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Hare's lip
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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Causes of Cleft Lip
Why does cleft lip occur? The main cause of newborn pathologies is considered to be the pregnant woman's exposure to viral infectious diseases during the first trimester. Further on the list of factors influencing the occurrence of the defect is the intake of certain medications by the expectant mother, poor environmental conditions, smoking, drugs, and genetic factors.
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Is cleft lip hereditary?
Cleft lip is the result of gene mutations if these genes play a role in cranial development. The scientific world is busy searching for the gene that transmits the defect. But now it is known: cleft lip, formed under the influence of heredity, most likely appears in children where several relatives were born with a similar defect.
Symptoms of Cleft Lip
A cleft lip can look different. There are unilateral and bilateral pathologies. In the first case, we see a cut deep into the upper lip (usually on the left). In the second case, we see a groove tearing the lip to the nose (or deeper) from the middle.
The degree of damage may vary. There are through, one-sided and two-sided clefts. Through is also called isolated. It is extremely rare to see a defect on both lips.
It should be noted that cleft lip and Patau syndrome are not the same thing. But this defect can occur as a result of Patau syndrome, which occurs randomly and is irreversible. Approximately 1 in 5,000 babies are born with Patau syndrome. Such children need special medical care. The first week of life of a baby born with Patau syndrome is considered critical because most babies do not survive. Pregnancies with such a diagnosis are considered high-risk.
A cleft lip is an external defect. It can be easily corrected by a plastic surgeon. In newborns, a cleft lip does not affect their physiology and psyche, but later it can cause some difficulties. For example, during eating. In addition, the baby may have difficulty talking and smiling. Specialized dental care products will be needed. The defect can also lead to other disorders.
Celebrities with Cleft Lips
Famous people are not perfect, many of them, just like ordinary people, have defects, such as a harelip.
For example, the famous actor Joaquin Phoenix has a scar between his nose and lips. He was born with a scar that is a mild form of a congenital pathology.
A harelip is also attributed to TV presenter Masha Malinovskaya and the leader of the group "Time Machine" Andrei Makarevich. Some people claim that Mikhail Boyarsky hides a scar from a harelip under his moustache. Other Russian actors who are said to have been born with this defect are Andrei Mironov and Alisa Freindlich.
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Diagnosis of cleft lip
A cleft lip is diagnosed during an ultrasound scan during pregnancy from the 16th to the 20th week. Such news is not a reason for abortion, since it does not entail either mental retardation of the child or a violation of its development. The exception is a cleft lip as a result of a congenital pathology. Such cases are diagnosed before the onset of labor.
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Treatment of cleft lip
The defect can only be corrected surgically. Cheiloplasty is performed in stages. The number of surgeries, volume and timing are determined by the doctor. You should consult an otolaryngologist, speech therapist, psychologist, phoniatrist, orthodontist and audiologist, since a cleft lip causes a decrease in immunity, hearing and speech impairment. Before surgery, serious care of the oral cavity is required to prevent caries and other diseases. In the postoperative period, it is necessary to ensure that no infection gets into the wounds.
Cleft lip surgery
Cleft lip is corrected surgically. The operation includes several stages. First, it is important not only to eliminate the cosmetic defect, but also to restore the anatomy. The baby undergoes plastic surgery of the nose and lips. Plastic surgery of the palate is done before the child reaches one and a half years. General anesthesia is used. The stitches can be removed after a week. Plastic surgery of the palate involves a five-day hospital stay. The final operation, plastic surgery of the upper jaw, is planned from eight to twelve years old, when the child's permanent teeth appear.
Cleft lip plastic surgery
The cleft lip is subject to plastic surgery. Primary cheiloplasty is performed in the first days of the baby's life. This is how the previously split lip is restored to its full functionality. At an early age, different methods of cheiloplasty are performed. The choice of technique is made by the doctor, guided by the form of the defect.
If it is necessary to correct the lip, nose and muscles of the oral area, primary rhinocheiloplasty is performed. This intervention is considered complex.
Restoring the full functionality of the lips and nose and eliminating defects of the alveolar process is accomplished by performing rhinocheilognatoplasty.
A comprehensive examination of the patient precedes cheiloplasty. Doctors need to confirm that the child is ready for surgery.
After completion of the cleft lip plastic surgery, a gauze pad is placed in the nose to protect the stitches. The pad is then replaced with a plastic tube for 3 months to prevent deformation of the nose. The stitches are removed a week after the surgery.
The postoperative scar is visible, but it can be reduced in the future by using cosmetic procedures.
After a year, the results of cheiloplasty become obvious. In most cases, additional actions are required to correct deformations. They are carried out later.
Prevention of cleft lip
Give up bad habits. When planning a pregnancy, get tested for TORCH and STIs. Consult a geneticist if there is a pathology in the family. Plan pregnancy at a young age. Avoid stress, take medications as prescribed by a doctor.
Cleft lip prognosis
The overall prognosis is favorable. With timely treatment, the defect can be completely eliminated, and the scar after the operation can be made invisible. The child's further development will be the same as his peers. Sometimes, the services of a speech therapist may be required, because a cleft lip entails speech disorders (difficulty in articulation, nasal speech).
Disability due to cleft lip
A person born with a defect such as a cleft lip is assigned a disability. The local pediatrician is obliged to refer the child for an examination. The basis is a disorder of the digestive system. Disability is assigned until the disorder is eliminated, at the age of 3 to 7 years. They are registered with social security agencies and paid a disability pension. One of the parents must receive monthly compensation payments. If the examination refuses to recognize the child's disability or removes the disability before recovery, it is necessary to appeal this decision. The child is removed from the disability register only after all rehabilitation measures are completed.
A cleft lip is therefore not a death sentence. It is a cosmetic defect that needs to be corrected in a timely manner.
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