how long do I have to avoid talking, smiling widely and eating normally after a lip lift?

This is a question your body will answer for you, in conjunction with your surgeon.  First, follow the advice of the doctor performing your procedure.  Second, the advice offered to my (many) lip lift patients, which has never failed, is that patients should not do anything that feels uncomfortable.  If you're opening your mouth too wide, stretching, or pulling the repair excessively, you'll feel pain, and that's your body's signal to relax and back off.  In general, after suture removal at one week (my routine), if healing is going well, I ask patients not to stress the area for another week.  After that, increase diet, facial expression, and all other activities as able.  Diet should be unrestricted, burgers should be fine.  Mobility of the upper lip will indeed be limited, but that shouldn't prevent you from eating what you want.  Our lip lift scars have been imperceptible, probably because of our precise individualized lip lift planning and use of high power surgical magnification in the precision closure.  We avoid tension and rippling as much as possible.  Occasionally, if there is a visible or bothersome area, a small office revision under local anesthesia makes it disappear.  This is rarely necessary, but be patient for several months following the procedure to allow all evidence of the lip lift to dissipate.

Hello hopelitI would advice you visit or contact your plastic surgeon about this concern and all other post-op concern.

For my liplift patients I recommend not doing anything that would the incision apart. Talking is ok right away. But I would avoid any movement that pulls the incision apart especially after the skin sutures are removed. 

My suggestion is to have patients avoid wide smiling and mouth opening (things that really tug on the scar) for a period of about 2-3 weeks.  After that, they can do a little more, but only if it is comfortable.I think it is important to avoid that tight, pulling sensation for as long as you can.  When your body tells you that things are softening and relaxing, it should be safe to increase the amount of motion.With regards to topical agents, most of them will be hard to conceal.  Having said that, I really like BioCorneum for scar reduction (buy it from your surgeon, NOT the internet).  Just be sure to apply a very small amount, otherwise, people will be able to see it from across the room.Best of luck.*This is an original answer authored by Dr. Brzowski.  No staff members created this document, and this reply is not cut and pasted from previous answers.*