Lip Lift

Second only to the eyes, the mouth and lips draw attention in conversation. An upper lip lift shortens the skin between the nose and the upper lip and rolls out the pink lip for a fuller, more pouted look.

The white lip ideally measures 12–15 mm; when it is much longer it can look unbalanced, roll the red lip inward, and hide the upper teeth when you smile. Many practitioners wrongly try to fix this with filler, which can weigh the lip down and make it worse — a key reason to choose the right surgical approach.

Usually performed under local anesthetic (general if combined), the incision is concealed in the crease under the nose. Excess skin is carefully measured and removed, the muscle layers are re-approximated to preserve lip strength and shape, and the skin edges are aligned with fine sutures for minimal visibility. The procedure takes about 45 minutes as a day surgery.

Pain is minimal. Bruising and puffiness peak the next day and last five to seven days, and some stiffness or numbness of the upper lip can persist for two to four months. Sutures come out at five to seven days. Most patients look publicly presentable by one week, with the final result developing over months.