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Enhance Your Smile In Austin

A smile is a visual expression that enhances facial appeal. If you remember having full and shapely lips when you were younger, now may be the time to recapture that youthful look. As we age, the upper lip can elongate, and the red portion of the lip becomes deflated and downturned. Lip fillers can add volume but are limited in their lifting effect and have to be repeated over time.  A lip lift by one of the facial plastic surgeons at the Buckingham Center can offer a more long-term solution to restore the youthful lip contour and rejuvenate the smile.

What Is A Lip Lift?

A lip lift is a cosmetic procedure that lifts the upper lip and restores its elevated position and increasing the red lip show. The procedure is designed to shorten the amount of skin between your lip and your nose by placing an inconspicuous incision at the base of the nose and removing a small amount of skin. The goal is to emphasize and enhance the red part of the lip and shorten the skin between the red lip and the nose, restoring a more youthful aesthetic. A lip lift gives a slightly fuller look to the lip and may improve the upper teeth show. It makes the mouth look more proportional and youthful without any filler. Other common names for a lip lift include a bullhorn lift, an Italian lift, or a gullwing lift. It is a simple yet effective surgical procedure that gives you long-lasting results.

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Why Choose The Buckingham Center For Facial Plastic Surgery?

At the Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, your journey is marked by a lifelong commitment and unparalleled support. With three facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons, over two decades of Austin experience, and an accredited surgical suite, our patients feel our dedication to exceptional care. As Austin's facial specialists with a science-based approach, our surgeons pride themselves on focused expertise, offering proven specialized services. Our team's unique skills, top-level training, and genuine passion ensure the best and safest care. From building relationships to guiding your aesthetic journey, our staff is dedicated to providing cheerful, respectful, and professional care, making your experience uplifting and your results natural-looking.

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Why Would You Need A Lip Lift?

As you age, your upper lip starts to droop, decreasing your red lip show and elongating the white part of your lip.. This increased space between your nose and top lip results in a tired, aged look to your mouth. Over time, you may notice that your whole smile has changed. Your teeth may not show because the upper lip has dropped down to cover them. The corners of the mouth may not move up like they once did.

Some patients mistakenly think that these changes mean they need filler in their lips. While filler may be an option to restore volume, a surgical lip lift may offer longer lasting, better results.  A lip lift fixes age-related lip sagging by shortening the space between your nose and your top lip. This causes the center of your upper lip to lift slightly, exposing the tips of your teeth and moving the corners of your mouth upward.

Not Sure If A Lip Lift Is Right For You? Try This.

Put your finger under your top lip and push it up slightly to simulate shortening of the white part of your lip. This rolls up the red lip, creating a lifted, youthful look. As the red part of the upper lip has more height (lip show), you may also notice some of your lip lines fading away. The lip lift surgery creates this lifted look permanently.

What Are The Benefits Of A Lip Lift?

The potential benefits of a lip lift include:

  • A lifted, fuller upper lip with a natural pout
  • Enhanced lips that look naturally full
  • A quick procedure with a speedy recovery
  • Out-patient surgery with little downtime
  • Long-lasting results
  • Fewer wrinkles around the lip area
  • A beautiful smile that shows your teeth
  • An enhanced cupid-bow curve for a youthful look
  • Great adjuvant surgery to other facial aging procedures (ie. brow lift, facelift)

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What About Fillers?

Dermal fillers are excellent for adding volume and plumping up the lips. However, in some instances surgical correction may be more appropriate to restore youthful shape and definition. 

Additionally, dermal fillers may still be an option following surgery to enhance your surgical result. A lip lift does not affect the bottom lip, and therefore fillers may still be needed to address this area. 

Why You Should Get A Lip Lift In Austin, TX

When you have this procedure performed by one of our lip lift specialists, you can achieve great results that look completely natural. Best of all, if you do decide to get fillers after a lip lift, you can do so knowing that your fillers will improve a restored, youthful anatomy.

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Who Is A Good Candidate For A Lip Lift?

A lip lift is a great choice if you:

  • Want fuller lips but do not want to use fillers
  • Have an elongated upper cutaneous (white) lip
  • Have lips that are too thin
  • Would like to regain the youthful pout your mouth once had
  • Have lost your upper teeth show
  • Plan to get fillers but want to avoid the “overdone” appearance

What Does The Lip Lift Procedure Involve?

The procedure takes about an hour to an hour and a half. After you have been given local anesthesia, your facial plastic surgeon makes an incision just below your nose and removes a small piece of skin from the area. The doctor then releases the surrounding skin and precisely sutures the incision line closed.

At this point, the upper cutaneous upper lip (the part between the nose and the pink lip) will be shortened, and the red lip will be lifted and enhanced. The surgeon will also shape your top lip to enhance its cupid-bow look.

A week following the procedure you will return to see your surgeon. This is when your sutures are removed, and your doctor can see the progress of your lip lift. At this point, the swelling should have improved, and any bruising will have faded.

Your Results After A Lip Lift

After about three months, you will be able to see the full results of your lip lift procedure. Your lip lift surgeon in Austin will determine how well you are healing. This is also a good time to consider whether you would like to pursue further lip augmentation with fillers.

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Are You Interested In Getting A Lip Lift In Austin, TX?

If you are interested in moving forward with this surgery, your next step is to set up a consultation with a lip lift specialist in Austin. At Buckingham Center, you’ll get detailed information about what to expect from the procedure. You’ll also have the chance to see the results that our surgeons were able to give former lip lift patients.

A lip lift is an exciting procedure that can give you back your youthful smile. To learn more, contact our office in Austin, TX, at 512-401-2500 to schedule a consultation.

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Lip Lift FAQs

Will there be a visible scar after a lip lift?

The incision is placed discreetly at the base of the nose, following the natural contour of the nostrils. Over time, this incision typically fades and becomes difficult to notice, especially with proper aftercare.

What is the recovery like day by day?

Mild swelling and some bruising are common in the first few days following surgery. Sutures are removed around one week after the procedure, by which point swelling has generally started to improve and bruising has largely faded.

How much does a lip lift cost?

Cost depends on your individual anatomy and whether the procedure is combined with other treatments. A personalized estimate will be provided following your consultation with one of our surgeons.

What are the risks of lip lift surgery?

As with any surgical procedure, risks can include infection, scarring, asymmetry, or changes in lip sensation. These risks are uncommon, and your surgeon will review them in detail during your consultation to help you feel fully informed.

Can a lip lift be reversed?

A lip lift is intended to be a permanent, long-lasting solution, so it is not considered reversible in the way that filler can be dissolved. This is why choosing an experienced surgeon and discussing your goals thoroughly beforehand is so important.

Will a lip lift affect my ability to smile or speak normally?

Most patients experience no lasting changes to their smile or speech. Some temporary tightness or stiffness around the mouth is normal during the initial healing period, but this resolves as swelling subsides.

What is the difference between a lip lift and a lip flip?

A lip lift is a surgical procedure that permanently shortens the space between the nose and upper lip, while a lip flip uses a small amount of neuromodulator to relax the muscle above the lip, creating a subtle, temporary rolling effect. A lip lift offers permanent results, while a lip flip typically lasts only a few months.

If I am having a facelift or rhinoplasty, can I get a lip lift at the same time?

In many cases, yes. A lip lift pairs well with other facial procedures, allowing patients to address multiple aesthetic goals during a single recovery period. Your surgeon will evaluate your anatomy and overall surgical plan to determine if combining procedures is right for you.

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