Beyond Fillers: Upper Lip Lifts

As we age, it is common to gain volume in areas of the body where it is least welcome, such as the hips and abdomen. With the lips, the opposite is true. Lips lose their fullness and “pout” as the skin sags and loses collagen, the natural protein that keeps our facial features looking smooth and vibrant. How much and how fast this occurs depends in part on environment and lifestyle, but mostly genetics.

Dermal fillers have become increasingly popular as a convenient way to add fullness to lips and erase wrinkles near the mouth. Dermal fillers require just a few office visits, or sometimes a single injection session. For many clients, experienced Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Ashkan Ghavami recommends a permanent solution: upper lip lift. Here, Dr. Ghavami explains the benefits of lip lift, along with other effective options.

Much of the change in the shape of your lips and even the character of your smile occurs when the skin above the lips and below the nose loses integrity and begins to stretch. This can create not simply lines and wrinkles, but also a dour expression when the lips are at rest.

Upper lip lift compensates for this sag by tightening skin in the affected area. With an eye for the aesthetic appeal and balance of the final result, Dr. Ghavami begins by making an incision where it will be least noticed: in the crease formed where the nose meets the skin above the lip. By removing some of this skin, the upper lip is drawn slightly upward, restoring fullness and creating a more attractive shape. Your preferences are as important as the surgeon’s skill at this point: Some patients prefer a greater tightening to bring back a youthful pout, while some seek a more modest change that will eliminate the thin, broad look of older lips.

There are other choices to consider as well, such as a procedure in which a small amount fat is removed from the abdomen or another part of the body using a liposuction procedure, and injected into the lips as a natural filler. Some patients who want a more dramatic boost to lip volume choose implants. The custom implant is made of silicone or a similarly flexible material, and surgically inserted into the lips through tiny incisions that leave no noticeable scars.

To learn more about lip lift and other rejuvenating options, schedule a consultation with experienced Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Ashkan Ghavami by calling (310) 275-1959 or emailing Ghavami Plastic Surgery today.