Lip Lift in portland & LAke Oswego
What is A Lip Lift?
A lip lift is a cosmetic procedure that enhances the appearance and shape of the upper lip. A lip lift restores a more youthful proportion to the face by shortening the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip, which lengthens with age. The procedure also increases the visibility of the pink part of the lip, which makes the lips fuller. Some patients undergo a corner lip lift at the same time to correct a downturned corner of the mouth.
Dr. Brian Scott performs lip lift surgery for patients in Lake Oswego, Portland, Salem, West Linn, Hillsboro, Tualatin, Beaverton, Seattle, Vancouver, and the surrounding areas in Oregon and Washington. Before & after photos are available for viewing in-office.
What are the benefits of a Lip Lift?
1) Improved lip shape: a lip lift increases the visibility of the pink part of the lip, which makes the lips fuller, without using fillers.
2) Creates a more youthful appearance: A lip lift shortens the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip, which lengthens with age. This can help balance a face and restore the facial proportions seen in youth.
3) Enhanced smile: a lip lift improves the visibility of the upper teeth when smiling, which creates a more attractive smile.
4) Permanent results: unlike fillers or the botox lip flip, a lip lift is a permanent result.
5) Natural: A well-performed lip lift creates natural-looking results by utilizing the patient’s own tissue rather than adding foreign substances to the body. Lip filler can sometimes look abnormal in older patients with thin lips, but a lip lift leads to a natural-looking and a more aesthetic upper lip.
6) Less expensive: although the upfront cost of a lip lift is higher than lip filler, it is a permanent change. Long term, it is less expensive to have a lip lift rather than having lip filler, which requires annual touch-ups.
How is a Lip Lift Performed?
A lip lift is performed with the patient awake or under twilight anesthesia. The skin is completely numbed so the patient does not experience any discomfort. A small incision is made near the base of the nose and a small strip of skin is removed to lift the lip to a higher position. The incision is camouflaged in the natural folds of the base of the nose and is virtually invisible once it has healed. Sutures are removed at one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
A good candidate for a lip lift has a flat upper lip or an increased distance between their lip and their nose. Patients should be overall healthy without serious heart or lung diseases. Patients of any age can benefit from a lip lift.
In general, a lip lift is a very safe procedure and most patients heal without issue. However no procedure is completely without risk. Some of the main risks of a lip lift include bleeding (hematoma), infection, scarring and asymmetry. Overall, complications are rare and most problems typically resolve completely with time.
After the procedure, patients can expect mild swelling and bruising of the lips. Patients typically experience very little pain. Sutures are removed around 1 week after the procedure.
A corner lip lift improves downturned corners of the mouth, which can lead to a sad or angry appearance. A corner lip lift can be performed at the same time that the rest of the lip is lifted.
A lip lift is a minor surgical procedure which leads to permanent improvements in lip shape and facial proportions. A lip flip uses botox to allow the center pink portion of the upper lip to roll upwards and create a subtle improvement in lip fullness. A botox lip flip must be repeated about every 3 months to maintain its results.