Can Rhinoplasty Involve Lengthening of the Upper Lip As Well?

rhinoplasty can certainly add length to the upper lip if desired as shown in the example in the link

Rhinoplasty or nose job can lengthen the upper lip by the release of the muscle below the nasal tip that can pull the nasal tip down and draw the upper lip up. The muscle is referred to as the depressor nasal septi and can be released through the nasal incision or through the mouth. You likely have a nasal tip that is rotated downwards and the release will help with your nasal shape and hopefully relax your upper lip. I hope this helps.

Dr. Trussler

Yes it can. In many people, when they smile their nasal tip drops down a bit (droops) and their upper lip shortens.  This is often due to a small muscle called the depressor septi muscle.  This muscle connects the bridge of the nose to the upper lip, but serves no useful function.  In patients who have a shortened upper lip while smiling, release or rearrangement of the depressor septi muscle can easily be performed during rhinoplasty.  This will help to lengthen the upper lip.  I hope that helps. 

In my experience, the majority of lips that look like they need to be lengthened really only need to be released from a tented position attached to the nose. What I mean is that the large nose pulls up on a normal upper lip, making it appear short. 

An easy test is to look in the mirror and push the tip of the nose down, if the lip appears normal then the lip lenght is fine.

Another cause of the short lip look is excessive bone at the anterior nasal spine. If you push your finger up at the angle between the columella and the lip and feel a very prominent bone, this can be causing the lip look you do not like.

Finally, a short lip  for most people is attractive - ususally it is teh other stuff that makes the lip look unattractive.

a short upper lip occasionally is due to tightness of the depressor nasal septi muscle. you can make the diagnosis yourself. if your nose dives down when you smile and lip curls up to meet it, then a release would be usesful. you don't have to have a rhinoplasty to release this muscle and you could try botox before doing anything surgically. good luck

 Yes, the upper lip can be lengthened during Rhinoplasty by allowing the nasal tip to be rotated upward to a more aesthetic angle of 105 to 110 degrees.  The depressor muscles can also be dissected and weakened during the Rhinoplasty if these muscles appear to be over-active.

The answer is yes it can when desired. During a rhinoplasty there is modification of the septal structures which can release the upper lip and make the appearance longer. I use a digital imaging system during the consultative phase which allows me to put the patients preoperative photograph on the screen and show the proposed results of the procedure prior to surgery. This helps in the discussion of lengthening the lip as it is often a request that is desired or undesired depending on the patients personal aesthetics and facial structure. The facial aesthetics are really broken in to thirds in the face and the symmetry of each area is crucial for a natural harmonious result.

Any modification of the septum behind the columella (the caudal septum) can lengthen the upper lip.  The most obvious example of this phenomenon is the lengthening of the upper lip that occurs in people who have "boxer's noses", in which the septum has been broken.

An upper lip can be longer after rhinoplasty, so the surgeon must make sure that lengthening is desirable.  If no lengthening is needed, the surgeon can avoid creating any.