How much mm should I do for a philtrum lift? (Photos)

Question

I'm going in for a philtrum lift at the end of this month and I wanted to know how much should I take off in order to receive the best results. I'm having a very skilled doctor who is Board Certified in Cosmetic surgery and very knowledgeable. He had suggested 3mm but I'm wondering will that be sufficient since I am nearing the big 50. I know that as we age that area widens. Looking forward to hearing back from you all, thank you.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

Hi,Thank you for your question. The maximum I remove at one time is 6mm from the center and up to 10mm at the corners. Removing more than 6mm at the center can result in bad scarring or the incision tearing open. The corners must be lifted as well, otherwise a down turned appearance to the upper lip is made. I've seen so many results where the corners are not lifted leaving the patient with a permanent frown. The scar is well hidden at the base of the nose. We also do it without skin stiches that don't require removal. This procedure can be done in the office under local anesthesia (injections to upper lip). I'm afraid removing only 3mm won't make a noticeable change. I hope this helps. Best wishes and kind regards,

Gary Linkov, MD · Answer

There are surgical and non-surgical approaches to lip augmentation. Non-surgical approaches include botox (slight lift, reducing gum show) and filler (volume restoration). Surgically, you can have two separate incisions under the nose (italian), one incision under the nose (bull horn), one incision at the red/white upper lip junction (gull wing) or two separate incision at the corners, or a combination, depending on your desired look and anatomy. My preferred surgical technique is called the Elelyft, which is a version of the bullhorn approach. 
The ideal candidate for the Elelyft, or upper lip lift, is someone with a philtral length of 13mm or longer, no upper dental show, and/or a thin upper lip. The nasal base to mouth width ratio needs to be taken into consideration to avoid leaving the lip corners down. 
In your situation, I would recommend more than a 3 mm removal but we would need to be mindful not to reveal the upper gum line. I do not think 3 mm will be a substantial improvement. 
Consult with an experienced lip surgeon for a complete range of options that are appropriate for your situation.
Gary Linkov, MD
Lip Specialist / RealSelf Lip Lift Medical Reviewer
Manhattan

Farhad Rafizadeh, MD · Answer

There are some general rules and some specific requirements to get good results in lip lifting. Ideally your philtrum should end up about 10 to 15 mm high, but this really depends on many other factors. Your pictures doesn't show your teeth because your mouth is closed. One of the goals of lip lifting is to show better teeth and this may require additional skin to be removed to accomplish that. The Ideal ratio between the hight of the philtrum and your chin height is another variable. Make sure you see a board certified plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience in this procedure specifically. I will give you the link to American Board of Medical Specialty so that you can contact the appropriate board to find out if your physician is board certified.

How much mm should I do for a philtrum lift? (Photos)

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How much mm should I do for a philtrum lift? (Photos)

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.