A few years back a lip lift was still fairly unknown with the standard procedure mostly done on older patients and often at the same time as a facelift, but in recent years, the lip lift has been requested more and more by younger patients especially as the techniques have improved and result in more discreet scars and a faster recovery time.
Due to the increase in demand for a lip lift and with the frequently asked questions by my patients, I’d like to offer you further insight into this procedure.
What is a lip lift?
A lip lift is a plastic surgery procedure that modifies the cosmetic appearance of the lips by reshaping them to increase the prominence of the vermilion border[1]; and to enhance the facial area above the lips into a more aesthetically pleasing shape and proportions . A lip lift procedure is different from lip enhancement (the augmentation of the lips) which is effectively a non-surgical procedure.[2] A lip enhancement is often not a permanent solution and may not give you the desired results that a lip lift might.
What is the aesthetic ideal?
The aesthetic ideal of a mouth with youthful lips, features an upper lip with a pronounced Cupid’s bow, and much fullness to each lip; however, such an ideal physiognomy (facial features ) declines with age as the lips shrink and lose anatomic definition as the lips sag. This affects the aesthetics of the smile, by revealing less of the teeth during a relaxed smile.[3]
One could argue that worrying about your philtral length is some next-level self-scrutiny, and perhaps it is. But according to experts (and anatomy textbooks), there is an ideal measurement of 11 to 13 mm for women and 13 to 15 mm for men. Even if genetics are kind enough to deal you a philtrum within this range, the space can expand one to three millimetres each decade.
Scientists from Kirikkale University’s Faculty of Medicine in Turkey, led by Professor Nuray Bayar Muluk, have established the ratio for the most attractive lip shape.[4]
Using a line from the bottom of the nose to the chin as a reference point, they say the top lip should extend no more than 3.5mm, and your bottom lip shouldn’t extend more than 2.2mm past the line.
These findings are based on what is known as the ‘golden ratio’ or ‘divine proportion’ which has been famously described by painter Leonardo da Vinci. For more on the Golden Ratio please read my previous blog.
The lip lift procedure
Typically done under local anaesthesia in less than an hour, the procedure shortens the space between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lips (the philtrum) by carving out a bullhorn-shaped strip of skin just below the nostrils. The procedure raises the vermilion border, causing lips to look more enhanced, and defines the Cupid’s bow so its curves are prominent and crisp.
During the procedure, I remove a wedge of skin — the larger the wedge, the greater the lift — but results are still customizable. I can manipulate the shape of the excision to make subtle changes in the Cupid’s bow, such as giving its peaks a more obvious boost or minimizing asymmetries.
Fillers may not always give the desired result. Sometimes due to genetics or ageing the length between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lips is too stretched and long and only surgical intervention can lessen the problem and bring balance back to the face and mouth. Some patients may dislike having fillers — maybe they’re bruising each time, or maybe their lips don’t always turn out exactly the same — and they want something more permanent and consistent.
The lip craze is also evolving. People are focusing on the more nuanced structure and shape of their lips, which a lip lift surgery can address elegantly, rather than just wanting to have full lips at all costs.
The recovery
Because it is still a surgical procedure, it is important to follow the before and after surgery instructions. After the initial consultation I give my patients a detailed folder, explaining everything such as what to expect, how to prepare and how to cope with it after surgery.
Each patient is different however, any surgical procedure will require some downtime. After the surgery you may experience 3 days of a ‘pulling’ sensation and possibly 2 weeks of swelling. Patients are dispensed pain medication, for use when necessary and after about one week, stitches are removed and redness can be disguised with concealer.
Is a lip lift the answer?
I have noticed, particularly with my younger patients, that they are more mindful of the fact that the solution doesn’t always lie in a syringe and surgery is often the better and more permanent solution for desired results. When the tool at hand is a scalpel and not a needle, the result isn’t going to wear off in a few months. I therefore advise all my patients to schedule an appointment with me where I am able to offer my candid opinion based on my many years of experience and advise which procedure is most suited to the individual based on what they envision the outcomes to be.
Please contact me should you require more information as I always look forward to seeing you.
Greetings,
Dr Sean Moodley
Resources
[1] Vermilion border also called margin or zone, is the normally sharp demarcation between the lip and the adjacent normal skin. It is where lipstick is sometimes applied. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_lift [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_lift [4] https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Is-it-possible-to-define-the-ideal-lips-Kar-Muluk/55fc84ddf08a5117a958588bb005b28916e3ff44
