Lip Lifts 101: What it Is, What it Does, and Their Benefits Troiano Facial Plastics

There was a time not that long ago when "lip enhancement" just meant slapping on some lipstick. And if a woman wanted to take a walk on the wild side, she could maybe amp it up with some bright, Candy Apple Red lipstick.

Fast forward to today. Lip enhancement is HOT and can alter your lip size, volume, or shape using filler injections, neurotoxins, and hyaluronic acid.

But get this; as of right now, you can alter the placement of your lips with a dazzling new procedure called lip lift.

Here's how this works:

Over time, the upper lip can fall and sag as supportive tissue weakens and gravity takes over. As a result, the distance between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip lengthens, and your upper lip may begin to cover your front teeth when you speak or smile. This is aging, giving a much less vibrant and alluring appearance.

Who wants that?

Lip lift is a surgery performed using local anesthesia. The procedure shortens the distance between the bottom of your nose and the top of your upper lip, restoring a youthful and engaging look by making more of your pink lip tissue visible. Results are permanent, downtime is minimal, and your small surgical scar is hidden in the shadows under your nose. There are several different lip lift techniques that can be tailored just for you.

A lip lift can lift your game!

That space between your nose and upper lip is known medically as the philtrum. During a lip lift, your surgeon makes an incision around the base of your nose or just above your upper lip. Then, your surgeon removes a small amount of skin and lifts your lip toward your nose. The result is a lip with more "height" contour.

Maybe you've tried lip fillers but are less than satisfied with your results. And maybe you'd rather seek a permanent treatment rather than the temporary benefits provided by fillers. Assuming you're in good general health and have enough space between your nose and lip to accommodate the procedure, you may be a great candidate for a lip lift!

Cultural research is conclusive; we as a society regard full lips as attractive. Lip lifts can be performed using at least four different techniques and approaches.

A direct lip lift starts with an incision on the edge of your upper lip. Your surgeon then removes a small section of skin that is shaped much like a seagull in flight, hence the nickname "gullwing lip lift." The procedure concludes with your surgeon pulling your lip upward and securing it in place.

Whichever surgical technique is selected, you'll be given a local anesthetic injection which will keep you comfortable during your procedure.

For a couple of weeks before your lip lift, you'll need to stop smoking which can interfere with your anesthesia and slow your wound healing. You will also be directed to stop using aspirin products for a specified time before and after surgery to lower any risk of excessive bleeding.

Lip Lift recovery is pretty straightforward. Ice and Tylenol should take care of any post-procedure discomfort. Take it easy for a day, and tone down exercise for about two weeks to give yourself a chance to heal. Eat soft foods that don't require a lot of chewing for a few days, and stay away from hot liquids. Be careful when brushing your teeth, clean your incision sites with diluted hydrogen peroxide, and use lip balm moisturizers like Vaseline or Carmex.

A lip lift is considered a very safe surgery, but rare complications such as infection and nerve damage have been reported.

Your insurance will not pay for your lip lift since it is a cosmetic procedure.

Insist that your lip lift be performed by an elite-level and board-certified West Palm Beach plastic surgeon with years of training and experience. We know where you can find one!