Lip lift in my early 20s - scarring concerns.

Thank you for your question! Honestly, this is a common concern that young patients have.  Now, without any pictures or being able to see your mouth move, smile, facial proportions, etc - its hard to give you a specific response to your concerns.  That being said, shortening the prolabium, avoiding scar and preventing further nostril show is well within your reach.  I like to anchor my lip lift to the perinasal ligaments, which prevents changes in the nostrils, while also doing some maneuvers to reduce tension and decrease the likelihood of any scarring.  Depending on your skin type, we can do different things at the time of surgery to prevent any scar formation. Lastly, the scar should not mirage down with age.  I hope some of this helps! Best of luck!

Thank you for your question. The goal of all facial plastic surgery is to create a natural looking appearance without the hint of scarring. I suggest you consult with an experienced board certified facial plastic surgeon to determine your candidacy for this procedure.
Best wishes,

Great!  you figured out that tooth show is the key.  Also, you know that a lip lift will enhance femininity.  Those are two of the key points of lip lifting I've been teaching others for years.  The scarring doesn't migrate down, and if it gets thickened (rare) we watch it for treatment.  Nostril show can be minimized or even improved at the same time if done correctly.

There are two approaches to lip lifting.  I prefer the gullwing vermillion border lift on females as it gives a more lip enhancement and shape to the lip then the bullhorn while at the same time often increasing tooth show and decreasing white lip length. Scarring is a risk but if the surgeon is skilled, meticulous , and uses the correct suturing technique the result is usually very nice. I just performed one of these on a patient that traveled 12 hours to see me and it looks fantastic already.  I have performed many of the over the last 25 years. 

Lip lifts can produce great results with minimal scarring in younger patients.  While older patients do tend to scar less as a population,  most young patients still tend to heal very well after this procedure. Decreasing the tension on the skin edges is the key to having a scar that is thin and well concealed. Depending on your skin type, sometimes laser resurfacing can help improve the scar appearance if a more noticeable scar occurs.   Most scars improve over time and migration of the scar with age is not commonly seen.