Should I move forward with a lip lift or is it best to wait for a full facelift?

That’s a great and very thoughtful question. At 36, you’re still quite young for a full facelift—most people don’t consider that until later when there are more significant changes in skin laxity and jowling. A lip lift, on the other hand, specifically targets the length of the philtrum and lip proportions, which won’t be fully corrected by a facelift alone.

If your philtrum is already measuring 20+ mm and you feel it’s affecting the balance of your features, a lip lift can absolutely be done now and often pairs well with a future facelift. Many surgeons actually combine the two later on if needed, but doing the lip lift earlier won’t “rule out” or interfere with a facelift down the road.

The key is making sure the lip lift is done conservatively and with attention to harmony, so the results look natural both now and as you age.

If your main concern today is lip balance and smile aesthetics, a lip lift could be worthwhile now. If your concerns are more about overall facial laxity, then waiting for a facelift later may be the better route.

A personalized in-person assessment would help determine if your current anatomy makes you a good candidate now versus waiting.

I just want to make sure you know that the facelift will not reduce the height of the philtrum. The lip lift is a smaller procedure that I do in the office under local anesthesia. The facelift is a longer procedure that I also do under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation in the operating room. We often combine the lip lift with a facelift when it is indicated. I would have to say that if you can benefit from a lip lift now there is no reason to wait for the time when you are ready for a facelift.

Unfortunately, you have not provided photographs. However, if your distance is 20+ mm then you would benefit from a lip lift. A lip lift does 4 things: shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip, increases the mucosa of the upper lip, increases the incisor show and pulls up the corners.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

If you have limited tooth show with your mouth slightly open at rest, then a lip lift is a great procedure for you. A facelift does not do the same thing, and why wait 10+ years concerned about your appearance? We do lip lifts in the office with local anesthesia over about 30 minutes. Watch our videos to learn more.

These procedures are unrelated. It has been shown the the most beautiful lips typically have a length from the base of the nose to the lip line (Vermilion border) being between 11mm to 16mm. If you would like a shorter lip and your plastic surgeon agrees that it will look good on you in proportion to the rest of your face, then do it! There is no need or reason to wait until you need a facelift. Like everything it the Plastic Surgery world.... No one really NEEDs any of the things we do. If it bothers you, do it!