As we age, the upper lip may elongate, losing its youthful volume and contour. Many younger people may also have a longer distance between the base of their nose and their upper lip, which can appear disproportionate to their other facial features. Boston female plastic surgeon Dr. Alannah Phelan performs a surgical lip lift to restore a youthful proportion to the upper lip and beautifully frame your smile.
What is a lip lift?
A surgical lip lift is a cosmetic procedure that shortens the distance between the upper lip and the base of the nose, through a small incision hidden in the shadow of the nose. The purpose of a lip lift is to increase the amount of red lip that is visible. Revealing more of your upper lip creates naturally plump lip volume and shape, and helps create a younger appearance in the mouth area. This may be paired with filler treatments to add volume to the lip as well.
Our lip lift technique: The subnasal (bullhorn) lip lift
The most widely-used lip lift technique, the subnasal lip lift involves an incision placed along the base of the nose. This allows Dr. Phelan to lift the lip and create a more youthful appearance while also placing your scar in the most inconspicuous location. She pays the utmost attention to scar placement to make the scar’s appearance as inconspicuous as possible, and we will provide you with post-operative instructions that can help to promote the most discreet scar possible. Over time, these scars tend to become very fine lines that blend closely with your natural skin tone.
Lip lift vs. other lip enhancement procedures
While lip fillers and implants add volume, a surgical lip lift may be the preferred procedure for some patients looking for natural-looking enhancement: a lip lift focuses on restoring proportion of the upper lip for a youthful and aesthetically pleasing look.
Dr. Phelan typically recommends a lip lift for patients experiencing age-related changes in the lips, such as elongation and thinning, or for individuals seeking permanent results and a more defined lip contour.
Benefits of a lip lift
Although a lip lift is a relatively straightforward procedure requiring minimal downtime, this type of lip enhancement can significantly enhance the appearance of the upper lip and mouth.
Benefits of a lip lift include:
- Increases the amount of visible pigmented lip tissue for a fuller, more youthful look
- Enhances overall facial balance with a more proportionate lip appearance
- Provides permanent results
Good candidates for a lip lift
Ideal candidates for a lip lift have a long upper lip or desire to increase their visible red lip. As with any surgery, patients should be in good overall health and have realistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure. It’s also important that patients understand that the results of a surgical lip lift are permanent.
If you would like to enhance your lips but aren’t ready for surgery or permanent results, Dr. Phelan and our expert injectors can use lip fillers to volumize your lips, with results lasting 6-12 months before your body naturally absorbs the filler.
The lip lift procedure
Your consultation
Dr. Phelan will meet with you to discuss your goals and examine your upper lip to ensure a surgical lip lift is the best procedure to bring your look to life. If you decide to move forward with lip lift surgery, we will provide pre-operative instructions with guidelines on medications, smoking, and other health considerations.
Anesthesia options
Dr. Phelan can perform lip lift surgery under local anesthesia, which helps you get back to normal activities more quickly (compared with general anesthesia). If a lip lift is part of a surgery plan with other procedures, such as a facelift, eyelid lift, or brow lift, you may prefer to have the procedure combination performed under general anesthesia
Surgery
Dr. Phelan makes an incision underneath the nose to remove excess skin and adjust the remaining tissues to create an ideal lip appearance. The placement of your lip lift incision is made with the utmost care and consideration to ensure the resulting scar is as inconspicuous as possible.
With your aesthetic goals in mind, once Dr. Phelan is pleased with the adjustments, she meticulously closes the incisions with layers of tiny sutures. A surgical lip lift usually takes about one hour to complete.
Recovery and aftercare
After lip lift surgery, patients will experience some mild and temporary bruising and slight swelling. Dr. Phelan will remove the stitches after one week, at which time, much of the bruising and swelling will have diminished.
For the first few days, you may feel some tenderness when speaking or chewing, but these effects will resolve as you heal. Most patients can return to most daily activities and work when they feel comfortable, but we ask you to delay strenuous activities for 1-2 weeks to prevent excessive swelling.
We provide detailed instructions on caring for the incision and scar care to ensure you heal beautifully.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Increases the amount of visible pigmented lip tissue
- Shortens the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip
- Lifts and reshapes the lip rather than adding temporary volume
- Complications: Complications refer to potential risks and side effects that can arise from a lip lift surgery.
- Non-surgical lip lift: Non-surgical lip lift involves procedures that enhance lip appearance without invasive surgery, often using fillers.
- Bullhorn lip lift / Bullhorn lift: Bullhorn lip lift is a specific surgical technique where an incision is made under the nose to lift the upper lip.
- Surgical lip lift: Surgical lip lift is a procedure that involves lifting and reshaping the upper lip to improve its appearance.
- Cosmetic surgery / Cosmetic procedure: Cosmetic surgery encompasses various procedures, including lip lifts, that enhance or alter a person’s appearance.
- Reconstructive surgery: Reconstructive surgery focuses on restoring function and appearance, which can include lip lifts after trauma or congenital issues.
- Dermal fillers: Dermal fillers are injectable substances containing hyaluronic acid, collagen, or other natural substances, used to add volume to the lips and other facial areas as a non-surgical enhancement.
- Facial plastic surgeon: A facial plastic surgeon specializes in surgeries that enhance facial features, including performing lip lifts.
- Board-certified plastic surgeon: A board-certified plastic surgeon has met specific standards and qualifications, ensuring expertise in plastic surgery procedures.
- Upper lip lift: Upper lip lift refers specifically to lifting the upper lip to reduce the distance between the lip and the nose.
- Local anesthesia: Local anesthesia numbs a specific area, used during lip lift surgery to ensure the patient feels no pain.
- Lip fillers: Lip fillers are injectables used to add volume to the lips temporarily, as opposed to the permanent changes from a lip lift.
- Facial plastic surgery: Facial plastic surgery includes procedures that enhance or reconstruct facial features, such as lip lifts.
- Injectable fillers: Injectable fillers are substances injected into the lips to add volume and shape without surgery.
- Healthcare provider: A healthcare provider oversees and performs medical treatments.
- Italian lip lift: Italian lip lift is a variation of the lip lift technique involving two small incisions beneath the nostrils.
- Healing process / Recovery process: The healing process refers to the period of recovery and tissue regeneration following a lip lift surgery.
- Plastic surgeons: Plastic surgeons are medical specialists who perform aesthetic and reconstructive surgeries, including lip lifts.
- Natural-looking results: Natural-looking results are the goal of a lip lift, aiming to enhance the lips without appearing artificial.
- Strenuous activities: Strenuous activities should be avoided during the recovery period after a lip lift to prevent complications.
- Lip augmentation: Lip augmentation involves procedures that increase the fullness of the lips, which can include lip lifts or fillers.
- Eye lift: Eye lift is another cosmetic surgery that improves the appearance of the eyelids, often performed alongside lip lifts for overall facial rejuvenation.
- Excision: Excision in a lip lift involves removing a small section of skin to lift and reshape the lip.
- Postoperative care: Postoperative care includes all the steps and precautions taken after a lip lift surgery to ensure proper healing.
- Botox: Botox is an injectable used to reduce wrinkles, sometimes combined with lip lifts for comprehensive facial enhancement. A “Botox lip flip” can temporarily provide a supper upper lip lift, as well.
- Blepharoplasty: Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, can be performed with a lip lift to rejuvenate multiple facial areas.
- Rhytidectomy: Rhytidectomy, commonly known as a facelift, can complement a lip lift for overall facial rejuvenation.
- Lip enhancement: Lip enhancement refers to various procedures aimed at improving the size, shape, and appearance of the lips.
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery: Plastic and reconstructive surgery includes both aesthetic improvements like lip lifts and restoring function after injury or disease.
- Direct lip lift: This lip lift method involves removing a strip of skin above the upper lip to lift and expose more of the lip tissue.
- Italian lip lift: This lip lift technique involves two small incisions under each nostril to achieve a subtle yet effective lift.
- Gull-wing lip lift: A gull-wing lip lift involves an incision along the vermilion border of the upper lip to enhance the definition and shape of the lip.Corner lip lift: This lip lift procedure lifts the corners of the mouth, which can address a downturned mouth and create a more pleasant and approachable appearance.
Results
You’ll see an immediate improvement in the shape and volume of your upper lip and a shorter distance between the base of the nose and pigmented lip tissue. Final results are visible after 3-6 months, once residual swelling has fully subsided.
Lip lift FAQs
References »
Júnior LCA, da Silva Cruz NT, de Vasconcelos Gurgel BC, de Aquino Martins ARL, Lins RDAU. Impact of subnasal lip lift on lip aesthetic: a systematic review. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2023 Mar;27(1):9-15. doi: 10.1007/s10006-022-01049-y.
Talei B, Pearlman SJ. CUPID Lip Lift: Advanced Lip Design Using the Deep Plane Upper Lip Lift and Simplified Corner Lift. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2022 Dec 14;42(12):1357-1373. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjac126.
Patel AA, Schreiber JE, Gordon AR, Mehta K, Mikolasko BD, Levine JB, Tepper OM. Three-Dimensional Perioral Assessment Following Subnasal Lip Lift. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2022 Jun 20;42(7):733-739. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjac070.
Sturm A. Lip Lift. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2022 Aug;55(4):835-847. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2022.04.013.
Fallahi HR, Keyhan SO, Bohluli B, Cheshmi B, Jafari P. Lip Lift Techniques in Smile Design. Dental Clinics of North America. 2022 Jul;66(3):443-457. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2022.02.006.
To learn more about a lip lift in Boston and to see if it’s the right lip enhancement procedure for you, schedule your consultation with female facial plastic surgeon Dr. Alannah Phelan. Please call Boston Plastic Surgery at (617) 786-7600.
