Face

A Permanent Solution for Red Lip Fullness

Restore Youth to Your Smile

Permanently shorten the distance between your nose and upper lip for a fuller, more youthful, and naturally balanced smile.

Lip Lift at a Glance

  • Overview

    A lip lift is a surgical procedure that shortens the distance between the base of your nose and the top of your red upper lip. The procedure creates the appearance of a fuller, more defined upper lip, exposes more of your top teeth when smiling, and produces a more youthful peri-oral area. The incision is placed at the base of the nose and is barely perceivable once it heals.

  • Recovery

    Swelling and bruising are expected and will subside over several weeks. Most patients return to work within one week, but a full recovery — with final results becoming apparent — takes a few months as the incision heals completely.

  • Results

    Results are immediate and permanent, providing a natural-looking enhancement to your upper lip that is not possible with temporary fillers. A lip lift creates a long-lasting, beautifully defined peri-oral area that complements your entire facial profile.

Lip Lift

Am I a Good Candidate?

You may be an ideal candidate for a lip lift if you are bothered by a long upper lip that has developed with age, or if your upper lip appears thin or disappears when you smile. This procedure is also an excellent option for those who want a permanent alternative to temporary fillers. Lip lift surgery can be combined with fat grafting to the lips for additional volume, and with CO2 laser resurfacing to improve vertical lines around the lips. We will assess your facial structure and listen to your goals to determine the right approach for you.

What Do Scars Look Like?

The lip lift incision is carefully planned to be as inconspicuous as possible. A small incision is made in the natural crease directly under your nose, where it is well-concealed and difficult to see once healed. Our surgeons are meticulous in technique to ensure the resulting scar is minimal and continues to fade over time. With proper aftercare and sun protection, the scar becomes virtually unnoticeable.

More Details About Lip Lift

The Surgical Process

The Surgical Process

A lip lift is an outpatient procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon removes a small, precise strip of skin from the area just below the nostrils — and sometimes at the corners of the mouth in select patients. The incision is meticulously closed, which shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip. This slight shortening has a dramatic effect: it lifts the lip and exposes more of the pink vermilion for a fuller, more youthful smile.

The Difference Between a Lip Lift and Fillers

While lip fillers add temporary volume to the lips themselves, a lip lift is a permanent solution that addresses the underlying structure of the upper lip. A lip lift shortens the distance between the nose and the lips, which in turn everts the lip and gives a more permanent, natural-looking volume. For a comprehensive rejuvenation, some patients combine a lip lift with a small amount of fat grafting, filler, or laser resurfacing for a complete improvement to the perioral area.

Surgeon's Notes

Jane Namkung, MD
Dr. Namkung MD

The patient who keeps coming back for filler should consider a lip lift

Lip fillers are wonderful — they give immediate volume with no downtime, and for many patients they're the right answer indefinitely. But there's a tipping point. When a patient has been getting lip fillers every six months for years, the cumulative cost easily exceeds a one-time lip lift, and the underlying issue isn't volume — it's an elongated upper lip that fillers can mask but not fix. For those patients, I have a conversation about a lip lift, which permanently shortens the distance between nose and lip and gives a more natural-looking result that doesn't require ongoing maintenance. The patients who switch usually wish they'd done it sooner.

Lip Lift

Lip Lift Recovery & Results Timeline

Please remember this is just a guide for Lip Lift recovery. Every individual and recovery is unique. Your surgeon will provide you with personalized instructions and recovery times after your procedure.

1

Day 1 – 3

You will experience significant swelling and bruising around your mouth. This improves over the course of the first few weeks.

2

1 – 2 Weeks

The majority of swelling and bruising will have subsided, and you can typically return to work and light, non-strenuous activities.

3

1 – 3 Months

Any remaining swelling will have fully resolved. The incision will be healed, and your new, permanent results will be fully visible.

4

6 Months – 1 Year

The scar will continue to fade, and results will be stable and permanent.

Lip Lift Pricing Estimates

$5,600

There are many factors that can affect pricing of procedures. After your initial consultation you will receive a complete quote.

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Pricing

How much does a Lip Lift cost?

The cost of Lip Lift varies based on the complexity of the procedure, the technique used, and your individual goals. During your consultation, your surgeon will create a personalized treatment plan and provide a detailed quote.

Your Surgeons

Jane Namkung, MD

Jane Namkung

MD

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Schedule a consultation to discuss Lip Lift with our board-certified surgeons.

(360) 823-0860 Request Consultation