Many individuals seek to enhance the look of their lips, whether due to perceived smallness, lack of fullness, or irregular shape. You can enhance your lips with lip injections and dermal fillers, but non-surgical options usually yield temporary results requiring constant maintenance. Dr. DeVictor offers a permanent solution to improve lip contours with lip lift surgery.
Enhance Overall Lip
Contours & Fullness
When considering procedures to enhance lip shape and contours, you have various options, including non-surgical treatments like dermal fillers and lip flips. Fillers and injections plump up the lips using natural or synthetic materials, while lip flips create a fuller look by curling the upper lip using neurotoxins. However, these minimally invasive treatments offer only temporary results, necessitating repeated sessions to maintain the desired look over time.
Lip lift surgery provides similar enhancements with lasting results. This surgical procedure is performed in an office setting and can be done under local anesthesia with IV sedation or under general anesthesia. During surgery, a small amount of skin is removed from the area between the nose and upper lip. This gives the lip a fuller appearance, exposes more of the teeth when smiling, and adds height to the red lip, resulting in a more permanent transformation.
Lip Lift Corrects:
- Thin or disproportionately long upper lip
- Lack of tooth show while smiling
- Drooping or sagging upper lip
- Insufficient lip volume or fullness
- Imbalanced lip proportions
The Techniques Used For Lip Lift
Subnasal Bullhorn
During a subnasal bullhorn, also known as a bullhorn lip lift, a small strip of skin is removed from just below the nose in a bullhorn shape, reshaping and elevating the upper lip. By shortening the distance between the nose and the upper lip, the subnasal bullhorn creates a fuller, more youthful lip appearance and often reveals more of the teeth when smiling.
Direct Lip Lift
During a direct lip lift, a small, carefully placed incision is made along the border of the upper lip, allowing for the precise removal of a strip of skin. This pulls the upper lip upward, revealing more of the fleshy pink part of the lips. Direct lip lifts are known for their effectiveness in improving lip aesthetics and making the upper lips look more voluminous.
Corner Lift
Also known as a smile lift or grin lift, the corner lift involves creating incisions at the corners of the mouth. By carefully altering the tissue at these points, the procedure creates an upturned appearance of the lips. This technique is often sought by individuals looking to enhance their smile by correcting downward mouth corners and creating a more youthful lip contour.
Benefits of Lip Lift:
- Permanent results
- Enhanced upper lip contour
- Increased tooth show while smiling
- Balanced lip proportions
- Youthful and refreshed appearance
- Minimal scarring when performed by a skilled surgeon
- Long-lasting aesthetic improvement
Recovery After Lip Lift
To ensure smooth recovery, rest for at least 24 hours after surgery and follow your surgeon’s instructions. You must maintain a clean environment around the surgical area. Avoid any rubbing or irritation of the skin, and shield the healing site from sunlight. Keep the skin moisturized using a product that won’t irritate your skin, as recommended by your surgeon.
During this period, refrain from engaging in strenuous physical activities. You must also avoid smoking for a few weeks after surgery. When it comes to oral hygiene, be extra cautious while brushing your teeth to avoid any unnecessary strain on the healing lips. The final results will become evident over several weeks and months as the side effects diminish completely.
Lip Lift FAQs
Is the lip lift procedure permanent?
Yes, the results of a lip lift are generally permanent. Unlike some non-surgical lip enhancement methods that require frequent maintenance, a lip lift offers long-lasting improvements.
What type of anesthesia is used for a lip lift?
Lip lifts can be performed under local anesthesia with IV sedation or general anesthesia to ensure your comfort. The choice of anesthesia will be discussed during your consultation.
Are there any noticeable scars after a lip lift?
While there will be some scarring, skilled plastic surgeons like Dr. DeVictor make incisions inconspicuous by placing them along the border of the upper lip. Over time, these scars tend to fade and become less noticeable.
When can I see the final results of a lip lift?
The initial swelling and bruising will subside over several weeks. You should see significant improvements in the appearance of your lips during this time, but the final results may take a few months to fully manifest as the healing process continues.
Schedule Your Consultation
With Dr. DeVictor
Dr. DeVictor is your trusted choice for a lip lift. With board certification in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and an AO Craniomaxillofacial fellowship under his belt, Dr. DeVictor brings a wealth of expertise to the field. His philosophy revolves around optimal facial symmetry and balance and helping his patients age gracefully. Schedule your consultation today to explore how Dr. DeVictor can help you achieve the lip contours and volume you desire.