has taken to Instagram to openly share that she has had some cosmetic surgery done to her face.
In a video where she looks bruised and swollen, she shares that she is fresh out of surgery and is now waiting for the healing process to begin.
“Now we bake, bought a new face,” she states in the caption.
She admits that she had grown tired of using Botox and fillers, now opting for a more permanent solution.
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The procedures she had done were a subnasal lip lift and blepharoplasty.
IOL spoke to Dr Alek Nikolic, an aesthetic medicine specialist and owner of Aesthetic Facial Enhancement, to find out more about the procedures.
Question: What is a blepharoplasty and subnasal lip lift procedure?
A blepharoplasty is the removal of excess eyelid skin (upper or lower or both).
A subnasal lip lift procedure is a small surgical procedure that removes excess upper lip skin that elongates as we age.
When the shortened upper lip is sutured back to the subnasal area during a lip lift procedure, the lift causes the lip to evert, or turn slightly outward, which creates the appearance of a fuller lip.
As we age, the skin between the nose and the upper lip elongates allowing the lip mucosa (vermilion) to fold in on itself making the upper lip look thinner.
Question: What are the risks of having these procedures done?
Both are surgical procedures, and all surgical procedures have risks and potential side effects or complications.
Blepharoplasty:
Surgical risks: Bleeding, infection, and blood clots.
Anaesthesia risks: Allergic reactions, which can rarely be fatal.
Eye problems: Dry or irritated eyes, difficulty closing the eyes, and injury to eye muscles.
Vision issues: Temporary blurred or impaired vision, and in rare cases, loss of eyesight.
Skin issues: Skin discolouration, numbness, and sensitivity to bright light.
Scarring: Noticeable scarring, unfavourable scarring, and visible scars.
Other complications: Lid lag, ectropion, and upper or lower eyelid malposition.
Subnasal lip lift:
Wound healing: Problems with wound healing, such as dehiscence, poor healing, or delayed healing.
Scarring: Scars that are depressed, raised, or stretched, or permanent scarring.
Sensation: Altered skin or lip sensation, numbness, or reduced movement.
Asymmetry: Uneven lips or asymmetries.
Other: Bruising, infection, nerve damage, swelling, allergic reaction to anaesthesia, or complications with anaesthesia.
Question: How long does it take to heal from these procedures?
Blepharoplasties tend to heal in five to seven days (before the suture is removed) but swelling and bruising can last several weeks.
The subnasal lip lift can take six to eight weeks to fully heal.
Question: Are there non-invasive methods that can be used to achieve the same effects?
Mild excess eyelid skin can be improved with nonsurgical treatments such as Botulinum toxin, soft tissue fillers, laser.
Mild to moderate lip inversion (due to lengthening of the upper lip skin) can be improved with soft tissue fillers which are placed in the upper and lower cheek, and the vermilion of the lip (if there is support from the underlying teeth) and Botulinum toxin (‘lip flip’).
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