Lip lifts have been around for quite some time, but have recently resurged in popularity. I have been performing this procedure in my Fort Worth and Southlake offices since our practice opened in 2015. The increased interest is likely driven by the trend to fuller lips with more red lip show. With the popularity of lip fillers, many people are more focused on lip aesthetics than ever before and wondering how they can get those beautiful luscious lips.
What is a lip lift?
This is a surgical procedure that uses a small incision hidden under the nose to remove excess upper lip skin. This raises the lip up and shortens it – creating more red lip show while slightly reducing the skin of the upper lip which is desirable in some patients.
Why would someone need a lip lift?
With aging, just as the facial skin starts to lose collagen and elongate, so does the skin of the upper lip. Combining volume loss and loss of collagen, the upper lip starts to look long and the red lip starts to roll under and is not as visible.
So lip filler or lip lift?
Consider a long upper lip without much red lip show. By adding filler to a long lip, the lip is going to appear even longer with more fullness at the bottom. This creates the notorious duck lip which everyone has probably seen, or as I like to call it – the Simpsons Lip.
I really assess patients on a case by case basis. By offering both lip fillers and lip lifts, I am able to determine which option would be better for improving the overall aesthetic of the lower face.
Whats the cost of lip fillers vs lip lift?
Traditional lip lifts can range from $3000-$5000 while lip fillers are typically around $1000-$1400. Consider though, that lip fillers are typically performed once a year. If you are looking for a more permanent solution, a lip lift is definitely cheaper in the long run.
Interested in learning more? Check out our lip lift page and our injectable filler page.