My Lip Lift + Veneers: Before and After Transformation
If you’re thinking about getting a lip lift, you’re in the right place. I’m sharing my personal experience, including all the details and before-and-after results. After researching lip lifts for years, I remember how difficult it was to find information. Although they are more common now, if this can help even one person, I’ll be happy!
This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase a product through my link at no extra cost to you. All items are carefully curated by me and reflect my honest opinion.
My Lip Lift Information
- Date of Procedure: September 2022
- Age at the time of Lip Lift: 38
- Doctor: Dr. Michael Kim, Portland, OR
- Price: $5,000
- Reason: Wanted more upper tooth show
- Philtrum Measurements before Surgery: About 18 mm
What is a Lip Lift?
As we age, the upper lip (philtrum) area tends to lengthen, which can make us look older. A lip lift is a cosmetic procedure that shortens the space between the bottom of your nose and the top of your lip by removing a small strip of skin directly under the nose. This makes the red part of your lip more visible, giving you a more youthful, pouty appearance. It’s a subtle yet impactful procedure.
People often choose a lip lift if they’re not getting good results from lip fillers, have a long upper lip that covers their upper teeth, or want a more proportionate facial appearance. However, it does leave a scar at the base of your nose, so it’s worth weighing the pros and cons before proceeding.
Types of Lip Lifts
There are a few different types of lip lifts to be aware of.
- Subnasal Bullhorn Lip Lift: The most popular type (and the type of lip lift I had). The surgeon makes a bullhorn-shaped incision under your nose and removes a strip of skin. The scar typically hides in the crease under your nose. This type is also called a subnasal lip lift or upper lip lift.
- Corner Lip Lift: This lift targets the corners of your lips, giving a more pleasant expression if your lip corners point downwards. A corner lift can sometimes be necessary after a bullhorn lip lift,
- Italian Lip Lift: Similar to the bullhorn lift but with two smaller incisions under each nostril. It’s less common but spreads the tension for a more natural look.
Lip Lift vs. Botox Lip Flip vs. Lip Filler
A lip lift is a permanent surgical procedure that shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip, making more of the red part visible for a youthful look.
A Botox lip flip uses Botox to relax the muscles in your upper lip, causing it to flip outward slightly and appear fuller without adding volume.
Lip fillers use hyaluronic acid to add volume and shape to your lips, providing immediate yet temporary results
I tried all of it before actually proceeding with the permanent lip lift. The Botox lip flip felt a little funny to me, and lip fillers eventually migrated and even pulled my upper lip further down. A lip flip and filler are great options for the right person – I needed the actual lip lift. Post-lip lift, I still get lip filler about 1x a year (Restylane Kysse).
Related: Botox Lip Flip vs. Filler: Here’s What You Need To Know
A Note About Rhinoplasty
Here’s something I didn’t know then but found out later. In 2014, I had a rhinoplasty that deprojected my nose and slightly elevated the tip. During the procedure, the surgeon released the depressor septi nasi muscle, which can relax and elongate the appearance of the upper lip. This, combined with the tip elevation, made my philtrum look longer.
I share this in case you’re considering getting a Rhinoplasty – it may be worth bringing this up to your surgeon to get the best results.
Why I Decided to Get a Lip Lift
I’ve always felt that my lack of upper tooth show and small upper jaw with a narrow palate made me look older. At rest, I had no tooth show at all! I never smiled much with me teeth – not because I was self conscious about my smile but I just didn’t really show much teeth when I smiled and it felt strained to smile big.
I started researching lip lifts in 2007, but they were not very common, and the risk of scarring was high.
Before committing to a lip lift, I addressed the root cause: my teeth and jaw. In 2007, I got adult braces to fix minor crowding. My orthodontist was confident she could give me more upper jaw fullness without a palate expander. This led to a 5+ year journey that included having two upper premolars extracted—a big mistake that left my palate even more recessed and narrow.
I regretted the extractions so much that I underwent upper and lower jaw surgery in 2012 to correct the orthodontic mess. The surgery moved my upper jaw down and forward a few millimeters, showing more teeth. While I was happy with the jaw surgery, it did relapse a bit over the years, and I was still considering a lip lift.
Fast forward to 2021, and I decided to take the plunge—almost. Lip lifts were more common, and I could speak with people who had undergone the procedure and had good experiences. However, online reviews were polarizing, making me hesitate.
My Lip Lift Consults
I consulted with plastic surgeons in New York, California, and Washington but ultimately chose Dr. Michael Kim in Portland, OR (my home state at the time). He was recommended by several people in the aesthetic industry, and I saw one of his lip lift patients in person, which looked great.
During the consult, he recommended removing 5 mm of skin. My philtrum length was about 18 mm at the time, and 5 mm seemed right, consistent with other consultations I had.
Lip Lift vs. Veneers…Or Both?
Before proceeding with the lip lift, I also consulted with several dentists about porcelain veneers in order to obtain a bit more tooth show.
Ultimately, I decided to try veneers first and then determine whether a lip lift was necessary. However, every dentist I spoke to recommended against the lip lift due to potential scarring and felt it wasn’t needed. Arg!
Despite this, I scheduled the lip lift and proceeded with the veneers. Since my veneers would be completed before my scheduled lip lift, I figured I could cancel if I felt I didn’t need it.
The veneer process took over six months, which is longer than typical because I had a full mouth reconstruction. This involved treating each tooth with either a veneer or an onlay. An onlay is similar to a crown and allowed them to raise my bite and add more vertical length to my smile.
Raising my bite a few millimeters allowed for slightly longer veneers, which gave me some upper tooth show. However, I felt something was still off. My upper lip area looked even longer (perhaps unbalanced?), and I felt the lip lift would balance my face.
Meeting with my surgeon again just one more time before surgery, he determined he’d only 3.5 mm of skin instead of 5 mm since.
What’s the Ideal Philtrum Length?
They say the ideal distance for a youthful look in women is between 12 and 15 mm. I spent a lot of time obsessing over this detail. I even bought a caliper to measure and then try to simulate what each mm difference would look like. My philtrum length today, after the lip lift, sits at 15.5 mm. Technically, it is outside the “idea range,” but it still looks fine to me.
Everyone I spoke to wished they had taken more off during their lip lift, but I opted for a conservative approach. I trusted my surgeon’s advice, especially since I was still adjusting to my porcelain veneers.
How I Simulated What A Lip Lift Would Look Like
Trying to figure out what a lip lift would look like is hard! Using your fingers to press or pull on your upper lip distorts your skin and doesn’t give a realistic view. Photo apps can simulate a lip lift too, but I wanted to see what it was like in motion.
The best way I was able to “simulate” what a lip lift result could look like was by marking above my upper lip with lip liner directly (only lining the lip area that would be pulled up directly under the base of my nose) and then filling in the liner.
How I Prepared for the Lip Lift
Two weeks before surgery, I stopped taking fish oil and cut out alcohol to reduce the risk of bleeding, as these items can thin your blood. And several months before the procedure, I dissolved any remaining lip filler, which is recommended before undergoing a lip lift.
Lip Lift Cost
Costs vary depending on location and surgeon. I paid around $5,000 in 2022, which included the surgeon’s fee, local anesthesia, and aftercare appointments.
Today in 2024, I’ve seen them priced around $6,500 and up but this varies widely across geographic area and the surgeon. Also, an upper lift is a cosmetic surgery , meaning insurance won’t cover it.
The Actual Lip Lift Procedure
The lip lift was a super simple outpatient procedure:
- Anesthesia: I was awake but relaxed, thanks to an oral sedative. A local anesthetic was injected into the area, which stung briefly.
- Incision: My surgeon marked the incisions and made cuts under my nose. I didn’t feel anything.
- Skin Removal: A tiny strip of skin was removed, including cutting the muscle. Some surgeons only remove skin, but muscle cuts reportedly last longer.
- Suturing: The incisions were stitched carefully to minimize scarring. I had dissolvable sutures internally and regular stitches externally.
- Time: The procedure took under an hour, and I was home shortly after.
Directly after my lip lift I was swollen, but I could immediately tell it was what I needed. I liked the lift when I was swollen and worried it would drop too low.
Post-Care and Recovery
Recovery was easy:
- Immediate Aftercare: Some swelling and minor bruising for a few days. I had asymmetric swelling and blanching (whiteness) from the anesthesia, but it was normal.
- Pain: Surprisingly painless. I took Tylenol as a precaution but didn’t really need it.
- Follow-Up: A week later, the asymmetric swelling had gone down, and the healing was on track.
- Full Recovery: I felt good after a week, but the final results took a few months.
- Scar Care: I applied silicone scar gel twice daily and wore a mask outside to avoid sun exposure. After a few weeks, I used tinted sunscreen to cover the scar.
Risks of a Lip Lift
Every surgery has risks, and while the lip lift is a relatively small procedure, it’s right in the middle of your face!
- Scarring: While the scar hides well, there’s always a small risk, especially for those with darker skin.
- Infection: Keeping the area clean is crucial so there’s no risk of infection around the incision site, which would increase the risk of scarring. I followed all post-op instructions and had no issues.
- Asymmetry: No surgery is perfect. I have a minor asymmetry (.5mm) that I barely notice.
- Nerve Damage: Rare, but possible. I had no issues here (phew), which I was worried about because when I had my jaw surgery, I was left with a small spot on the right slide of my chin that had no feeling.
- Lip Incompetence: Removing too much skin can cause issues with closing your lips or looking unnatural. My surgeon recommended a conservative approach.
Finding a Good Lip Lift Surgeon
Finding the right surgeon is the most important part, in my opinion. There are tons of lip lift Doctors with massive Instagram followings. I loved looking at these pages as I researched the surgery, but I was really cautious about going to an Instagram-famous doctor. As I dug into their reviews, many patients had less-than-optimal outcomes. I tracked reviews really closely and would sometimes see these negative reviews disappear a couple of months later, which was a red flag.
The best resource was, by far, Reddit. Second, RealSelf (just note that some of these reviews may be skewed). Overall, it’s a great resource for seeing real before-and-after photos. Tik Tok was really helpful.
Here were the things I looked for:
- Board Certification: An obvious one, but I wanted to ensure they’re board-certified in plastic surgery.
- Experience: Look for someone with extensive experience and great before-and-after photos.
- Reviews and Referrals: Read reviews and ask for referrals.
- Consultation: Discuss your goals and see if you feel comfortable with their approach.
My Lip Lift Before and After Pictures
All photos are unedited and not touched up. Some of them are old and a little blurry (sorry!).
1-3 Days Post-Op
Recovery was a breeze. The swelling asymmetry I had went down but where I had the swelling, my scar is slightly more prominent.
7 Days Post-Op
3 Weeks Post-Op
I feel at this point, my swelling was done.
Lip Lift/Veneers Profile View
These photos show before my veneers and lip lift vs. after. Sometimes I think the veneers are a little too big but they really helped provide extra support around the perioral region.
3 Months Post-Op
Here’s a close up of the scar a few months later. Up close it is visible (but barley). I don’t do anything today to conceal or cover it up since it doesn’t bother me.
Lip Filler After the Lip Lift
A few months after my lip lift, I got less than one syringe of Restylane Kysse in my lips. One great thing about a lip lift is that you might not need filler, but I decided to add a small amount and really liked the results.
Lip Lift Surgery Must-Haves
Okay, I’m an over-preparer and I took healing seriously. I wanted the best outcome with minimal risk to scarring. Here are some must-haves that helped me ensure I healed properly and got the best results:
- Red Light Therapy: My #1 item for healing. I used my red light mask for 20 minutes daily.
- Silicone Scar Gel with SPF: SPF is crucial to prevent hyperpigmentation on the scar. My doctor’s office provided a regular silicone scar cream, and I purchased this one from Amazon, so I also had one with sun protection.
- Mask: I wore a silk face mask outside for the first few weeks to protect the scar.
- Lip Balm: To keep my lips hydrated. The Laneige Sleeping Mask is my favorite!
- Wedge Pillow: This helped so much! I propped this under my regular pillow to keep my head elevated while sleeping which helped reduce swelling.
- Arnica Tablets: Popped these like candy to reduce swelling and bruising.
- THE BEST Tinted SPF: To cover the scar and protect from UV rays. I started using this tinted sunscreen about 10-14 days after the procedure once the stitches were removed and the scar healed.
- Hydration: Drinking lots of water helped with healing.
Lip Lift FAQ
I receive tons of questions about my lip lift. Here are some of the most common questions I get:
Q: How much did it cost?
A: $5k in 2022.
Q: Who was your surgeon?
A: Dr. Michael Kim in Portland, OR.
Q: How many millimeters of skin did you remove?
A: My surgeon removed 3.5mm of skin, which is a very tiny amount. When debating whether a lip lift was right for me, my surgeon actually mentioned that anything below 4 mm wasn’t really worth it. However, I still feel 3.5mm made a difference. I recommend letting your surgeon make the final call on how much to remove.
​Q: How long until you were presentable in public?
A: About two weeks. Once the incision stitches were removed and the incident was no longer an open wound, I could apply tinted moisturizer, and I don’t think anyone noticed.
Q: How long until your final results?
A: At about 12 weeks. Minor swelling would go up and down depending on the day.
Q:How long do results last?
A: The results are permanent, but aging still happens, and the philtrum may drop as you age. Think of it as a reset to a more youthful look. I’m 100% open to getting another one if I need it in the future.
Q: Really…how visible is the scar?
A: The scar hides well under your nose and fades over time. Proper care helps minimize its appearance, but it’s important to know that there will be a scar. As someone with fair and thin skin, I generally scar okay. However, the scarring may be more noticeable if you have darker skin or are prone to hyperpigmentation. I can see my scar close up, but I don’t do anything special to cover it up because it doesn’t bother me.
​Q: Did you do any laser treatments to reduce the appearance of the scar?
A: No, I didn’t. I was worried that the laser might make it look worse, but since my minimal scar didn’t bother me, I decided that laser treatment wasn’t necessary.
​Q: What did you do to reduce scarring?
A: Most importantly, I found a surgeon that was very meticulous and detail oriented. Then I applied a silicone scar cream and kept it out of the sun for several weeks or used sunscreen. I also used my LED Red Light Mask for 20 minutes a day on the scar to promote healing.
​Q: Can a bad lip lift be corrected or redone?
A: Technically, yes, but remember, you cannot add skin back once it’s removed. You can redo the lip lift to remove more skin and correct a bad scar. That’s why it’s best to be conservative and avoid taking too much off initially.
Q: Can a lip lift be combined with other procedures?
A: Yes! Many people pair it with facial surgeries like a facelift for a refreshed look. Some also combine it with a rhinoplasty, but I recommend doing these two procedures separately to ensure the best healing. Talk to your surgeon.
Q: When did you go back to work?
A: I went back to work after my stitches were removed about 5-7 days after. There was some redness but overall not very noticable. I work remotely so only had to worry about Zoom meetings.
Q: Did people notice you had a lip lift?
A: Nope—no one! And that was okay with me. I think we analyze our faces a lot more than anyone else (really, no one cares, haha).
Q: Will a Lip Flip give me a similar result?
A: A lip flip involves injecting Botox above the upper lip, enlarging the lip, and giving it a poutier look. However, it will not have the exact effect of a surgical lip lift. If you’re on the fence, there’s no harm in trying this first to see if you like the effect. Lip flips are also a great option if you already have a lot of teeth showing or have a gummy smile.
Q: Was the lip lift worth it?
A: 100% yes. I feel it gave my face a more balanced, youthful appearance.
Final Thoughts
To wrap up, my lip lift journey was long and involved a lot of research and overthinking—typical me. But in the end, I’m really happy with the results.
While the idea of a can be daunting, the combination of finding the right surgeon and preparing thoroughly made all the difference for me. If you’re considering a lip lift, I hope my experience provides some insight and helps you make an informed decision. Remember, it’s all about what makes you feel confident and happy. Feel free to ask questions ([email protected]) or share your experiences—I’m here to help!
