POSTED UNDER Lip Lift REVIEWS
20mm to 10mm philtrum - my face looks more feminine now than before
ORIGINAL POST
20mm Philtrum to 10mm Philtrum
Neat5363February 10, 2023
WORTH IT
I actually had this procedure done 2/17/2020, but RealSelf limits to 2 years in the past. I have always been self conscious of my long upper lip and lack of lip show. As a kid I used to hide behind my hand when I laughed because you couldn’t see my teeth when I smiled, and I just looked like a toothless hobo. LOL. I had a 20mm philtrum, zero tooth show, and basically zero lip show. Dr. Fishman came highly recommended. She is very warm and friendly, and her staff always made me feel welcome. My face gave us some difficulties (some scarring issues as well as spitting sutures—guess my body just didn’t want to allow the stitches to dissolve), but Dr. Fishman never gave up and wanted to get things just right. This is why I waited so long to post results. The corners of my mouth do naturally turn down (this is evident even in my baby pictures); Dr. Fishman suggested some filler would help with this as well as balance my face, but I haven’t crossed that bridge yet. I have started getting Botox in the “frowning” muscles, which I think has helped a bit. My mouth is also naturally crooked, I guess. Some things you don’t really notice until there’s more to look at! I don’t have a ton of tooth show when I smile, but definitely more than I ever had before. I actually have short teeth, I guess, and definitely have erosion per my dentist, so honestly the tooth show issue would likely be helped by some dental work. I do still catch glimpses of myself or see pictures and think I look a bit odd, even after 3 years, but then when I look back at my before picture, holy cow. What an improvement. I think my face looks more feminine now than before.
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Replies (7)
February 12, 2023
In the 3 years since your lift, what scar treatments have you had? And has your philtrum gotten any longer in that time or did it stay the same length? I also have downturned corners. I regret my lip lift and am hoping it gets 2mm longer over the next couple years. It doesn't look right on my face. My scar is also a concern. I had sutures come up and cause issues too, but have deep atrophic areas around my nostrils. I'm really struggling.
Thanks
February 12, 2023
I’ll try to recall everything that was done (although I may not know the proper names of procedures). Initially some of my scarring issue was more of a situation where the area where my nostril touches my face wasn’t quite right. Dr. Fishman actually did a small surgical repair to that area. I had a lot of hard scar tissue under the skin. Dr. Fishman put injections in these areas and it helped tremendously. Additionally, she used a radio frequency wand (ablation??) to smooth/refine some areas, and microneedling over the entire scar, slowly backing off that treatment as areas improved (my left side was the side that had issues with the scar revision and spitting sutures. It was amazing how long after the procedure the sutures came out). So, I had more microneedling around the left nostril than the right. I just measured myself, and I would say no, it has not fallen since the surgery. I am so sorry for what you are going through. I do understand. I’m not sure how I look to others. A few people I knew before hand do do a double take when they see me. I’m also 50 years old, and 30 lbs overweight, and those things alone have changed my face. It’s hard to know what’s what. I do find myself pulling my corners/sides of mouth up a bit and thinking it would look better, but I’m not prepared for another surgery. Have you shared pics of your results here? I wonder if we are just more critical of our own results because we are weirded out by seeing someone different looking back at us in the mirror, you know? Part of me would like to know what others think of me…but then I kind of don’t want to know!!
February 12, 2023
From your picture it seems like your scar isn't noticeable. Especially to anyone who isnt familiar with a lip lift.
Thanks for all that's detail. I really appreciate it. I was wondering about RF to stimulate collagen for my atrophic scars. I think its going to be a long process.
Also thanks for your sympathy. I wasn't expecting only the very center of my lip to be lifted. My surgeon did not spend more than a couple mins pre Op with me even to mark the area he was going to cut. I should have ran. He said one thing and did another.
I measure 2mm longer than my suture removal but it least half of that is scar widening. My scar cant be surgically removed since there's not enough skin left.
I started stretching my upper lip and well continue to do that. I probably could get way with gaining 1mm more, but would likely still need my corners done to look ok.
Im with you on not wanting another surgery.
And I also wonder what others think, but the fact is- only opinion that really matters is our own.
I am planning on posting a review closer to the 1 year mark. Im just approaching the 6 month mark now. I want to see if "fully" settled and healed. Plus I wont have any accurate representation of my scar until after I have done everything I can to improve it.
Maybe by then I will have also somehow gained another mm of length. Hopefully I am not being too delusional. Im just so desperate.
Thanks again for the info!
Thanks for all that's detail. I really appreciate it. I was wondering about RF to stimulate collagen for my atrophic scars. I think its going to be a long process.
Also thanks for your sympathy. I wasn't expecting only the very center of my lip to be lifted. My surgeon did not spend more than a couple mins pre Op with me even to mark the area he was going to cut. I should have ran. He said one thing and did another.
I measure 2mm longer than my suture removal but it least half of that is scar widening. My scar cant be surgically removed since there's not enough skin left.
I started stretching my upper lip and well continue to do that. I probably could get way with gaining 1mm more, but would likely still need my corners done to look ok.
Im with you on not wanting another surgery.
And I also wonder what others think, but the fact is- only opinion that really matters is our own.
I am planning on posting a review closer to the 1 year mark. Im just approaching the 6 month mark now. I want to see if "fully" settled and healed. Plus I wont have any accurate representation of my scar until after I have done everything I can to improve it.
Maybe by then I will have also somehow gained another mm of length. Hopefully I am not being too delusional. Im just so desperate.
Thanks again for the info!
February 15, 2023
I encourage looking into the corner lift! I did a regular lift lift, and since I have a small mouth, it just didn't look quite right. But the corner lift made everything much better! My scars in the corner lift look great also.
February 15, 2023
That's awesome to hear! Yeah I think a corner lift would help on me, but I am not scarring well it all around my nostrils, so having an extended scar past my commissures is really an absolute last resort. I'm also terrified to take a surgical risk. Do you mind sharing who your surgeon was? You can private message too if you don't want to post. Thanks!
February 15, 2023
You should look into a corner lift! I think it would look great on you. I did the initial lip lift, and then a corner lift within a year. And I'm so happy I did the corner lift!
I have a small mouth like yours and I think that really helps .
Thanks for your review!