Face / Lip lift
Lip lift.Restore the proportions of your upper lip.
With age, the upper lip lengthens and shows less of your upper teeth. An upper lip lift shortens that distance to restore balance to the lower face.
What it is
What a lip lift can address.
The area around the mouth changes in distinct ways with age: the skin of the upper lip lengthens (the distance between the base of the nose and the lip border), the pink of the lip turns inward, and less of the upper teeth show when you speak and smile.
Dermal fillers are often used to restore volume, but they cannot shorten a lengthened upper lip, and repeatedly adding volume to an already long lip can create a heavy, unnatural look. An upper lip lift directly addresses this vertical length, restoring proportional harmony to the lower face.
The technique
Advanced lip lift mechanics.
Surgery around the mouth demands extreme technical precision, because the area holds a high density of delicate nerves and blood vessels and the incision sits in a visible place beneath the nose. Dr. Movtchan’s background as a highly trained microsurgeon and nerve specialist directly informs her approach: meticulous tissue handling, microscopic accuracy in incision placement and an advanced understanding of deep tissue dynamics.
The modern deep plane upper lip lift reduces these structural risks. With a deep plane release and secure structural suspension, the underlying muscle and foundational layers bear the weight of the lift.
- Eliminates cutaneous traction: releasing the deeper tissue layers lets the skin edges close completely free of tension.
- Optimizes scar healing: minimal tension on the skin is the primary factor in helping the incision heal discreetly within the natural crease beneath the nose.
- Preserves nasal architecture: suspending the deep tissue is designed to keep the base of the nose and the nostrils natural and undistorted.
Outcomes
Structural and aesthetic outcomes.
Depending on your anatomy, an advanced upper lip lift can rejuvenate the area around the mouth by addressing several distinct features.
- Philtral proportions: optimizes the height between the nose and mouth to restore balanced lower-face proportions.
- Upper tooth show: enhances the natural, youthful visibility of the upper teeth at rest and when you speak or smile.
- Vermilion eversion: gently turns the upper lip outward to reveal its natural pink and sharpen the Cupid’s bow.
- Philtral column definition: enhances the contours of the two columns at the center of the upper lip.
- Perioral lines: softens fine vertical lines above the mouth by restoring proper tissue draping from the deep layers.
- Less reliance on filler: reduces the cyclical need for over-volumizing fillers that distort natural anatomy.
Is it right for you?
Could a lip lift be right for you?
Candidacy depends on more than age. A surgeon assesses your health, healing risks, expectations, and the changes you would like to address.
- Discuss conditions or medications that may affect healing.
- Be open about smoking or nicotine use.
- Describe your own goals, rather than another person’s expectations.
- Understand both the possibilities and the limitations.
Talk through your options
Your consultation with Dr. Movtchan.
To learn more about how Dr. Movtchan applies microsurgical precision to the deep plane upper lip lift for natural, long-lasting rejuvenation, arrange a personalized consultation. Bring your medical history, prior procedures, medications, and the questions you most want answered.
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Your goals
Describe the changes you notice and what you hope to preserve.
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Your options
Discuss the proposed approach, alternatives, and the reasons behind a recommendation.
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Your preparation
Ask about anesthesia, the care setting, and what you would need to arrange beforehand.
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Your decision
Talk through the potential outcome, risks, recovery, and costs before deciding.
Benefits & limitations
Risks and limitations.
Potential complications include bleeding, infection, anesthesia problems, scarring, changes in sensation, nerve injury, delayed healing, and an outcome that does not meet expectations. This is not a complete list.
Your surgeon should explain which risks matter in your situation, how they are managed, and the alternatives to surgery. Results vary.
Recovery planning
Planning for your recovery.
Plan for help at home and time away from your usual activities. Your instructions will address work, driving and exercise according to your operation and how you are healing.
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Before surgery
Plan practical support
Ask about transport, help at home, and time away from responsibilities.
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Early recovery
Follow your care instructions
Understand dressings, any drains, medication instructions, follow-up, and symptoms that need a call to the surgical team.
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Returning to routines
Check before increasing activity
Ask when to resume work, exercise, skincare, and other daily routines.
Recovery varies with the procedure and the individual. Follow the instructions given by your surgical team.
Questions
Questions about a lip lift.
How do I know whether a lip lift is the right option?
An examination and a discussion of your goals help determine whether surgery is appropriate. It is reasonable to ask about alternatives, including doing nothing.
How long should I plan to recover?
Ask for guidance specific to your operation and daily activities. Work, exercise, and social plans may each have a different timeline.
What should I ask about costs?
Ask what is included in an estimate, including the surgeon, facility, anesthesia, and follow-up. You’ll receive a written estimate after your consultation, so you can review the costs before deciding.