A short surgery that removes a strip of skin just under the nose to shorten the space between nose and lip, rolling the upper lip outward so more pink lip shows and the mouth looks fuller and younger at rest. Permanent, and the fix for a long upper lip that filler makes worse.
A lip lift solves a problem most people cannot name until it is pointed out: the upper lip is too long. The distance between the base of the nose and the top of the lip, the philtrum, lengthens with age, and a long one makes the upper lip look thin, hides the upper teeth when the mouth is relaxed, and reads as older. Filler in that lip makes it heavier and longer still. A lip lift shortens the philtrum, rolls the lip outward, and shows more pink and more teeth, permanently, in a forty-five minute office procedure.
What the surgery does
Under local anesthesia, the surgeon removes a thin strip of skin directly under the nose, in a shape that follows the nostril bases, and closes the incision so that the upper lip is lifted a few millimeters. The pink of the lip rolls outward and up, the philtrum shortens, and the upper teeth show slightly at rest, which is one of the strongest markers of a youthful mouth. The change is small in millimeters and large in effect, and it is permanent.
Who it suits
A long upper lip, most often after 35 as the lip lengthens with age, but also in younger people born with one. A thin upper lip that filler has made heavier rather than better. A mouth where the teeth do not show at rest. Surgeons often recommend it to filler patients who keep asking for more volume when what they need is less length.
It is not for a short philtrum, and it is not a substitute for filler when the lip is a good length but simply thin.
The scar and the recovery
The incision sits in the crease under the nose and heals into a faint line hidden by the nose’s shadow when done well; it is red for the first months and fades over a year. Sutures come out at about a week. The lip is swollen and stiff for one to two weeks and softens over a month. Most people are comfortable in public within two weeks, and the result is visible as soon as swelling begins to settle.
What it costs
Typically $3,000 to $6,000 including surgeon and facility, done under local anesthesia in the office. Against the ongoing cost of lip filler, a permanent result at that price is why the procedure has grown so quickly.
Choosing a surgeon
The scar is the whole game. Ask how many lip lifts the surgeon performs, to see healed results at one year straight on and up close, and how they design the incision for your nose shape. Ask what they would do if you have had lip filler, since it is usually dissolved before the lift. An experienced surgeon will measure your philtrum and tell you in millimeters what they plan to remove.
Browse the surgeons below and compare lip lift providers and pricing by city.
Why people choose Lip Lift
Permanently shortens a long upper lip and shows more of the lip's pink
Reveals the upper teeth at rest, a marker of a youthful mouth
Fixes the problem filler cannot: length rather than volume
Scar hides in the crease at the base of the nose
Are you a good candidate?
People with a long upper lip, a thin upper lip that filler over-projects, or an upper lip that hides the teeth when the mouth is relaxed; most often people over 35, when the lip lengthens with age
By location
Find Lip Lift near you
495 practices across 177 cities list Lip Lift on ClinicCompass. 364 of them (74%) say on their own websites that they offer financing or payment plans;
ask about approval and interest before you book.
Filler adds volume. A lip lift shortens the distance between nose and lip and rolls the lip outward, which shows more of the lip without adding to it. If your upper lip is long, so that the pink part is thin and your teeth do not show when your mouth is relaxed, filler makes the lip look heavier and longer, and a lift is the honest fix. If your lip is a good length but simply thin, filler is the right tool, and cheaper.
Where is the scar?
In the crease where the base of the nose meets the lip, following its natural curve, sometimes called a bullhorn shape. In experienced hands it heals into a faint line that the shadow under the nose hides. It is red and visible for the first months and matures over a year. Ask to see healed results at one year, straight on, before booking.
What is the recovery?
Sutures under the nose for about a week, swelling of the upper lip for one to two weeks, and a stiff upper lip for a few weeks that gradually softens. Most people are comfortable in public at one to two weeks. The result is visible immediately and refines as swelling settles.
What does it cost?
Typically $3,000 to $6,000 including surgeon and facility, performed under local anesthesia in the office. A permanent result for roughly the cost of several years of lip filler.
