Lip Lift

You will not experience pain or discomfort during your procedure. However, once you are in recovery, you may feel some mild soreness along the upper lip as your incision heals. Any discomfort is easily managed with over-the-counter pain medication, gentle massage, cool compresses, and soothing lip ointment.

Lip lift surgery is generally safe, with minimal risks. Potential concerns include bleeding, infection, temporary numbness, prolonged swelling, asymmetry, or visible scarring. While uncommon, these risks are carefully managed to ensure optimal healing and results.

A lip lift permanently enhances the height of the upper lip by reshaping and lifting it, creating a taller appearance. In contrast, lip fillers do not significantly increase lip height but instead add temporary volume by plumping and enhancing projection. While these procedures achieve different goals, they are often combined—lip fillers can be used after a lip lift to add volume to an improved lip shape. However, for younger patients with naturally full lips, a lip lift can be an excellent alternative to achieve better lip proportions without the need for repeated filler injections.

All surgical procedures result in some scarring, but a well-performed and properly healed lip lift should leave an imperceptible scar in social settings. The bullhorn lip lift incision is discreetly placed under the base of the nose, where natural shadows help conceal it once healed. A direct lip lift incision may take longer to soften along the lip’s edge but is expected to heal into a faint, socially unnoticeable scar. Laser treatments are often used to further refine and fade the appearance of lip lift incisions.

A lip lift enhances the smile by increasing upper tooth visibility, improving lip proportions, and refining the Cupid’s bow. Because it does not alter the facial muscles that control movement, it does not interfere with the natural dynamics of your smile. However, during healing, some stiffness in the smile is normal and to be expected, as the incision and deeper sutures take several weeks to soften.

No, a lip lift enhances the shape of the lips rather than relying on volume. It can rejuvenate thin, turned-in lips or enhance naturally thin lips by improving their shape, often achieving more natural results than lip fillers. Fillers can sometimes look unnatural if the lip shape isn't suited to accommodate volume, as they may shift into the inner lip or above the lip border. Dr. Renata specializes in subtle, refined results tailored to each patient’s facial features as well as ideal smile aesthetics.

Makeup can be applied to the healing incision as early as two weeks after surgery, provided there are no concerns with healing. It can help camouflage normal redness or pinkness that is present in the early stages of healing, as well as blend any incisions near the lip edge. Using medicated ointments, silicone-based gels, or other recommended products at the right time during recovery supports optimal healing.

Yes! A lip lift can be performed on patients with facial hair. Dr. Renata has extensive experience treating male patients and strategically planning incisions to achieve a natural lip shape while preserving natural hair patterns. Key considerations include shaving before surgery, avoiding shaving immediately after to prevent irritation or infection, and using pre-operative photos to carefully design the ideal lip shape and size. Many male patients seek a subtle, natural enhancement with the right balance of lip and dental show, often preferring a lip lift over fillers, which may appear more noticeable.

A lip lift, whether subnasal or direct, enhances upper tooth visibility by ensuring a natural sliver of upper teeth is seen during normal speech. If little to no upper tooth show is present at baseline, the procedure can be designed to improve this, as only showing lower teeth often contributes to an aged appearance. A lip lift also enhances upper tooth visibility while smiling, revealing more of the dental arch. Ideally, around 1mm of gum show at full smile is associated with a youthful appearance. Patients with minimal tooth show, both at rest and when smiling, often benefit from this procedure.

Yes. Performing both procedures simultaneously allows for small, incremental refinements in each lip that collectively create a more proportional and structured result. This approach optimizes healing efficiency and minimizes overall procedural downtime. For patients who would benefit from both an upper and lower lip lift, it also ensures uniform post-surgical management, particularly regarding scar treatments, which can be performed at the same time. Dr. Renata employs precise preoperative analysis to calibrate adjustments that enhance lip balance while maintaining a natural aesthetic.

Yes, a lip lift is often combined with other facial cosmetic procedures to enhance overall facial harmony. The posture, position, and shape of the upper lip significantly influence how facial youthfulness versus aging is perceived. A thin, elongated upper lip with little dental or pink lip show is commonly associated with advanced age. For this reason, a lip lift is frequently performed alongside a facelift, as lower facial aging often coincides with upper lip elongation, sagging, and thinning.

Younger patients may combine a lip lift with procedures like chin augmentation, liposuction, or an isolated neck lift for improvements of lower facial aesthetics. Additionally, those seeking both enhanced shape and volume may opt for lip fillers or fat grafting after fully healing from their lip lift.

After lip lift surgery, patients should avoid smoking, excessive alcohol intake, direct sun exposure, strenuous exercise, and direct pressure on the incisions during the first few weeks. Following post-operative instructions carefully ensures seamless healing and optimal results.