At-Home Treatment Options
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JuvaLips Lip Plumping Device ($100)
$100, juvalips.com
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Patchology FlashPatch Hydrating Lip Gels ($15)
$15, sephora.com
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SkinMedica HA5 Smooth and Plump Lip System ($68)
$68, dermstore.com
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SiO Lip Line Treatment ($20)
$20, siobeauty.com
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reVive Light Therapy Lip Care ($99)
$99, revivelighttherapy.c
All products featured are independently selected by our editors, however, AEDIT may receive a commission on items purchased through our links.
AEDIT
Try on Lip Lift Solutions
‘Try on’ aesthetic procedures and instantly visualize possible results with AEDIT and our patented 3D aesthetic simulator.
The Skinny
During a lip lift procedure, a plastic surgeon creates a small incision in the lip area or under the nose and cuts off excess skin to lift and enhance the appearance of the lips, cupid's bow or other sagging and misshapen areas of the mouth. The upper teeth can then be seen more readily when the patient smiles after an upper lip lift procedure prevents drooping lips from hiding the teeth.
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Before & After Images by Provider
Before & After Images by Provider
Lip Lift Solutions
The Specifics
Lip Lift vs. Lip Fillers
Lip lift surgery is an actual outpatient procedure that includes a plastic surgeon making incisions in the lip area to improve the shape, position, and fullness of the lips. A lip lift is usually received under local anesthesia because general anesthesia is many times not required for the minimal amount of pain associated with this type of cosmetic surgery.
Although millions of members of the public have received or heard of soft-tissue dermal lip filler injections, like when hyaluronic acid in the form of Juvederm or Restylane is used to plump up a person's pout, not as many have necessarily learned about lip enhancement via surgery. Patients who want longer lasting results than injectable fillers, which are minimally invasive and temporary, are turning to lip lift surgery as a permanent option.
According to the 2017 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 29,797 lip augmentation procedures in 2017, not involving injectable fillers. That means the cosmetic procedure is up 5% from the 28,430 lip lift surgery procedures undergone in 2016 and has increased a tremendous 60% from the 18,589 procedures procured in 2000. Lip reduction procedures, on the other hand, decreased to 1,065 surgeries done in 2017, down 70% from the 3,547 lip reductions that were received in 2016.
Lip lifts may benefit certain patients more than lip fillers because the individuals may not react well to filler substances - or represent those participants who wish to avoid the "duck lips" look that can accompany incorrectly filled lips. With older patients, the lips tend to decrease in volume and get longer with age. But even younger patients can take advantage of a procedure that lifts the upper lip and provides a better "tooth show," especially for people whose upper teeth are rarely on display, even when smiling.
Lip Lift Cost
The variations in the cost of a lip lift procedure can swing widely since there are several different ways of performing the surgery. An upper lip lift may cost between $1,000 and $3,000, typically. However, based on the kind of lip enhancement surgery, and whether or not it is combined with other surgical procedures, the expenses can vary quite a bit.
The average cost of lip lift procedures value at anywhere from $100 to $7,000. However, the average cost of a lip lift is listed as $3,275. Factors such as the skill level and location of the surgeon play a big part in the cost. An upper lip lift has a cost of $3,200, while a corner lip lift has a price of $2,800. Lastly, the cost of an upper lip lift with a corner lip lift at $4,950.
Lip lift procedures may range from $2,000 to $5,000. Be sure to note that if the lip lift includes additional augmentation techniques, such as the insertion of a silicone lip implant, the surgery fee will cost more.
The lip lift procedures that are not facial plastic surgeries to correct a birth defect or reconstructive surgery performed in the wake of an injury will likely be considered cosmetic and not covered by insurance companies. Verify with your plastic surgeon's office all means of financing that are available to help with the expense of your surgery.
Before and After Lip Lift Surgery
Before undergoing lip lift surgery, recommendations such as the following should be adhered to:
In the wake of your lip surgery, it is essential to treat your newly altered mouth with care to allow it to heal. Some recommendations to help your surgical site heal properly after surgery include the following:
Who are the Ideal Candidates for Lip Lift Surgery?
The lip lift procedure is not simply a surgical procedure reserved for older patients who have discovered their lips lose their luster and positioning over the years. On the contrary, several people across a wide expanse of ages seek lip lift surgery to enhance their pouts and to project broader smiles by making their upper teeth more prominent. Folks in their 20s and beyond consider obtaining lip lifts to correct issues with their mouths.
The ideal candidates for the lip lift procedure include the following:
Those who should take caution or might not be ideal lip lift candidates include the following:
Possible Side Effects of a Lip Lift
Successful lip lift surgeries take place daily, but the potential for certain side effects exist, as with any surgery. The risk of infection, unpleasant results, the separation of a wound and scarring are all possibilities.
To avoid certain unexpected results, men are advised to receive electrolysis on the skin that may display hair in an unexpected location after the lip lift. Patients who have prominent philtral columns, which are the two mountain-like peaks of skin running diagonally beneath the nostrils, may need to have their flaps thinned to prevent an unnatural appearance of a cleft lip or a philtral extension into the nose. A loss of sensation, blood clots, and the accumulation of fluids are all potential side effects of lip lift surgery.
Lip Lift Techniques
A variety of modern lip lift techniques have provided patients with awesome lip lift results, unlike procedures in the past, which used to focus on incisions strictly made across the vermillion lip border of the lips, which is the top outline of the lips where lip liner is often drawn. Such older surgery techniques provided subpar results because they made the lip border harder to distinguish, and required that the patients wear makeup more often to provide a defined lip edge.
Nowadays, improved modifications on the following techniques have helped to create gorgeous outcomes for lip lift recipients. There are several different types of lip lifts, as explained below.
1: The Direct Vermillion or Gullwing Lip Lift
As seen in photos of the so-dubbed vermillion advancement lip lift, or "gull-wing lip lift," an area of excess skin in the shape of a seagull in flight is removed from the rim of the upper lip and above. That's where the "white roll" or "white lip" meets the colorful portion of the lips. People who have longer white lip segments can have them reduced, to create greater symmetry between the upper and lower lip, while placing the "red lip" portion in an optimal position.
The gull-wing lip lift requires an incision on the edge of the upper lip, however, scars at the vermillion border might be harder to hide without cosmetics. Patients must have enough excess skin in the area for the lift to be effective, and understand that their upper lip will be enlarged permanently, with a fine scar on the top edge.
2: The Subnasal "Bullhorn" Lip Lift
Similar to its name, the bullhorn subnasal lip lift is a procedure that removes excess skin from beneath the nostrils in the shape of a bull's horns. A small incision made below the nose can help those who have long upper lips - wherein the non-colorful part of the lips beneath the nose is very lengthy - experience lifted upper lips via a subnasal lip lift that removes excess skin.
The underlying skin is lifted and anchored to tissue atop the bones that reside beneath the nose, which causes the colorful portion of the lip to roll outward and creates a pouty lip. It can also help give similar lip lift results whereby the upper teeth are more visible.
3: The Modified Upper Lip Lift
The modified upper lip lift is similar to the subnasal lip lift, however, instead of strictly removing excess skin beneath the nose, the modified version places the incisions deeper inside the nose's mucosa. Such a scar that travels into the nose means that it does not require the continuous incision of a bullhorn upper lip lift.
This specific form of lip lift surgery was invented by Dr. Ben Talei of the Beverly Hills Center for Plastic & Laser Surgery. The updated procedure reduces the risk of the nostrils getting wider as the incisions are positioned in the natural crease underneath the nose.
The endonasal flaps being elevated is a benefit that contributes to less scar movement and minor loss in the lift. The incision closure in non-visible portions doesn't place as much tension on the closure and helps healing. Additionally, they are the same incision access points that can be used for some rhinoplasty procedures.
The Aesthetic Surgery Journal reports that at least one risk of this form of lip lift surgery includes disruption of the nasal sill, which is located at the base of the nose. Such side effects can be reduced by meticulous performance of the surgery by an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the practice. The modified upper lip lift can provide the same facial rejuvenation perks of the other forms of the procedure, offering more visibility of the teeth, as well as the pink part of the lip.
4: The Corner Lip Lift
A corner lip lift helps people whose corner edges of their lips curve downward, giving them a look of sadness or a stern expression. Tiny portions of excess skin in the shape of triangles are removed from each outward corner of the mouth. The surgical procedure causes the lip corners to lift upward and take on the appearance of youthful lips instead of a frowning expression with droopy outer corners.
The corner lip surgery improves the look of "drool groves," which are angular lines that can run downward from the corners of the mouth toward the jawline. The wedges of skin that are removed from the oral commissures, which are the mouth corners, will leave incisions on the outward vermillion border of the lips in each corner.
Corner lip lifts are especially recommended for younger patients who haven't yet experienced extreme sagging in the corners of their mouths and should be determined on a case-by-case basis for older patients to lift the corners of their mouths.
5: The Italian Lip Lift
An Italian lip lift is similar to a bullhorn lip lift, except the incisions appear as two smaller crescent shapes below the nostrils. Whereas the bullhorn lift is accompanied by a longer incision, the Italian lip lift has two separate spaces where excess skin is removed. The technique allows individuals who want fewer visible scars and a subtle lip lift to enjoy both results.
The Italian lip lift produces a lift that is more pronounced on the peaks of the lips and the areas beneath the nostrils.
Recovery From a Lip Lift
Directly following your lip lift surgery, there might be a slightly uncomfortable feeling as the mouth swells and feels tight. After a few days or one week, the swelling should dissipate sharply, as almost all swelling should go away within four weeks. When recovering from a lip lift procedure, it helps to keep these tips in mind:
The Takeaway
Long-Term Lip Lift Results
As people age, not only do the lips appear to lose their fullness, but the upper lip can curl inward and make the lips appear even less plump. Many people turn to a lip lift to reverse such signs of aging, with younger people also utilizing lip lifts to correct issues with their mouths they may have disliked for a long time.
Those whose skin types are more prone to sun damage may discover that their upper lip lengthens at a greater rate than others, and as such, they can combat the prematurely aging look with a lip lift that lasts longer than using injectables and lip fillers.
In conclusion, an upper lip region may be the central part of facial aesthetics, but also an overlooked feature that can't be permanently enhanced with lip fillers. Hyaluronic acid injections may work well to enhance certain lips, while lip implants may work well for others. However, a soft and malleable type of permanent lip filler does not yet exist that has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a permanent lip enhancer.
Therefore, lip lifts can step in and fill in the gap where temporary lip fillers and permanent implant fillers leave more to be desired. Folks who want more of a permanent solution but don't want to risk the complications associated with certain implant lip fillers, like hardening of the implant or extrusions, can turn to lip lifts to reposition and reshape the lips into a more fulfilling stance. Lip lifts do not come with concerns about transferred fats or fillers being absorbed by the body and the lip enhancement effect waning over time.
Talk to your plastic surgeon for more information regarding your situation.
