Fuller, more luscious looking lips have always been a popular and desired look. In recent years the trend in getting lip fillers spearheaded by celebrities and influencers alike has really taken off. But lip fillers, as great as they are, don’t necessarily work for everyone. Or you might simply be tired of the upkeep necessary to maintain your filler treatment look.
Some people are just naturally born with a very thin upper lip, or we often see that with age and the loss of moisture and collagen, when the skin begins to give way to gravity, that lips tend to become thinner and the space between the nose and mouth can widen. This can often make the face look less proportional and older than it actually is.
The surgical lip lift is a permanent solution for those who are looking for a fuller, more pronounced and proportional upper lip. The surgical lip lift shortens the gap between the nose and mouth by removing a small amount of skin and lifts the upper lip in order to allow the pink portion of the lip to become more visible. It is also great at simply giving a more balanced and youthful look to the face by shortening the space between the nose and the upper lip, which is also called the philtrum.
Although the result of a surgical lip lift will achieve volume, the focus is really on the lift, and is really great for those individuals looking for more height to the upper lip as opposed to volume alone.
Surgical Lip Lift vs. Lip Filler
You may be wondering which is better option between getting a surgical lip lift or lip filler, but we would say neither one is better or worse. Each comes with its advantages and disadvantages, so the question is, which procedure is best for you? What will give you the best possible result for your goals and needs?
Here’s the thing: although lip fillers are super widespread, they actually don’t work for everyone. For people who have a very thin upper lip—one that is almost non-existent—there is almost no room to inject filler, so a surgical lip lift can really resolve this issue.
That said, for the surgical lip lift to look right, you actually need a fairly large gap between your nose and upper lip since the procedure entails shortening this space, so for those of you that have a smaller gap in this area, fillers might be the best option for you.
The great thing about the surgical lip lift is that it’s permanent, so if you’ve been getting lip fillers for many years and are tired of the upkeep this is a great solution. But you might be someone who prefers the versatility of fillers. There are a ton of different kinds of looks and pouts that you can achieve with lip fillers, so if you’re someone who likes to change their look, the permanency of the surgical lip lift might not appeal.
Both procedures can achieve a beautiful, plumper and natural looking lip, it really just depends on your anatomy, but also on what you like and want.
What is the surgical lip lift recovery like?
The recovery after a surgical lip lift is actually not too bad. You’ll find that you won’t have too much pain or bruising. Your mouth and lips might feel a little funny, and they’ll feel stiff and puffy, mostly from swelling, but you’ll still be able to eat, drink, chew and talk.
You’ll have to take a week off of work, but by the time your week is up, your swelling will have subsided and you’ll be able to cover up any small scars with make-up. You’ll need to take it easy on the exercise and stay away from vigorous forms of exercise for a month. No downward dogs! You don’t want to be bending over forwards.
You’ll also have to avoid putting pressure or undue strain on the area, like no sleeping on your face or opening your mouth too wide.
Will I have a scar?
Scarring is really minimal with the surgical lip lift. Our surgeons are super aware and sensitive to the fact that this surgery in particular involves your face, so obviously you don’t want to be left with any visible scarring.
Besides having a ton of expertise in minimizing surgical scarring, our surgeons have techniques that they use in order to strategically hide scars in the creases between the nose and mouth as well as in the shadows of the nose or sometimes even within the nose itself. They’ll also teach you how to take care of your scars so that they heal properly.
You’ll need to have patience with yourself and give your body time to heal, but you’ll notice that in the weeks and months following your surgery that any scarring will eventually become an imperceptible line.
How much does a surgical lip lift cost?
Everyone is different, so the cost of this procedure can vary depending on the complexity of your particular case. Come in for a complimentary consultation with one of our plastic surgeons and we’ll be able to give you a firm quote. We love meeting new patients! And we’d be happy to discuss your case more and help design a customized treatment plan to achieve your particular goals.
Did we answer all your questions? Our goal is to ensure you have the best information possible to make your decision. If you still have questions, we’re here to help.