Do you have to dissolve lip filler before a lip lift? How long do you have to wait to get filler in lips after a lip lift?

Ideally, the lips are in their natural anatomic state before performing a lip lift. This should be determined on an individual basis and will depend on the amount and type of filler utilized. The time between dissolution and surgery should be at least four weeks.To ensure you are receiving the highest level of care, seek out a modernly trained, new-school dermatologic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is board certified and fellowship trained in one of these "core four" cosmetic specialties. Membership in organizations like the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery help to identify a highly trained surgeon.  Cameron Chesnut #realself100 Physician

Ideally, the lips are at their baseline when doing lip lift surgery, so that the procedure is tailored to the anatomy based on its true architecture. In other words you don't want filler distorting the true anatomy, because the entire procedure is being planned around the anatomy. That being said, whether or not the lip filler is dissolved in practice depends on how much filler you have, where it is, and the potential impact on the surgery. If there was so much filler that the anatomy was distorted, then yes, it would be good to dissolve it or wait until it wore off. However, if you just have a small or subtle amount in the lips themselves, it's unlikely to alter the surgeon's ability to design the lip lift. After surgery, there is not a rule about when filler can be placed, but there will be swelling after surgery, and it is a good idea to wait until that subsides. Often filler can be used to correct asymmetries that are present naturally in ones lips, and in this case it is even more important that the filler has worn off, so that the surgical planning can take into account the asymmetry.

No, you do not have to dissolve the lip filler before a lip lift.  After the lip lift is performed, filler can be re-applied once the wound has completely healed.Best Wishes,Gary Horndeski, M.D. 

Great question! As more and more people get fillers in the lips this is becoming increasingly important to consider, as it is for rhinoplasty as well. I think the answer here is not black and white. In my opinion, it depends on how much filler is present and the degree of distortion from the natural state. If I feel it is excessive, I may give it time (4-6 mo) or dissolve it depending on patient preference. If the filler appears subtle it is usually okay to proceed with surgical planning. One caveat is asymmetry. Generally some asymmetry can be corrected with a surgical lip lift, but if fillers are on board I counsel patients that I will not be correcting asymmetry surgically since it is unclear if its the filler causing it or natural anatomy. 
After a lip lift, there is a chance that you may not need filler at all. But if desired, I advise waiting at least 6 weeks. Hope that helps. Excellent questions. 
Gary Linkov, MD

It varies from patient to patient, and greatly depends on the amount of filler one has in her/ his lips. That's true that lip lift is better to be done on "clean" lips, in their natural anatomic stat &  it's easier to predict the post-op result. But I also performed lip lift on lips with fillers, with great results as well. This should be decided during a face-to-face consult with a dr. 

best regards, 
Piotr Osuch, MD, PhD