A lip lift helps to improve the appearance of your lips by making them look fuller and more defined. It is performed as an in-office surgery, where the space between your nose and upper lip is shortened. This gives the illusion of fuller lips. It also defines the level of visibility of upper central teeth when the lips are resting. A lip lift is ideal for patients who want to increase the lip's height instead of volume.
Surgical lip lifts are classified into several types. It is important to be aware of the techniques and types so that you can discuss them with your surgeon and make an informed decision.
Cental lip lift: This is the most common type of lip lift. It creates a small incision in the crease between your nose and upper lip. The skin is then lifted and the central portion of the lip is pulled up.
Corner lip lift: This type of lip lift is also known as a grin lift or a lateral lip lift. It involves making an incision at the corner of your mouth, which is then lifted to give your lips a subtle lift. It aids in giving a smiley appearance to the face.
Subnasal Bullhorn lip lift: This is one of the common lip lift procedures. It involves making an incision in the bullhorn shape and the left, right, and center of the lip are pulled to the nose. This will help to raise the position of your upper lip, and also make it look fuller.
Italian lip lift: It involves two incisions beneath each nostril. The skin is lifted and the central portion of the upper lip is pulled up. The procedure is almost the same as the bullhorn lift. The best part is it does not leave any visible scars.
Direct lip lift: This involves removing a thin layer of skin that is located in the upper lip as well as the skin being dragged upwards, developing the illusion of a shorter distance from the base of the nose to the upper lip. The incision for this kind of surgery is usually well hidden, just beneath the nostrils. The procedure is also referred to as upper lip lift.
The above surgical lip lift treatments are not recommended for active smokers or when the individual has less space between their upper lip and nose.
Non-surgical lip lift: Non-surgical lip lifts are usually performed using either fillers or botulinum toxin injections. Fillers can be used to add volume to the lips, while botulinum toxin can be used to relax the muscles around the mouth, allowing the lips to appear fuller.
The surgeon will first numb the area around the mouth with a local anesthetic. Once the area is numb, the surgeon will inject the filler or botulinum toxin into the lips. The surgeon will then massage the lips to help distribute the product evenly.
The non-surgical lip lift procedure takes around 30 to 60 minutes to complete. There is typically no downtime associated with this type of procedure, and patients can resume their normal activities immediately afterward.