Lip Lift Surgery

Lip Lift (lip lifting) is an aesthetic operation that surgically shortens the philtrum distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip, permanently elevating and reshaping the lip upward. While bringing the lip length that has become elongated due to aging or genetic reasons back to ideal proportions, this procedure turns the pink tissue of the upper lip outward to provide a pronounced fullness. Unlike temporary volume solutions such as lip fillers, Lip Lift eliminates disproportion in the lower half of the face, increases tooth show, and creates a lifelong, youthful, and dynamic architectural change in the lip structure.

What Does Lip Lift Surgery Aim to Change in Facial Aesthetics?

In facial aesthetics, the lips are one of the most important indicators of youth and dynamism. However, when the effects of time, gravity, and genetic factors come into play, the distance between the nose and the upper lip (philtrum) begins to lengthen. As this distance lengthens, the upper lip rolls inward, thins, and takes on a flatter appearance. More importantly, the visibility of the upper teeth decreases when speaking or smiling. This gives the person an older and more tired expression than they actually have. The main purpose of Lip Lift surgery is precisely to restore this disrupted balance.

The aesthetic gains provided by this operation should not be thought of merely as enlargement of the lip. The main goal is to achieve a more compact and youthful proportion in the lower half of the face by bringing the distance between the lip and the nose to ideal measurements. During the procedure, the “Cupid’s bow” in the midline of the lip becomes more defined and the lip contour becomes sharper. This new form adds a more feminine and attractive air to the face.

The main aesthetic improvements provided by the operation are as follows:

• Ideal philtrum distance
• Defined lip contour
• Increased tooth show
• Permanent lip fullness
• Rejuvenated facial expression
• Curved lip structure

Why Should Lip Lift Surgery Be Preferred Instead of Lip Fillers?

Many patients initially turn to filler applications to make their lips more prominent. Fillers are excellent tools for adding volume to the lip; however, not every lip structure is suitable for fillers. Especially in people with a long distance between the nose and the lip, injecting filler into the lip can make the existing problem even more apparent. Because filler is a weight, and when volume is added to a long lip, the lip does not lift upward; instead, it droops forward and downward with the added weight. This can cause an artificial and puffy appearance in profile, known in the aesthetic world as “duck lips.”

Lip Lift surgery, on the other hand, is not a volume procedure but a positioning procedure. We can compare it to a curtain; if your curtain touches the floor, adding fabric on top of it (getting filler) does not solve the problem; on the contrary, it causes bunching. What needs to be done is to shorten the length of the curtain, meaning to hang it higher. Lip Lift does this. It moves the lip to its original, correct position. In this way, the lip everts with its own tissue and gains natural fullness without the need for filler material. Therefore, in people with a long lip distance, a surgical solution provides a much more elegant and natural result than insisting on fillers.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Lip Lift Surgery?

When deciding suitability for this operation, not only the patient’s desire but also anatomical measurements are of great importance. During the examination, the first criterion we look at is the vertical distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip. In a youthful and aesthetic face, this distance is expected to be between 12 and 15 millimeters. If this distance is 17 millimeters or more, the person is a strong candidate for a Lip Lift.

In addition, the patient’s dental structure and smile dynamics are evaluated. When the mouth is slightly parted at rest, it is desirable for the upper central incisors to be visible by 2–3 millimeters. If a person’s teeth are not visible at all when speaking or smiling, this makes the face look older and is a valid reason for surgical intervention.

The common features seen in ideal candidates are as follows:

• Long lip distance
• Invisible upper teeth
• Inward-rolled lip structure
• Indistinct lip curvature
• Thin upper lip
• Flattened philtrum area

Which Technique Is Used for Lip Lift Surgery and Will There Be a Scar?

Today, the most frequently performed method that delivers the most successful results is the “Subnasal Bullhorn” technique. This naming comes from the shape of the incision resembling a bull’s horn. The operation is performed with an incision hidden in the natural folds just beneath the nostrils. The aim here is to ensure that the scar remains within the face’s natural shadowing areas.

During surgery, not only the skin is removed; the tissues beneath the skin are also released. The secret of a successful Lip Lift surgery is the “deep suspension” technique. For the new position of the lip to be permanent and not succumb to gravity, the lip tissue is suspended with strong sutures to the solid periosteum at the base of the nose or to deep connective tissues. This prevents the load from being carried only by the skin and thus helps prevent widening of the scar.

The issue of scarring is the biggest concern for patients. However, when performed with the correct technique and when the incision line is hidden into the base of the nose, the resulting scar takes on the skin color over time and becomes less noticeable. It is normal to see slight pinkness in the first months, but once healing is complete, this scar becomes a faint line that cannot be noticed from social distance.

What Should Be Considered Before Lip Lift Surgery?

A successful surgical process begins before the operating table. Although Lip Lift is a comfortable procedure performed under local anesthesia, factors that may affect tissue healing must be brought under control. In particular, habits that may increase bleeding risk or delay wound healing should be paused.

Things to avoid before the operation are as follows:

• Blood-thinning medications
• Smoking
• Green tea
• Vitamin E supplementation
• Alcohol consumption
• Herbal mixtures

How Does the Recovery Process Progress After Lip Lift Surgery?

The postoperative period is generally quite comfortable for our patients, but knowing certain stages reduces anxiety. The first 3 days are when edema, meaning swelling, is at its peak as the tissue’s natural response to surgery. During this period, the lip may look much larger than normal and patients may have difficulty closing their lips. This is temporary and should not create fear of remaining “buck-toothed”; as the swelling subsides, the lip will settle into its natural position.

Applying cold compresses during the first 48 hours and sleeping with the head elevated help the swelling go down faster. Sutures are usually removed between 5 and 7 days. With suture removal, our patients can comfortably return to their social lives. However, the lip regaining full softness, the tissues settling, and facial expressions becoming completely natural can take an average of 3–4 weeks. Full healing and scar maturation is a process that can take up to 6 months.

Things to pay attention to during the recovery period are as follows:

• Very hot foods
• Large bites
• Hard foods
• Exaggerated facial expressions
• Sun exposure
• Makeup application

Are Lip Lift Surgery Results Permanent?

Lip Lift is a permanent anatomical change, not a temporary solution like filler applications. The skin removed during the operation does not return, and thanks to the deep suspension performed, the lip maintains its new position. Therefore, patients do not need to repeat the procedure at certain intervals. The result obtained is the new lip form that the patient will have for life.

However, it should not be forgotten that surgery does not stop the aging process; it only turns the clock back. As the patient continues to age, there will be natural changes in skin elasticity. But since a Lip Lift lip is structurally shortened, it will always be more resistant to the sagging effects brought by aging. Even 10 years later, you will have a much younger and more dynamic lip structure compared to your unoperated state.

What Are the Risks and Complications of Lip Lift Surgery?

As with any surgical intervention, Lip Lift surgery has potential risks, but when performed with the correct technique by an expert surgeon, these risks are minimal. The most common situations are swelling that lasts slightly longer than expected or temporary sensory changes.

Rarely, delays in wound healing or the scar remaining more prominent than expected may be seen. At this point, the patient’s genetic wound-healing potential and smoking status are determining factors. The risk of asymmetry is tried to be eliminated by millimetric surgical planning. However, the human face is inherently asymmetrical, and minor differences may occur as a result of the two sides responding differently during the healing process. These can usually be corrected with massages or, if necessary, minor revisions.

Possible risks are as follows:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Noticeable scar
• Asymmetry
• Numbness
• Suture separation