Lip Lift
Conveniently located to serve the areas of Atlanta, GA
A lift lip is a cosmetic procedure that helps rejuvenate a patient’s face by reshaping the upper lip and balancing the lip proportions. Lip proportions affect the lower face as we age; with time, the upper lip gets longer and thinner, hiding the upper teeth both at rest and even when one smiles or speaks. Having a full smile is one of the characteristics of a youthful look, and restoring the appearance of the upper lip can help you bring back a stunning smile and a younger appearance.
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Before and After Photos
If you are looking to enhance the appearance of your upper lip, you may be an ideal candidate for an upper lip lift procedure offered by Dr. Gabriele Miotto at ME Plastic Surgery in Atlanta. Dr. Miotto and the ME Plastic Surgery team are Atlanta’s top practice for facial aesthetic procedures and can help you achieve the lips you have been dreaming of. Contact Dr. Miotto and the ME Plastic Surgery team to schedule a personal consultation or call (404) 850-5851.
About Upper Lip Lift Procedures
There are several types of lip cosmetic procedures, some of which involve surgery and others that do not. The upper lip lift offered by Dr. Miotto is a surgical procedure that creates younger-looking, sexier, and more proportional lips by repositioning the lip and shortening the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip. While lip fillers are a popular option to add lip volume, not all patients are good candidates for lip fillers, which may cause an “overfilled” appearance.
With advanced lip lift techniques, Dr. Miotto can enhance the shape and balance of the upper lip while addressing issues like scarring, disproportion, and more. By utilizing deep plane dissection and SMAS suspension, this procedure offers a stable, natural-looking result with minimal risk of complications. These techniques create improved lip curvature, ideal vermillion (the pigmented portion of the lip) exposure, and a harmonious balance, making it a superior option for patients seeking a more defined, youthful appearance. The surgical methods used by Dr. Miotto are linked to longer-lasting lifting effects for rejuvenating the appearance of the lips. (1,2)
Benefits
A lip lift is one of the most overlooked facial rejuvenation procedures and it has high levels of satisfaction following the treatment. (3) Patients who receive upper lip lifts might experience benefits that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The appearance of more voluminous lips
- A more youthful look
- An enhanced smile
- A more balanced profile and facial proportions
Ideal Candidates
Anyone looking to improve the aesthetics of their lips could be a potential candidate for an upper lip lift procedure, assuming they are in good general health and meet other required criteria as specified by Dr. Miotto. In general, most patients seeking upper lip lift procedures are women who have lost volume in their upper lip and are looking to rejuvenate their appearance. People with a relatively long upper lip can benefit from upper lip lift procedures. Enhancing your facial aesthetics to align with your goal can potentially give you a boost in confidence in your daily life. Whether or not you are an ideal candidate for an upper lip lift or another procedure offered by Dr. Miotto will be determined during your consultation.
To schedule your consultation, contact Dr. Miotto and the ME Plastic Surgery team by filling out our form online or by calling (404) 850-5851.
Personal Consultation
The first step in your upper lip lift procedure is scheduling a personal consultation with Dr. Miotto. This consultation will serve as a way for Dr. Miotto to assess your health, facial aesthetics, and overall goals. Dr. Miotto will create a customized treatment plan for you with all the necessary details for you to achieve your desired look. Upper lip lift procedures are commonly paired with other procedures such as face lift, eyelid surgery, neck lift, or nonsurgical procedures like injectables and laser treatments. (4)
Preparation
Each treatment plan is personalized and no two procedures are performed the same. Dr. Miotto and her staff will provide detailed instructions for any steps you must take leading up to the procedure. Patients might be asked to undergo certain medical evaluations to ensure they meet a basic standard of health that is required for this procedure.
Procedure
The details of each upper lift procedure might vary for each individual, but in general, the procedure begins with Dr. Miotto taking measurements of the patient’s lips and then placing markings in the subnasal area (under the nose) and in the lip corners when needed (for a corner lift). Following this, Dr. Miotto will administer local anesthesia, whether the patient is doing the procedure awake or under general anesthesia. Dr. Miotto will carefully remove the excess skin, lift the muscle, and then reshape and reposition the lip into the new position. Dr. Miotto can use an advanced technique, which helps reduce risks and improve results. (1)
To close the incisions, Dr. Miotto uses tiny sutures within the crease of the patient’s nose and at the lip corners if a corner lip has also been performed. This is done with extreme precision to ensure the lip heals properly with minimal scarring. From start to finish, this procedure usually takes roughly one hour but can take longer if additional procedures are performed. Patients will return to have sutures removed between 4-7 days after the procedure.
Recovery
As with any procedure, recovery times will vary from person to person depending on the details of the procedure. In general, patients can expect to see moderate swelling of the upper lip, and some degree of soreness and tightness, both of which usually peak around 48-72 hours after surgery and subside in the following week or two. Patients can expect to return home on the day of the procedure. Postop care and incision cleaning are specifically instructed by Dr. Miotto and her team. On average, Dr. Miotto’s lip lift patients return to work within 7 days, however, your timeline might differ because some patients have much more swelling than others. Avoid excessive heat, sauna, and hot tubs for 4 weeks after surgery. All-in-all, the initial recovery process usually takes around three to four weeks. However, there will be some degree of lip stiffness and potentially numbness that can last for 3 months.
Results
Patients receiving treatment from Dr. Miotto often report seeing long-lasting, stunning results. It is important to keep in mind that it can take months for the very final results of your surgery to be apparent. After 6 months, you can expect your results to be mostly permanent. You can expect subtle changes in swelling and healing (including the appearance of scarring) to continue to improve for up to twelve months.
Cost of an Upper Lip Lift in Atlanta
The cost of an upper lip lift will depend on several factors. Dr. Miotto will provide you with a price estimate during your consultation, and any questions you have about the cost of the procedure can be answered at this time. Dr. Miotto and ME Plastic Surgery offers financing options to those who qualify.
FAQ
What causes an individual to have a long, thin upper lip?
Some people naturally have a long upper lip, others develop these lip characteristics as they age. Aging is the main cause of an individual’s elongated, thin lip, where the area between the nose and the upper lip gradually deflates and lengthens. Eventually, the teeth on the upper arch remain hidden behind the lip when the individual speaks or smiles. With a lip lift surgery, Dr. Miotto can make the hidden upper teeth more visible and the proportions balanced.
Is there an alternative to lip lift surgery?
It depends. Dermal fillers can be used to reshape the lips and plump the lips if the upper lip is not too long. Fillers are good for mild lip volume changes, sharpening the lip edges, and improving fine wrinkles (“bar code lines” around the lips). However, when the upper lip is longer, only a small amount of fillers are recommended to avoid the “duck lip” look. In that case, a combination of a lip lift and fillers may be ideal. Filler injections are done in a few minutes in the office with topical anesthesia and little downtime. Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane® and Juvederm® are the most commonly used fillers in our practice for lip enhancement. They are absorbable, reversible, and can last for 6-12 months.
Do lip lifts leave a scar?
Yes, all surgeries leave a scar, but it is placed hidden at the crease of the nose and in the corners of the lips. With good surgical technique, good post-procedure scar treatment, and sun protection, at 6 months post-procedure the scars are barely visible.
Do lip lifts look natural?
A lip lift is one of the most powerful rejuvenation tools for the perioral area and the face. It creates beautiful, fuller lips and facial balance. As with any cosmetic surgery for the face, it takes skill and care to create the most natural and well-balanced look possible for a particular face type. Every patient is measured individually and the procedure is tailored according to the facial features and desired results.
How long do lip lift results last?
Unlike other treatments, such as lip fillers, the lip lift is a permanent lip rejuvenation procedure for the upper lip and an excellent choice for longer-lasting, fuller, and better-shaped upper lips. However, as we age, we naturally lose some upper and lower lip volume. Depending on patients’ characteristics and goals, we can maintain the surgical results or create more lip fullness with fillers.
References
- Talei B, Pearlman SJ. CUPID Lip Lift: Advanced Lip Design Using the Deep Plane Upper Lip Lift and Simplified Corner Lift. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2022;42(12). doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjac126
- Zhao H, Wang X, Qiao Z, Yang K. Different Techniques and Quantitative Measurements in Upper lip lift: A Systematic Review. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Published online March 1, 2023:1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-023-03302-5
- Jung JA, Kim KB, Park H, Dhong ES, Han SK, Kim WK. Subnasal Lip Lifting in Aging Upper Lip. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2019;143(3):701-709. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/prs.0000000000005315
- Raad Alnami, Ahmed S, Alashrah AS, et al. Aesthetic and Functional Outcomes of Simultaneous Rhinoplasty and Lip Lift Surgery: A Systematic Review. Cureus. Published online November 10, 2024. doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.73369
