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Most of the time lip enhancement involves lip enlargement, usually with fillers. For a significant number of patients, making the upper lip smaller via a lip lift can be a more appropriate aesthetic procedure depending on the patient.
An attractive female shows several millimeters of incisal edge in repose. Much of what we consider female beauty is regarding the central incisor teeth that show when the mouth is at rest and during various animations. Patients who realize that their aesthetics are skewed but are not sure why. Typically, it is due to the hidden incisor in repose or gingiva when smiling.
A lip lift procedure can enhance your smile from the aesthetic point of view. It shortens the length between the base of the nose to the Vermillion. Older patients frequently have elongated upper lips. They also lack the volume in their lips with advancing age. This elongation and volume loss can be a result of bony changes in the maxillary and mandibular regions, perioral musculature, skin atrophy, mucosa, and parenchymal glandular tissue, as well as attrition of the teeth.
The goal of the lip lift is to evert the vermilion, which results in a naturally volumized lip. Excessive length is generally more than 20mm when considering the length from the base of the nose to the top of the vermillion border.
LIP LIFTING PROCEDURE
The actual lip lift procedure takes about 60-90 minutes and can be performed with local anesthesia. Recovery from a lip lift is short, with clients seeing noticeable results in as little as three weeks. Swelling is to be expected, can be controlled with ice packs, and will dissipate with time. Dr. Abtin will provide you with specific instructions on how to minimize swelling and ensure safe healing. Any sutures will be removed 5-7 days after surgery. Results are typically seen a few weeks after the procedure with complete healing after a few months.
Patients report high satisfaction with the results of this procedure, as it addresses their true aesthetic concerns and makes a pronounced difference in their facial appearance, when in repose and when smiling.