Lip lift - can a lip lift make my philtrum shorter? (Photo)

Question

I think my philtrum is too long for my face, I'd like there to be less space in between my nose and upper lip.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

A lip lift does 4 things: shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip, increases the mucosa of the upper lip, increases the incisor show and pulls up the corners.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

based on this very limiting photo, I do not think that you would benefit from lip lift. You already have beautiful, full lips and lift will make upper lip even larger. Under the nose scar with your skin type may be visible more than you like. Good luck.

Vipul Gargya, MD · Answer

Hi Mimilop :) Great question, you have beautiful lips! A lip lift will decrease the distance between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lip hence yes, the length of the philtrum (cephalad to caudad) will decrease
You have a beautiful upper lip already, and it is important to note that the look of the upper lip will change slightly with a lip lift. You can mimic the effect by pulling on the skin just below the nose and this will cause a slight upturn of the body of the lip. 
With lip lifts, my preference is to have a distance of 13mm to 14mm from the base of the nose to the top of the lip (vermillion border), I find this distance gives the best results. You can measure your distance or ideally have a Plastic Surgeon measure the distance with a caliper, as this would be most accurate. 
Personally I would not perform a lip lift if the length was 14mm or less already. If it is longer, you can consider it! However do note that your upper lip will have more show due to the pulling effect of the lip lift surgery. Hope that helps!!

Akshay Sanan, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Mimilop,Thanks for asking this question. You are a good candidate for a lip lift. A lip lift will help shorten the distance between the base of your nose and the top of your lip. It would also increase the dental show at rest. A lip lift is done under local anesthesia (~60-90 mins), or can be done with sedation. It is a permanent procedure. The incision is placed under the nose and heals very favorably if done by an expert. Social downtime is 1-2 weeks because of lip swelling. The results are immediate. Notably, 1) shorter distance from the base of the nose to the top of the lip (shortens philtrum), and 2) increased red lip show at rest. I recommend you see a board-certified facial plastic surgeon like myself. I hope this helps!All the best,Dr. Sanan, MDAkshay Sanan MD Facial Plastic SurgeryDouble Board Certified

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hi there! Yes, a lip lift can help make your philtrum shorter. A lip lift involves an incision underneath the base of the nose. A certain amount of skin to be removed is measured and excised (on average, 3-5 mm). The suturing then shortens the upper lip (and philtrum) while also rolling the red lip to show more. The results tend to be natural if done carefully. Hope that helps!

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Based on the 1 nicely posted photo the response is YES1 Fee in the $2,500 ranges using only local anesthesia. Best to virtual consult with....

Lip lift - can a lip lift make my philtrum shorter? (Photo)

Answers (6)

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