Lip Lift New York

If you and Dr. Kaplan decide surgical lip enhancement is the best option, he will help you achieve your goals with an upper lip lift and a corner lip lift. This meticulous procedure requires the hands of a highly skilled plastic surgeon such as Dr. Kaplan to apply a precise, artistic approach to add fullness to your lips while maintaining harmony with the rest of the face.

What Is A Lip Lift?

A lip lift is a straightforward, minor surgical procedure that includes removing a small portion of skin below the nose and elevating the lip upwards. The procedure’s goal is to reveal more of the pink tissue of the upper lip to create the appearance of fuller lips.

Lip lift surgery takes about 1-2 hours in-office and is usually under local anesthesia. Dr. Kaplan discusses anesthesia and sedation options in-depth with all patients to ensure they are comfortable during any procedure at The Kaplan Center in New Jersey or New York.

Lip Lift Techniques

There is a wide variety of lip lift techniques, but Dr. Kaplan typically uses one known as the bullhorn lip lift. This procedure involves removing skin below the nose following the natural contours of the nostril and rolling the top lip upward to shorten the philtrum and add natural fullness to the lips.

Dr. Kaplan decides the best technique for each patient depending on their unique anatomy and specific goals. Other types of lip lift techniques include:

Direct “gullwing” lip lift – The outer skin of the upper lip is pulled upwards closer to the nose. A thin strip of skin is then removed from the area above the upper lip to pull the central part of the lip upward.

Central lip lift – An incision is made directly under the nose to remove a small amount of skin at the lower part of the nose, creating the illusion of added volume to the upper lip. 

Corner lip lift –  Incisions are made at both corners of the mouth to remove a small portion of the skin and lift a downturned upper lip just a few millimeters higher.

Italian lip lift – Two incisions are made below each nostril to remove excess skin.

Am I A Candidate For A Lip Lift?

You may be a good candidate for lip surgery if you wish to enhance your lips permanently, especially your upper lip. The lip lift can benefit people of all ages, both mature patients whose lips have thinned and rolled downward and younger patients who no longer want to go the temporary route of injectables.

Good candidates for lip lift surgery:

• Notice a shortening of the philtrum due to the natural aging process
• Desire a more permanent result than fillers
• Have been unsatisfied with their results from injectable fillers
• Have realistic expectations 
• Are in overall good health
• Are prepared for recovery
• May be undergoing facelift surgery and opt to combine these procedures for well-rounded facial rejuvenation

Lip Lift vs. Injectable Fillers

The benefits of lip lift surgery over injectable fillers include:

• Permanent results without needing to keep up with maintenance treatments
• Changes the position where the upper lip sits to reduce the philtrum rather than temporarily adding volume to create the illusion that it’s shortened

Lip Lift New York Recovery

You should be able to return to work 7-10 days after lip lift surgery. Swelling subsides after about two weeks, and you can use makeup to hide any residual redness at this stage.

We recommend applying cold compresses, taking over-the-counter pain medication, and resting during your lip lift recovery. To ensure your scars heal well without darkening, we ask all patients to apply sunscreen diligently for 12 months and continue to wear it regularly after that period.

The Kaplan Center provides a fully detailed recovery plan for all patients to ensure a safe recovery and the best results.

Does A Lip Lift Leave A Scar?

There are incisions with any surgery, and scar tissue is bound to form. However, a lip lift scar is well-hidden in the contours underneath the nose, and Dr. Kaplan uses his over 20 years of expertise to create as minimal scarring as possible.

Scars gradually fade, with noticeable improvements at about six weeks post-op, further improvements in the third month, and final results at twelve months.

Are Lip Lift Results Permanent?

Unlike injectable fillers or lip implants, lip lift results last forever, but as the face naturally ages following the procedure, the lips may begin to lose the youthful appearance provided.