Lip lift: what it is

Lip lift is the term used for the surgery that removes a small segment of skin between the base of the nose and the upper lip, shortening the philtrum and raising the lip. The idea is to increase the display of the vermilion and, in some cases, of the upper teeth at rest. There are variations in incision design, depending on the anatomy and the technique chosen by the surgeon.

When does a lip lift come into the conversation?

When the patient's concern is "my lip is thin" or "the space between my nose and mouth is long", the reasoning changes. Not every thin lip needs volume. In many faces, what bothers the patient is the long distance between nose and mouth, which "pushes" the lip down. In that scenario, adding filler to the lip may only make it heavier, without solving the proportion.

Several points weigh in the analysis:

• philtrum length relative to the lower third as a whole;
• incisor display at rest (see incisor display);
• lip proportion and the shape of the Cupid's bow;
• lip behavior in the smile, according to the smile line.

How does it relate to orofacial harmonization (HOF)?

A lip lift is a surgical procedure and therefore outside the scope of filler with hyaluronic acid. It appears in this routine for a practical reason: anyone doing HOF needs to recognize the patient who would benefit from a different approach and know how to refer. Saying "your case is not about volume, a surgical assessment is worth considering" is part of care, and it protects the patient from an artificial result.

How to talk to the patient

The ideal is to show the difference calmly, pointing out the philtrum and the distance between nose and lip, and explaining that filler and surgery answer different questions. Avoid promising a "lifted lip" or a specific result.

In Harmy

The Lips point of the marking simulates lip filler with the volume in ml entered. The app does not simulate surgery or philtrum shortening. If the case calls for a lip lift, the projection does not represent that approach, and this should be explained to the patient.

Also called: upper lip lift, bullhorn (a surgical design variation).