Tiny Upper Lip - Does the base of my nose need to be a certain length to accommodate for a lip lift? (Photos)

However, considering the visible scars of a lip lift, serious issue to consider, and adding the volume disproportion between upper and lower lips, I don't consider you a good case but for an autologous upper lip augmentation using skin dermis as own material for filling the vermillion; it is lifetime lasting, yours and compatible, no mid-long term onset of granulomas and deformity, no stiffness, totally natural.

You are an excellent candidate for an eccentric lip lift. This does 4 things: shortens the distance between the nose and upper lip, increases the mucosa of the upper lip, increases the incisor show and pulls up the corners. This takes 1 hour to perform under local anesthesia and costs $4,000.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Yes - you can have a lip lift. The key is you have a nice groove under your nose where we can place our sutures and healing will look good. We will be able to adjust the lip height and fill it in at the same time - it takes about 30 minutes in the office under local anesthesia.

At least from the photos provided, there seems to be sufficient philtrum.
However, before jumping into surgery, or more likely, to be able to avoid altogether this expensive, invasive surgery and post-surgical downtime, you may wish to consider a nonsurgical injection lip lift.
A couple of microdroplets of Botox placed properly on each side at the vermilion border of the upper lip is one easy and quick approach to achieving a lip lift. If necessary, this can be followed (or be accompanied by) the use of a malleable, cohesive, low viscosity HA filler placed along the vermilion border to further "flip" the upper lip.
You would be wise to consult with an experienced, board certified cosmetic dermatologist injection expert and best of luck.

There is no need to do any procedure on your nose to accommodate lip lift. Properly performed upper lip lift would provide significant improvement. Good luck.

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photos. When evaluating candidacy for a lip lift, the length of the philtrum (the space between the base of the nose and the upper lip) is indeed an important factor.

For a lip lift to achieve natural-looking results, a few anatomical considerations are typically assessed:

Philtrum Length
Ideally, the philtrum should be long enough to allow skin to be removed without overexposing the gums or creating an unnatural result. A general guideline is that a philtrum length of approximately 12–15 mm or more is considered sufficient for a standard subnasal lip lift. If the philtrum is very short, removing skin can result in an over-pulled or unbalanced appearance.

Tooth and Gum Show at Rest and While Smiling
It’s also important to evaluate how much of your teeth and gums are visible at rest and during expression. A well-performed lip lift enhances the visibility of the upper teeth without causing excessive gum show.

Base of the Nose
While the base of the nose doesn’t need to be a specific size, it should have adequate structure to support the incision and maintain aesthetic balance. The incision is typically made just beneath the nose, so having clear nasal contours can help conceal any potential scarring.

Based on your photos, the proportions appear within a range that may be amenable to a lip lift, but exact measurements and an in-person or virtual assessment are typically needed to determine feasibility and predict outcomes accurately.