Can I get a closed rhinoplasty right after a lip lift, or do I still have to wait like you do for an open rhinoplasty?

You’re absolutely right to be cautious when considering the timing of a closed revision rhinoplasty following a lip lift. While closed rhinoplasty is less invasive than the open approach and generally involves quicker healing and less disruption to surrounding tissues, there are still important anatomical and healing considerations.

Both procedures involve the central facial region, particularly the columella, philtrum, and base of the nose. Even with a closed rhinoplasty that avoids external incisions, the underlying tissue structures are closely related, and operating on one area shortly after the other may compromise healing, increase swelling, or affect final aesthetic results.

Although you might not need to wait as long as with an open rhinoplasty, it is still typically advisable to allow at least 6 to 8 weeks of healing time after the lip lift before undergoing a closed rhinoplasty, assuming everything is healing well. This waiting period allows inflammation to subside, tissue integrity to stabilize, and scar tissue to begin maturing — all of which contribute to safer and more predictable outcomes.

The key is communication between your providers. Even though your original rhinoplasty surgeon does not perform lip lifts, both surgeons need to be aware of your full surgical plan so they can properly coordinate timing and avoid compromising results.

In short: Yes, you still need to wait, but the healing time may be slightly shorter than with an open rhinoplasty. Always prioritize healing and tissue stability to ensure the best long-term outcome.

I wrote, many years ago already, a key paper demonstrating our experience with doing lip lifts together with rhinoplasty. These can be done at the very same time. If you already had the rhinoplasty, we can do the lip lift in the office shortly thereafter