How do I reduce the fat on my philtrum? (Photo)

Question

I had a lip lift performed last year and while it did correct the philtrum length I was displeased with, it did not make my lip look lifted and rolled out. I notice that this is due to my philtrum having a lot of fat in the central region (Picture 1) which makes it concave and gives a shadow cast on both sides of my mouth. Is there any procedure that can be used to achieve the kind of flatter philtrum that is shown in Picture 2?

Gary Linkov, MD · Answer

There are surgical and non-surgical approaches to lip augmentation. Non-surgical approaches include botox (slight lift, reducing gum show) and filler (volume restoration). Surgically, you can have two separate incisions under the nose (italian), one incision under the nose (bull horn), one incision at the red/white upper lip junction (gull wing) or two separate incision at the corners, or a combination, depending on your desired look and anatomy. My preferred surgical technique is called the Elelyft, which is a version of the bullhorn approach. The ideal candidate for the Elelyft, or upper lip lift, is someone with a philtral length of 13mm or longer, no upper dental show, and/or a thin upper lip. The nasal base to mouth width ratio needs to be taken into consideration to avoid leaving the lip corners down.

In your situation, your upper lip already looks quite full. Modification of the philtrum will not make the lip look more lifted and rolled out however, additional skin removal might help

Gary Linkov, MD 
Lip Specialist / RealSelf Lip Lift Medical Reviewer 
Manhattan

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD · Answer

Many people come to see me with concerns about a lip lift done elsewhere. As likely the busiest lip lift surgeon anywhere we have the experience to adjust whatever has gone wrong or is out of balance to create the look your want.

How do I reduce the fat on my philtrum? (Photo)

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Everything you need to know about Lip Reduction

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How do I reduce the fat on my philtrum? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Lip Reduction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.