Dr. Christine BokmanFacial Surgery
Lip Lift
A lip lift restores the youthful proportions of the upper lip and harmony to the face overall.
Procedure at a Glance
- Anaesthetic
- Local anesthesia
- Duration
- Typically under one hour
- Setting
- In-office
- Social downtime
- About 1 week
- Back to work
- Around 1 week for most patients
- Final results
- Around 1 to 2 months
Her Approach
A surgery of millimeters
A lip lift is a meticulous surgery that depends on millimeter measurements. Dr. Bokman removes a precise amount of skin between the upper lip and nose, with the incision hidden under the nose, to improve lip and tooth show as well as restore youthful proportions to the face. Her technique is a deep plane lip lift, which is both longer lasting and more natural. It does not put downward traction on the nose, but lifts the lip to improve lip show and give the appearance of lip filler. When indicated, she also performs a corner lip lift to complement the main lip lift; it is the icing on the cake.
The change is a matter of a few millimeters, enough to restore the proportion between nose, lip, and teeth.
What It Does
Restoring the youthful proportions of the lip
With age (and also lip filler) the philtrum lengthens, the upper lip rolls inward, less of the teeth shows, and the lower face begins to look longer. A lip lift removes a measured strip of skin just beneath the nose, raising the lip and turning its edge outward, so that more of its surface comes back into view. The incision follows the crease at the base of the nose, a natural line of shadow. A lip lift also results in a lip that shows more when you smile, especially important for patients who feel like their upper lip disappears when they smile. It is performed under local anesthesia, usually in under an hour.
Recovery
A scar hidden in a natural crease
Recovery is patient dependent, but usually takes between four to six weeks. Bruising and swelling are common, especially swelling of the upper lip itself. The scar also heals very well over that same time course, and sometimes scar resolution can be hastened by laser skin resurfacing. Stitches are removed after one week and no later, to minimize scar formation.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a lip lift?
- A hidden incision is made just under the nose and skin is excised to shorten the distance between the nose and upper lip. Dr. Bokman performs a deep plane lip lift to make results more natural and longer lasting. The upper lip rotates upwards, mimicking lip filler, and the upper teeth are more visible. There is no traction on the nose whatsoever with Dr. Bokman's technique. In some cases, a corner lip lift is also performed in conjunction with the lip lift.
- How is a lip lift different from lip filler?
- Filler adds volume to the lip itself. A lip lift changes anatomical proportion, shortening the philtrum and rotating the lip outwards. A lip lift also helps with improving tooth show and is helpful for patients who feel their upper lip disappears when they smile.
- Will it look natural?
- Always. The change is a matter of a few millimeters, enough to restore the proportion between nose, lip, and teeth. The nose will not change, this is the benefit of the deep plane lip lift, and patients will still be able to close their mouths.
- Is there a visible scar?
- The incision lies at the base of the nose, in the crease where the nose meets the lip. In most patients it fades over 6 to 12 weeks. The healing process can be shortened by laser skin resurfacing of the scar itself.
- How long does it last?
- A lip lift is permanent. With time, we continue to age, but Dr. Bokman's deep plane lip lift technique is truly long-lasting over decades.