Lip lift

What is a lip lift?

In a lip lift procedure, a wave-like segment of skin is removed directly under the nose. The upper lip becomes shorter and the vermillion (red part of the lip) becomes larger.

The normal length of a young woman’s upper lip in the midline ranges from 12 to 15 mm. When aging; however, the upper lip will sag which makes it longer. This will cause a reduced visibility of the upper front teeth both in rest and when laughing. Men and elderly women tend to have a longer upper lip and less visible upper front teeth.

Advantages

• Strongly feminizing procedure which will also make you look much younger.
• Relatively inexpensive procedure.
• If performed by an experienced surgeon, this procedure has a very high success rate and complications are rare.

Disadvantages

• This procedure requires surgery that leaves a scar. If performed correctly by an experienced surgeon however, the scar will not be very visible after about four months and hardly noticeable once it has reached its full maturation, which will be after 12 – 18 months.
• In case you have bad teeth, the added visibility of your upper front teeth will not be an improvement of your looks. You will need a treatment of your teeth as well.

How does a lip lift work?

A lip lift is a surgical procedure which, as a single procedure, can easily be performed under local anaesthesia.

• The lip is rolled up, so a larger vermillion area is visible.
• The resulting curvature increases the lip projection.
• The upper teeth can be exposed about three or four mm.

What can a lip lift do for you?

A lip lift can make you look younger, more feminine and more attractive. Provided you have well preserved teeth, it will give you a ‘fresher’ look.

Who is a good candidate for a lip lift?

• Any woman who has an upper lip that is longer than 15 mm in the midline.

Who is not a good candidate for a lip lift?

• Men, as the procedure would be too feminizing.
• Women who have a very high smile line. This means that when they laugh, too much of their gums over the upper front teeth becomes visible which is called a gummy smile.
• Woman with already hanging corners of the mouth. A lip lift is likely to result in a sad look caused by clearly hanging corners of the mouth. In those cases, a lip lift combined with lipofilling of the midface (facelift without scars) could be a good alternative.

How to prepare for a lip lift?

There is no specific preparation for a lip lift.

How is a lip lift performed?

• A lip lift can be performed under local anaesthesia or in combination with other procedures under general anaesthesia.
• After having made the design for the excision, the local anaesthetic is injected.
• The skin is excised and the wound is closed in two layers.
• To ensure optimal healing of the wound under the nose, botulinum toxin is injected into the upper lip during the procedure. This ensures that the upper lip will not move for 3 months and that the wound is given maximum rest. This results in a very beautiful healing of the wound and a scar that is almost invisible. If a bit of discoloration is still vidible after 1 year between the scar and the surrounding skin, this area can be coloured with permanent make-up (dermatography).

What is the average treatment plan of a lip lift?

As a stand-alone treatment, a lip lift can be performed under local anaesthesia as an outpatient procedure.

What to expect and do during the recovery period after a lip lift?

• The day of the procedure and the day after, the patient can experience some slight pain or discomfort which can be easily managed with the pain medication we will give you.
• During the first week, the upper lip might give the impression of being far too short. You will see, however, that the lip will reach a normal length as the swelling that was caused by the surgery subsides.
• The scar under your nose will be red and elevated for a period of two to four months and become hardly noticeable once it has reached its full maturation, which will be after 12 – 18 months.

What are the risks of a lip lift?

If performed by an experienced surgeon, the only possible complication could be a hypertrophic scar. This can be treated with (repeated) corticoid injections or surgical excision of the scar followed by (repeated) corticoid injections. A surgical revision of the scar should not take place until at least twelve months have passed since the surgery.

How long can I expect the results of the procedure to last?

Of course, the normal aging process could lengthen the upper lip again, but this will take several years, if not decades.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the cost of facial surgery?

  You can find estimated prices here, after your consultation you will be informed of the exact prices of your operation. Prices are average and may vary depending on: the exact treatment or surgery needed; the exact area you want to have treated; your bone structure; your expectations and wishes...

  We have a specific procedure to get a quote from the doctor. To receive a personalized quote, please visit the following link to see your different options.

• Is there a payment plan or financing option for a surgery?

  No, payments have to be made following our payment policy. It is not possible to pay for a surgery via monthly/... payments.

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