Upper Lip Lift

I chose to have a lip lift procedure as I wanted to improve the proportions of my face and increase the size of my upper lip. After considerable research I decided on Dr Pacifico as he had incredibly positive reviews and I liked the result from his before and after photos. The consultation was very encouraging, I explained what I wanted to achieve from the procedure and he told me realistically what could be done. He was very clear on exactly what would occur during the surgery and the recovery time and the potential risks. He also suggested temporary alternatives such as lip fillers to ensure it would be something I would want (which I decided not to do in the end). He answered all of my questions thoroughly and I left the consultation knowing I would happily go ahead with the procedure.
The day of the procedure went very smoothly. I was very nervous when I arrived but the nurse and Dr Pacifico were understanding and made me feel much calmer. The worst part of the procedure was the injections both inside and outside the mouth which felt like a sharp pinch but after this there was absolutely no pain and if anything the rest of the time rather relaxing. It was a wide awake surgery and Dr Pacifico would talk to me during the procedure making it a much calmer environment than it could've been. I think it took around 30 minutes in total to complete and afterwards I sat down for 30-60 minutes before heading home as there was some bleeding. Immediately afterwards I was thrilled with the result, and it looked better than I had hoped despite the swelling.
In the days following the surgery there was some discomfort but no pain and I took painkillers for 3 days after surgery, after which I felt I no longer needed . Eating was difficult as my upper lip couldn't really move properly, so I mainly had liquid foods like soup. I had some swelling in my upper lip, the worst of which was a day after surgery, but this quickly resided and by day 5/6 was completely gone. I had my stitches taken out on day 6 and was had more tape put on which I had to keep on for 10 more days (this will vary depending on your rate of recovery). In the following weeks there was some difficulty with talking as the area with the scar felt quite stiff and thick, however this wasn't particularly visible to other people from what I could tell (I work in retail so had to talk to customers all day and they didn't have any trouble understanding me). Currently there is very slight stiffness and small amount of difficulty when talking but this has improved significantly and Dr Pacifico reassured me this would continue to improve over time.
It has been about 4 weeks since the surgery and the scar is still quite red but I have gone out without makeup and worked since the procedure and no one has noticed or said anything. I have since had a follow up appointment and recovery seems to be going well. I use silicone gel on the scar two times a day and cover it up with make up if I am going out which is very easy to do. I am absolutely thrilled with the result, I have a more proportional upper lip now and the effect on facial harmony with the shortening of the philtrum is remarkable, of which I did not expect. I understand that there will be some relaxation in the coming months but so far I am more than happy with the result and I am very thankful to Dr Pacifico and his team for doing this surgery. I feel more confident and more content with my appearance now and would highly recommend him if this is something you are looking to get down, it is truly transformative.