Lip Lift

A lip lift is performed under local anesthesia with or without light sedation and only takes about one hour. Frequetly, lip lifts are performed in combination with other procedures such as facelifts and fat grafting. The surgeon makes a precise incision hidden under your nose, removes a small strip of skin, and lifts the upper lip to its new position. This reshapes your lip line and creates that natural, lifted appearance. You’ll be able to go home the same day.

The incision is carefully placed in the natural crease where your nose meets your upper lip, making it very discreet. While there will be a fine-line scar, most patients find that with proper scar care, it becomes barely noticeable after 6-12 months. We’ll give you specific instructions on how to minimize scarring during healing.

Most patients describe the discomfort as moderate and easily managed with prescribed pain medication for the first few days. You’ll have swelling and bruising that peaks around days 3-4. Most people feel comfortable returning to work after 7-10 days, though you may want to wait 2 weeks for important social events. The full recovery process takes 4-6 weeks for all swelling to resolve.

Unlike fillers, which add volume but don’t change lip position, a lip lift actually reshapes the upper lip by shortening the space between the nose and lip. This creates a more permanent solution that shows more teeth when you smile and restores a more youthful lip position. Many patients find they no longer need fillers after a lip lift, though some choose to combine both for optimal results. It is also possible to have fat grafting placed in the lips at the time of the lip lift.

The best candidates are those with an elongated upper lip area (typically more than 15-18mm from nose to lip border), those whose upper lip tends to disappear when smiling, or those wanting a more permanent solution than fillers. Natural lip thickness isn’t as important as the distance between your nose and upper lip. During your consultation, we’ll assess your facial proportions and discuss whether a lip lift would achieve your goals.

A lip lift creates permanent changes to your lip position, though your face will continue to age naturally. Most patients never need a revision, but your results will age with you. Some patients choose to maintain their results with occasional fillers after several years, while others remain satisfied with their surgical results alone.

The first few days require soft foods and minimal talking. Most patients return to normal speaking within 5-7 days and regular eating within 2 weeks. Laughing, smiling widely, or making exaggerated expressions might feel tight for several weeks as the swelling resolves. Around the 6-week mark, most patients feel completely back to normal with their new lip position.

This is a valid concern since the incision is placed at the base of your nose. Our surgeon will carefully preserve your nostril shape and nasal base width. However, you should know that there can be some minor changes to how your nose base looks when you smile, as we’re adjusting the tissue below the nose.
Any changes are typically subtle, and most patients don’t notice them once they have healed. We take detailed measurements and photos during planning to ensure your nose-to-lip proportion stays balanced. If you’ve had previous nose surgery or are planning rhinoplasty, it’s important to let us know, as this can affect our surgical approach.