Lip Lift
in Tunbridge Wells, Kent
What is a lip lift?
A lip lift is a procedure that lifts and shortens the skin of your upper lip to create a shorter upper lip, the illusion of a fuller lip and/or rejuvenates your upper lip after ageing.
Who is suitable for a lip lift?
If you are concerned by a long or thin upper lip or an ageing upper lip and have not achieved the results you are looking for with other types of lip augmentation such as dermal fillers, you may be suitable for a lip lift.
Caution!
If you smoke, are on blood-thinning medication or have significant health problems, this will need to be assessed and you may be advised to wait or not to have a lip lift. If you have previously had an open rhinoplasty or you already have ‘dental show’ (where a significant amount of your upper teeth are visible when your lip is relaxed), you will need a careful assessment to see if you are suitable for a lip lift and you may be asked to wait longer after nose surgery or dental work before having a lip lift.
The procedure
There are variations depending on your individual anatomy and goals. The standard surgery can be done under local anaesthesia. Skin incisions are placed as discretely as possible at the base of your nose curving around the bottom of your nostrils. The exact skin pattern depends on the shape of your nose and your upper lip. The skin is lifted up and excess skin is removed. The internal tissues of your upper lip are lifted and secured in a higher position. In an extended or gliding lip lift, the lift effect extends further out to beyond the corners of your mouth. It is done though the same incision but has a more extensive dissection. An external suture net, the ‘haemostatic net’ is used to secure the more extensive lift. Drains are not used. Stitches will need to be removed 5 to 7 days later. If a haemostatic net is used, these sutures are removed in 2 to 3 days.
Our Before and After Gallery
The Difference Expertise Makes
Combination surgery
Lip lifts can be done on their own or in combination with other procedures. Common combinations include facelift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, brow lift, fat transfer, lip lift and other facial rejuvenation procedures.
Duration of surgery
0.5 to 1 hour depending on the extent of surgery. If other procedures are planned at the same time, the overall surgery time is longer.
After surgery
You will have tapes over the incision. Lip lifts are outpatient procedures. You can shower with care after 48 hours.
Recovery
On average 1 to 2 weeks off work are needed. If a haemostatic external suture net is used, it can take a couple of weeks for the pinpoint suture marks to fade. No heavy lifting or strenuous activity is allowed for 6 weeks. Reduce bending and stooping as much as possible and sleep on extra pillows at night to help reduce swelling. Some forms of exercise can be restarted at 4 weeks. Most exercise is restarted at 6 weeks. Driving is not allowed until you are safe to perform an emergency stop.
Complications
Unfortunately, complications can occur after all surgery and you need to be aware of this. Ms Nugent will do her utmost to reduce your risk as much as she can. This includes the health and procedure advice she gives you before surgery, the care and precautions she takes during surgery and the advice she gives you after surgery. Some of the complications that can happen include slow healing, infection, bleeding, poor scarring, asymmetry, pain, numbness or sensitivity in the skin, seroma (fluid build-up), weakness of your smile, recurrence of lip lengthening, excessive ‘dental show’, persistence of suture marks, under or over lifting.
Successful surgery
Most patients who undergo lip lift surgery are very happy with their results and lip lifts have a high success rate. Success depends on being prepared for your surgery, choosing the right procedure, the surgery itself and recovering well. All steps in the journey are crucial!
Download the detailed information booklet on this page to read more.
Download BookletBook a consultation to discuss your individual circumstances with Ms Nugent!
Contact Us NowVideos
Can You Have Your Lips Made Smaller