How can I make my upper lip curl up and look less like a monkey? (photos)

Let me clarify. There might be some single soul with unique lip anatomy who had a tiny injection of Botox in the lip edge and low and behold the upper lip edge rolled out and that magical event was called by the injector, the lip flip. The reality is that 99.999% of the upper lips out there are not going to "flip." This is just more over-hyped nonsense. When you study the subject, 99.9% of lip flips are filler plus botox. I assure you that the Botox did not do anything; it was all filler that shaped the lip edge. Your lip edge is flat. I assure you that injecting it will Botox will not cause the lip edge to rise up and roll. Now let's talk fillers. The vast majority of fillers that injectors are likely to want to use a runny filler on your lip edge. These are fillers like Restylane Kysse, Belotero, or any of the Juvederms. Marketers call these products "smooth." They are pushed because the lumps and bumps made by inexperienced injectors smooth themselves out as the product migrates after being placed (think lip shelf and other lip filler crimes). The bad news is that what you really need to have a nice lip edge treatment is product that stays precisely where it is placed. For that reason, high G prime fillers are much better than the smooth or low G prime fillers. I only use Restylane in the lip edge for this reason.

Hi thanks for your question. If your only concern is having your upper lip roll up a little more i would recommend a lip flip. which is botox above the upper lip. if volume is also an issue you can do fillers in the lips in combination with the lip flip.

I recommend 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. The procedure takes less than 1 hour to perform under local anesthesia and costs $3,000.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

you need a lip lift and filler, filler alone will not give a huge improvement but will look better, adding to the chin will balance. I would start with daily hydration and plumping (see link). Best, Dr. Emer.

Dear binky07,
I perform a lot of lip injections with fillers such as juvederm and it works great. Many times I need to put more in one side than the other to attempt to even out the vermillion border (The red line of the lip). This helps provide more symmetry at times.For patients looking for a more long lasting result, I recommend fat grafting. That is, using your own bodies fat to make your lips naturally look more shapely. The bonus is that the results last many many years.
In general, I avoid using permanent prosthesis because I find that the lips are such dynamic and sensitive structures, the end result is not natural.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Lip fillers will help define your upper lip. They can be injected in a way that enhances the border only or add volume as well.

There are several options to give the upper lip more volume and definition.Hyaluronic acid fillers can add volume to the upper lip. Fat grafting can be performed for a more permanent result. A lip implant can also be used to provide additional fullness. An upper lip lift can provide a more rolled out appearance and fullness to the upper lip. This procedure can also shorten the distance between the nose and upper lip border.To determine the exact right option for you, I recommend making a consultation with a board-certified or board-eligible plastic surgeon.

You are an excellent candidate to have your top lip curled naturally with a Russian lip technique procedure. It's an advanced procedure and if done correctly produces incredibly natural results without looking "ducky".

Hello and thank you for your question. It is always best to see you face to face for a consult and examination however in this case a small amount of lip filler would help reshape and volumise your upper lip. I hope that helps answer your question. Always seek an experienced and qualified medical professional for these treatments. Very best wishes

Hi and welcome to our forum!Upper lip fullness can be increased by several methods. Temporary lip plumping can be accomplished with a hyaluronic acid tissue "filler" which will increase volume and projection of the upper lip. The material slowly degrades over a period of 6 months or so, requiring repeat injections. Permanent fullness can be achieved using a patient's fascia or tendon as a living tissue graft, or by utilizing a silicone prosthesis which can be implanted into the lip.See a board certified plastic surgeon for evaluation.