Lip shortening reduces the distance between the base of the nose and the top of the upper lip. That distance, the philtrum, lengthens with age and pushes the pink of the lip downward and out of view. Removing a small strip of skin under the nose lifts the lip, shows more pink tissue and slightly exposes the upper teeth at rest, which reads as a younger mouth.
It changes proportion rather than volume, so it suits a long upper lip and does comparatively little for lips that are simply thin. Where the concern is fullness instead, lip lift technique and filler are often weighed against each other at consultation. The result is permanent, a scar sits in the crease beneath the nose and fades over months, and surgery takes 30 to 60 minutes and costs about $2,000 to $5,000, with Beautifi able to help you explore qualified providers and financing.
Lip shortening is a surgical procedure that creates a full, natural-looking upper lip for people who have a very thin upper lip or, in some cases, no upper lip at all. The procedure is best suited for patients who want a permanent full upper lip, for whom dermal fillers may not be effective or who are simply tired of having to treat the area repeatedly. Enhancing the shape of your lips can have a subtle to dramatic impact on your overall facial appearance.
Lip shortening creates a more balanced appearance to the face by shortening the space between the nose and the upper lip. The procedure involves removing some skin between your lip and nose and shortening the gap. The upper lip is pulled to make the pink part of the lip, known as the vermillion, more visible, resulting in a fuller, more pronounced, and natural-looking upper lip.
You may be a good candidate for lip shortening if you:
Are generally healthy
Have a significantly thin upper lip
Have tried dermal fillers & are looking for a permanent result
Have a gap between your nose and mouth
Don’t smoke
Have realistic expectations
Many patients considering this are really weighing proportion against volume. Lip enhancement with filler adds fullness without surgery or a scar, but it does not shorten a long philtrum and needs repeating, so the two solve different problems.
Step One – Anesthesia
The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia or IV sedation.
Step Two – The Incision
Following anesthetic administration, a tiny incision is made within the nasal sill (the ridge of soft tissue at the bottom edge of your nose, located right at each nostril opening). Excess tissue is removed, and the upper lip is lifted and everted slightly.
Step Three – Closing the Incisions
The incision is then sutured closed, and your lip shortening procedure is done.
Depending on the complexity of your procedure, lip shortening can take approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete.
While recovering from your lip shortening procedure, you may experience temporary swelling, redness, bruising, and sensitivity in the treated area. Patients typically take 5 to 7 days off to recover and majority of the swelling subsides within a week.
You will notice results immediately following your procedure, but swelling may cause your mouth to appear larger than usual. As it dissipates, the optimal results will appear. The final results are usually visible one to three months after surgery.
As with any surgical procedure, although rare, there are potential risks and complications including:
Poor wound healing
Scarring
Nerve damage
Blood loss
Anesthesia
The cost of lip shortening can vary depending on the complexity of your surgery. In Canada, the average cost of lip shortening ranges between $2,000 to $5,000.
520/567 people who have received lip shortening rated the treatment “Worth It” (92%).
– Source: realself.com
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