La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre 9850 Genesee Ave Suite 130
La Jolla, CA 92037 Call: (858) 452-1981Text: (858) 203-2944 M–F: 7:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
Lip Lift in San Diego
If you feel like your upper lip is too thin or long and detracts from your overall appearance, a surgical lip lift is a popular, long-lasting alternative to lip fillers or lip flips. Our board-certified plastic surgeons perform lip lift surgery for San Diego women and men of all ages to create a more youthful appearance by exposing more of your upper lip and teeth. This creates a natural-looking appearance, avoiding looking like you’ve had “work” done.
Upper lips often become thinner or lose their volume as we age, but lip lift surgery isn’t reserved for patients in their 40s, 50s, or older. On the contrary, adults of all ages get surgical lip lifts to enhance their pout and smile by making their upper teeth more prominent. We see patients in their 20s and 30s—some of whom want an alternative to lip fillers—get lip lifts.
Ideal lip lift candidates:
Have an area between the bottom of the nose and the top lip’s vermilion border that’s too long
Notice their lipstick bleeds easily beyond the lip line and into wrinkles
Find that downturned corners of their mouths make them appear unhappy
Want better balance in size and shape between their upper and lower lips
Desire a more lifted Cupid’s bow and an appearance of fuller lips
Want permanent results that are visible immediately after surgery
As with all elective surgery, patients should be in good overall health and stop using nicotine in any form for several weeks before the procedure.
"This was the first surgery I’ve ever had in my life. Although, it was under local
anesthesia it was still a major surgery because it was o…"
Dec 22, 2024
How Is a Surgical Lip Lift Performed?
A lip lift is a subtle surgical elevation of the upper lip using one of several surgical techniques. Generally, your surgeon will remove skin between the bottom of your nose and the top of your lip, shortening the distance between them. This reduction of the “philtral distance” exposes more of the inner lip, creating a fuller appearance. Our surgeons customize lip lifts to meet each patient’s goals and unique facial structure.
Lip Lift Techniques
Depending on your needs, your surgeon may use one of these techniques to perform lip lift surgery:
Bullhorn (subnasal) lip lift: The technique’s nickname reflects that the procedure removes excess skin from beneath the nostrils in the shape of a bull’s horns. The surgeon makes a small incision below the nose, resulting in an imperceptible scar at the base. This is the most common lip lift technique and is ideal for patients with long upper lips.
Corner lip lift: People whose corner edges of their lips curve downward, making them appear sad or stern, can benefit from a corner lip lift. A surgeon removes tiny triangle-shaped pieces of skin at the corners of the mouth, lifting the lips’ corners so you look more youthful and pleasant.
Italian lip lift: This is similar to the bullhorn lip lift, except the incisions appear as 2 smaller crescent shapes below the nostrils.
Gullwing lip lift: Performing this technique involves making an incision on the edge of the upper lip.
Surgeons use a local or general anesthetic for these techniques to keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Design the New You
Not sure how to get the look you want? Tell us about your goals, and we’ll show you the possibilities.
Incisions may need several weeks to heal, but you usually need 5 to 7 days of downtime. You can expect swelling and bruising to peak after a week and become much less noticeable 2 weeks after the procedure. Applying cold compresses and taking over-the-counter pain medication minimizes discomfort following the surgery. It can take up to 6 months for your lips to feel completely normal.
A lip flip is a nonsurgical alternative to a lip lift that involves the injection of a neuromodulator such as BOTOX® Cosmetic to make the upper lip appear fuller without increasing the lip’s volume. During the procedure, one of our expert injectors targets muscles at the corners of your mouth and the edges of your lips. BOTOX relaxes the muscles, allowing the lip to gently “flip” upward to expose more of the pinkish area. This makes the upper lip appear fuller. Maintaining the results requires periodic injections because BOTOX wears off after 3 to 4 months.
Lip Filler
Lip fillers such as JUVÉDERM® or Restylane® are among the most popular cosmetic treatments performed every year. While they are effective and create attractive results, they are temporary and require regular touch-up treatments. If you want long-lasting results, lip lift surgery is often a better option that requires minimal downtime.
Your Safety Is Our #1 Priority
Since 1988, more than 36,000 patients have had safe, successful procedures at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre.
We make it easy to take your next steps toward confidence with 3 convenient ways to connect with our team. In just a few clicks, you can call us now, book a call, or request a call back to explore options at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre—San Diego’s most awarded and trusted cosmetic practice!
