Tucson Cosmetics Lip Lift
A lip lift is aimed at people who are unhappy with the length of their upper lip area and want to improve their smile.
The obsession with full, luscious lips can be seen throughout history with paintings in art galleries where you see ancient artifacts, medieval paintings and Greek goddesses, all with plump and kissable lips. An upper lip lift can change how you start your day with a real smile and renewed enthusiasm.
What is an Upper Lip Lift?
A lip lift, also known as an upper lip lift is a surgical and non-surgical procedure that corrects and reshapes the cosmetic appearance of the lips to boost the prominence of the vermilion border and enhance the look of the lips. A lip lift shortens the space between the top of the lips and the bottom of the nose through a bullhorn-shaped strip of skin below the nostrils.
The Lip Lift Procedure?
Upper lip lift usually takes about an hour and is done in an outpatient setting. Local anesthesia is provided to numb the area for comfort. An incision is made by the lip lift surgeon to remove a strip of skin under your nose and shorten the space between your nostrils and the top of your lip.
Excess skin is removed to shorten its vertical length, which can be accomplished by making an incision along the lip roll or under the nose (the more popular approach is referred to as a bullhorn upper lip lift). After the excess skin has been taken out, the incision is closed with sutures placed underneath the skin and removed by the surgeon a week after your procedure. The goal of a lip lift is to decrease the distance between your upper lips and your nose to make your lips appear fuller and your smile more attractive by exposing your upper teeth. The cupid’s bow of your lip can be made curvier by slightly reshaping it. A specific geometric pattern is made often reflecting four surgical categories: direct lip lift (DLL), indirect lip lift (ILL), corner of the mouth lift (CML) and the V-Y lip advancement (VYLA).
What are the Non-Surgical Options?
There are also non-surgical lip lift options more commonly referred to as a lip augmentation which uses injectables and collagen induction treatments to give you the best non-surgical lip enhancement to fit your needs.
Thin lips can be enhanced with injectable fillers, such as Botox, Juvederm, Volbella, and Restylane, and fat injections or fat grafting. Fillers can make your lips look fuller for several months with little to no risk. Silicone or saline lip implants and fat injections are longer-lasting options.
FAQ
You are a good candidate for a lip lift if you are in good overall physical health, do not currently smoke and have realistic expectations. Anyone with a thin upper lip (the pink part of the lip), an elongated upper lip (top of the pink portion to the bottom of the nose) or has minimal teeth showing when smiling are all great candidates to make a decision that will change their lives forever.
There are plenty of benefits to getting an upper lip lift at Tucson Cosmetics. Some of those benefits include:
- Fuller lips
- Lift the sagging downward turned corners of your lips
- Improves the shape and length of your lips
- Shortens the length of the lip between your nose and your mouth
- Grant a more youthful appearance
- Give a more proportional smile and show off your teeth more
- Reduce the signs of aging around the mouth
- Decrease the fine lines on your upper lips
- Improves the corners of your mouth
- Create a more symmetric and balanced lip and facial appearance
- Improves definition of the philtral columns and Cupid’s bow
- Create the soft, pouty, full feminine mouth, and more sensual lip appearance (as often portrayed in magazines)
- Improve self-esteem and confidence
The results from an upper lip lift are long lasting and, for the most part, a permanent procedure. There is a small chance for a relapse but most of the results are permanent.
Lip lifts are generally considered to be safe and have been performed successfully by a lip lift surgeon for a long time. The procedures are minimally invasive and are performed with local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
The most common side effects from lip lifts include swelling, bruising, lip distortions, numbness and soreness near the incision that usually go away a few days after your procedure. You should call your doctor if swelling lasts longer than a week or two or if you notice a change in sensation near your scar.
Your scar will be minimal and the red incision disappears fairly quickly. The incision is usually placed at the base of your nose so it becomes a no scar lip lift over time. The scar is discreet, and goes unnoticed by other people. You may feel self-conscious but other people will not notice the scar.
A couple of weeks prior to your upper lip lift at Tucson Cosmetics, you should stop smoking and drinking alcohol (it increases the possibility of bruising and swelling) and taking any herbal medications, supplements, Aspirin and Ibuprofen (which can cause bleeding). You should also avoid fish oils, garlic extract and Vitamin E. On the day of your lip lift surgery, make sure to have someone drive you home.
Your lips will look fuller immediately after an upper lip lift but you won’t see the final look until all the swelling, bruising and scarring settles down between three to six months. You may experience bruising and swelling for up to two weeks and numbness for a few weeks after your procedure. You may experience some discomfort but it should not hinder you from doing your normal activities.
Here are other tips to help you in your recovery:
- Sleep with your head elevated for the first 48 hours to minimize swelling
- Clean the scar area with hydrogen peroxide and polysporin using a Q-tip a day after surgery
- Use a cold compression over your upper lips to help reduce the swelling
- You can take Tylenol and any medical prescription from your doctor
- Be cautious with your sensitive upper lips when you brush your teeth or chewing food
- Avoid pulling downward on the upper lip for the first two weeks
- Avoid using makeup on the scar for the first two weeks
- Avoid physical activities that can raise blood pressure and increase swelling, including lifting heavy objects and strenuous exercises, for at least a month
- Avoid direct exposure to the sun on your incision for a year and make sure to use a minimum of SPF 45
- Avoid Aspirin, Advil or Ibuprofen, which can all increase the swelling
- Do not smoke for several weeks to allow proper healing to occur
- Do not drink alcohol for the first two weeks because it can increase bruising and prolong the healing of the swelling
*Individual Results may vary and no guarantees can be made.
**Results may vary. Unless noted otherwise, testimonials provided are patients of Tucson Cosmetics who have undergone completed treatment(s.) Before and after images reflect real results from real patients, although individual results may vary. Statements estimating treatment duration and the amount of treatments required are based on the typical experience of patients of Tucson Cosmetics, however, duration and amount of treatments needed may vary per client. A guarantee is neither provided nor implied.