What is lip surgery?

Lip surgery, also called cheiloplasty, is a surgical procedure that allows you to reshape or restore the shape of your lips or give them more definition and volume. The restoration of the lip is achieved by both surgical and non-surgical techniques, which can work together or separately to deliver naturally healthy and attractive lip shape. As we age, the lip loses hydration, volume, and exposure. The upper lip curls back towards the teeth with less ‘vermillion show’, and in the female lip there is a loss of ‘pout’ and loss of the feminine ‘Cupid's bow’. 

Upper lip lift restores the Cupid's bow, and rolls out the vermillion to shorten the philtrum, and reduce the ‘smoker’s lines’ of ageing. The scars are beautifully hidden under the nostril sill of the junction of the nose and the lip. A "lateral lip lift" will hide the scar at the junction of the vermillion and the cutaneous lip, and it reduces the lines of shadow at the corner of the mouth with a gentle lift. In the lower lip, the "pout procedure" will project the central tubercle of the lower lip vermillion to promote youthful projection and feminine volume. After the upper and lower lip position has been restored, we can then re-hydrate the lip and boost lip volume with hyaluronic acid fillers and potentially lipo fillers.

Why is lip surgery done?

The lips are an important aspect of facial aesthetics. The absence of shape or volume can create insecurity or discomfort for some. Lip surgery, therefore, makes it possible to increase the projection or volume of the upper or lower lip, modify its shape and  restore the balance of youthful position with the youthful face. It is therefore very common to combine the "pout procedures" with face and neck lift surgery for a restoration of youthful and feminine balance throughout the face.

What does lip surgery consist of?

In the upper lip, the central lip lift restores the Cupid's bow, everts the vermilion and provides projection and youthful shape. The scar is hidden under the nostril still at the junction of the lip. The lateral lip lift elevates the corner of the lip to continue the Cupid's bow and elevates the corner of the mouth, hiding the scar at the junction of the vermilion and the skin. It reduces shadow, increases vermilion show and promotes a youthful appearance. In the lower lip, the scars are all behind the lip and the surgery offers projection to the central tubercle of the lip increasing the feminine and youthful “pout”.

Preparation for lip surgery

Lip surgery can be done with local anaesthesia, or more commonly with "Twilight anaesthesia”. It is often combined with face and neck lift surgery. When all is healed, volume and definition of the inverted and 'pout-restored' lip can be gently augmented with filler therapy. The duration of the intervention is approximately one hour.

Lip surgery aftercare

During the post-intervention period, lip swelling is variable and unpredictable in nature, but it can be controlled by applying a cold compress locally in the first postoperative hours. Stitches are dissolving, and the scars heal beautifully with imperceptible visibility. Lip hydration and volume can then be maintained with low volume annual use of specialist hydrating gel fillers as required.