What does it change?
The height of the upper lip.
Lifting the lip can show more of its pink part and upper teeth, giving the appearance of fuller shape without adding volume.
Procedure education
Lip Lift
A lip lift is surgery that shortens the space between the base of the nose and the top of the upper lip by removing a narrow strip of skin.
People research it when the upper lip looks long or flat, or shows little of the upper teeth. It is permanent and leaves a fine scar, so it suits a different goal than fillers.
How is it different from filler?
It shortens rather than plumps.
Filler adds temporary volume. A lip lift changes lip position permanently and leaves a scar, usually in the crease under the nose.
How much time should I plan?
Often a day or a few days off work.
Visible swelling usually settles within a month; the lip can feel tight for a couple of months.
01 · Overview
What a lip lift changes
The philtrum is the skin between the nose and the upper lip. With age, or simply through natural proportions, it can be long enough that the upper lip looks thin, turns inward or hides the upper teeth.
In a lip lift, the surgeon removes a measured strip of skin—most often just under the nose—and closes the incision so the lip sits higher. Nothing is added to the lip; the apparent fullness comes from showing more of the lip that is already there.[1]
- Treatment type
- Cosmetic surgery of the upper lip
- Usual anesthesia
- Local anesthesia while awake; general if combined with other surgery
- Typical length
- Often under an hour
- Main tradeoff
- A permanent change in exchange for a permanent, usually fine, scar
Is a long upper lip a medical problem?
No. Upper-lip length is a normal variation in facial proportion, and it can lengthen with age. A lip lift treats an appearance concern. A clinician also looks at teeth, jaw position and lip movement, because a "gummy" smile or tooth exposure can have causes that a lip lift does not change.
02 · Concerns & Goals
What people notice
These are common reasons people look into a lip lift. Several can look alike, so an in-person assessment matters.
Long space under the nose
The skin between nose and lip looks tall compared with the rest of the face.
Little upper-teeth show
At rest, the upper teeth are mostly hidden behind the lip.
Thin or inward-turning upper lip
The pink part of the lip looks narrow or rolls inward, especially when smiling.
Downturned mouth corners
The corners sit lower and can give a tired or sad look at rest.
03 · Options
How the approaches differ
The approaches differ mainly in where the incision sits and which part of the lip is lifted. Your surgeon chooses based on your proportions and goals, and sometimes combines approaches.
Subnasal (“bullhorn”) lift
The most common approach.
- Incision
- Along the base of the nose, shaped like a bullhorn
- What changes
- Lifts the center and sides of the upper lip
Main tradeoffScar is usually hidden in the nasal crease but can widen or show
Central lift
Focused on the middle of the lip.
- Incision
- At the base of the nose
- What changes
- Lifts the center of the lip, the Cupid’s bow
Main tradeoffDoes not raise the sides or corners
Corner lift
Addresses downturned corners.
- Incision
- At each corner of the mouth
- What changes
- Raises the mouth corners into a slightly upturned position
Main tradeoffSmall scars at the corners; often combined with another lift
Direct (“gullwing”) lift
Defines the lip border.
- Incision
- Along the top edge of the pink lip
- What changes
- Raises and sharpens the upper-lip outline
Main tradeoffThe scar is on the lip border, which can be more visible
Approaches and incision shapes are described by Cleveland Clinic [1]; techniques and outcomes are reviewed in [2].
What about the Italian and V-to-Y lifts?
An Italian lip lift uses two smaller incisions at each nostril and gives a subtler lift, but does not raise the center of the lip. A V-to-Y advancement uses a V-shaped incision that is closed in the shape of a Y. Ask which of these the surgeon performs and why.
04 · Results
What may improve and what may remain
What may improve
A shorter upper lip that shows more of its natural shape.
- More visible pink lip and, often, upper teeth
- Corners can sit higher with a corner lift
What may remain
A scar, and the lip’s own volume and texture.
- Lines and volume loss are not fully corrected
- Slight unevenness between sides is possible
How it develops
Final shape can take up to about four months.
- Tightness can last a couple of months
- The scar continues to fade over many months
The change is considered permanent, though the face continues to age. Individual results vary. [1]
05 · Recovery
Planning your recovery
A lip lift is usually a short procedure under local anesthesia, so recovery is mostly about swelling, tightness and protecting the incision.
- 1
Treatment day
Local anesthesia, a procedure often under an hour, and home the same day with someone to drive you.
- 2
First week
Swelling, bruising and tightness are common; stitches are removed after a few days or dissolve.
- 3
First month
Swelling and bruising usually settle; strenuous activity resumes as your team allows.
- 4
Months two to six
Tightness eases and the lip may take up to six months to feel completely normal.
Planning everyday activities
ActivityGeneral planning contextWhat affects the plan
Desk or light workPlanning context: Often the next day or after several days. [1]What affects it: Visible swelling and how much speaking the job requires.
Talking and eatingPlanning context: Talk less and choose soft foods while the lip heals. [1]What affects it: Your incision type and your team’s instructions.
Strength training and heavy liftingPlanning context: Usually avoided for about two weeks. [1]What affects it: Swelling, bleeding risk and any combined surgery.
SleepingPlanning context: On your back with your head raised in the early days. [1]What affects it: Swelling and your team’s instructions.
General planning context from one medical center’s patient guide; your treating team sets your own timing.
Before your procedure
- Arrange a ride home and someone available that evening
- Stock soft foods that need little chewing
- Set up pillows so you can sleep with your head raised
- Ask before stopping or changing any medication or supplement
- If you smoke, plan to stop several weeks before and after surgery
- Plan a few quieter days with less talking
Why does the lip feel tight?
Removing skin and closing the incision pulls the lip upward, and early swelling adds to that pressure. Tightness usually eases over a couple of months as tissues relax and swelling resolves.
What if I combine it with a facelift?
Combined surgery usually means general anesthesia and the longer recovery of the larger operation. Plan around the more demanding procedure rather than adding the two timelines together.
06 · Safety
Risks and what your clinician assesses
Scarring
Usually a fine line in the crease under the nose, but it can be noticeable, widen or stay visible, especially with a direct lift.
Asymmetry
The two sides of the lip may heal slightly differently.
Infection, bleeding and bruising
Uncommon but possible with any incision.
Nerve injury and lasting swelling
Numbness, altered movement or swelling that persists can occur.
Risks listed by Cleveland Clinic [1].
What your clinician assesses
- Lip length and how much tooth shows at rest and when smiling
- Teeth and jaw position
- Skin quality and scarring history
- Smoking and medications that affect healing
07 · Costs
What makes up the Total Procedure & Care Cost
A lip lift is often an office procedure, so the total can look different from larger surgery. Ask for an itemized estimate.
Surgeon’s fee
The surgeon’s professional work, which depends on the approach and whether lifts are combined.
What to clarifyAre follow-up visits included?
Setting and anesthesia
An office procedure room with local anesthesia, or a surgical facility if general anesthesia is used.
What to clarifyWhich setting and anesthesia apply to me?
Supplies and aftercare
Stitches, dressings and any prescribed medication or scar-care products.
What to clarifyWhich items are in the quote and which are separate?
Patient Services
A TRC Care Planner helps organize your priorities, surgeon preferences, consultation questions and estimate comparisons for a defined fixed fee.
What to clarifyIs this in my estimate or charged separately?
Ask how revision, complication-related care, deposits and cancellation are handled before agreeing to a quote.
08 · Questions
Common questions
Is a lip lift permanent?
Yes. The skin removed does not return, although your face continues to age naturally.
Does it hurt?
You are numbed during the procedure. Afterward, discomfort, swelling and tightness are common and usually managed with medication your team recommends.
Will people see the scar?
For most subnasal lifts the scar sits in the crease under the nose and fades over months. It can stay noticeable, so ask to see how your surgeon’s incisions heal.
Can I have filler instead?
Filler adds volume for a time; it does not shorten a long upper lip. Some people use both, at different times. Your clinician can explain which goal each addresses.
Will it show more of my teeth?
Often a little more at rest, because the lip sits higher. How much depends on your teeth, jaw and lip movement.
Can it be combined with other facial surgery?
Yes, it is often combined with facial rejuvenation such as a facelift, usually under general anesthesia.
When will I see the final shape?
Swelling settles within weeks, but the final result can take up to about four months.
Can it be reversed if I do not like it?
Not easily. Removed skin cannot simply be replaced, which is why a careful assessment of proportions matters before surgery.
My Aesthetic Plan
Prepare for your consultation
- The change you would like to see in your upper lip
- Photos of how you would like your smile to look at rest
- Your medications, supplements and smoking history
View My Aesthetic Plan
Choices stay in this visit until saving to your account completes. Nothing is sent to a clinician.
Sources
- [1]Cleveland Clinic — Lip Lift (medically reviewed Nov 17, 2023)Definition, approaches, anesthesia, recovery timing, results, risks and when to call.
- [2]Moragas et al. — Non-filling procedures for lip augmentation: a systematic review (2014)Overview of surgical lip-lift techniques and reported outcomes.
Photographs are illustrative scenes, not patients or outcomes. This information does not replace a personal assessment by your treating clinician.