What is a lip lift?
A lip lift is a brief operation that shortens the skin area between the bottom of the nose and the upper lip. This distance can lengthen with age, or simply be long by nature. The result is an upper lip that looks flat, a smaller visible area of red lip (the vermilion) and upper teeth that stay hidden when the mouth is relaxed.
The subnasal lip lift removes a thin piece of skin, shaped like the horns of a bull, directly beneath the nose. When the edges are brought together, the upper lip rises, more vermilion becomes visible and the lip can look fuller and more defined, with no filler or implant involved.
Who is a good candidate for a lip lift?
Precise measurement is what this operation depends on. One review of lip lift technique names the factors to assess beforehand: lip height, vermilion height, the width of the nostril base, the type of skin, how much of the upper teeth shows, and the vertical height of the upper jaw.
| Generally a good fit | Worth waiting or talking through first |
|---|---|
| A long upper lip that shows little vermilion | An upper lip that is short already |
| Upper teeth that cannot be seen when relaxed | A lot of tooth or gum showing at rest |
| An upper lip that has flattened or turned down with age | Serious worry about any scar under the nose |
| Thin lips that fillers have not shaped as hoped | A history of thick or keloid scarring |
| You do not smoke, or will stop | Cold sores or a skin infection around the mouth |
Which lip lift techniques are used?
| Method | What happens | Often used when |
|---|---|---|
| Subnasal (bullhorn) lip lift | A bull's-horn-shaped piece of skin is taken from along the nasal base | The upper lip is long, which covers most patients |
| Deep-plane or muscle-supported lift | The deeper tissues, not the skin edges, carry the pull | The aim is less tension on the scar |
| Corner lip lift | Small areas of skin are removed to raise the mouth corners | The corners turn down, sometimes alongside a subnasal lift |
| Non-surgical options | Filler or muscle-relaxing injections | A short-term change with no scar is preferred |
A systematic review of the subnasal lip lift found that the bullhorn shape was the excision used most often, and every study it included reported better-looking lips afterwards. A wider review that compared surgical with non-surgical lip lifting concluded that surgery lifts the lip for longer but always leaves a scar, whereas non-surgical options are minimally invasive and wear off. If you would prefer not to have surgery, lip fillers can be talked through as another option.
How is the operation performed?
- Measuring and marking. Dr. Yazır assesses lip height, how much of the teeth shows and the shape of the nose, then marks exactly how much skin to remove along the base of the nose.
- Numbing. Local anaesthetic numbs the area while you stay awake.
- Removing the skin. The marked piece of skin is taken out, with care to protect the lip muscle (orbicularis oris).
- Closing in layers. Deep stitches take the strain and fine stitches on the surface close the skin, keeping the scar as thin as possible.
- Going home. You leave on the same day with ointment and written aftercare advice.
Does a lip lift affect the nose?
It can. In a study of people who had a subnasal lip lift without nose surgery, the nasolabial angle, which is the angle formed between the nose and the upper lip, became measurably smaller and the nostril base widened slightly. Dr. Yazır therefore always examines the nose before a lip lift, and some patients decide to have both procedures together. A systematic review of rhinoplasty combined with a lip lift found high satisfaction, and the most frequent complaints were a mild scar and short-term numbness. More about nose surgery is on the rhinoplasty page.
What does recovery look like?
| After surgery | What you are likely to notice |
|---|---|
| First 3 days | The upper lip is swollen and tight and may seem lifted too much at first |
| Days 5 to 7 | The stitches come out; office work is usually possible |
| Weeks 2 to 4 | The swelling has mostly gone and the lip moves more naturally |
| Months 1 to 3 | The scar is pink and fades slowly; use sun protection and scar care |
| Months 6 to 12 | The scar matures and the final lip shape can be seen |
How do I plan my trip to Izmir?
Patients travelling from abroad usually allow 6 to 7 days. The clinic is in the Egeperla building in Konak, about 25 to 30 minutes by car from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB).
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | You arrive, meet Dr. Yazır and have your measurements taken |
| Day 2 | The lip lift is done under local anaesthesia; rest at your hotel afterwards |
| Days 3 to 5 | Quiet days with soft food, wound care and a check-up if one has been arranged |
| Day 6 | The stitches come out and a final check is done |
| Day 7 | You fly home once Dr. Yazır has given the go-ahead |
Before booking, you can send photos over WhatsApp from the front and the side, both relaxed and smiling, for an initial opinion.
What are the risks of a lip lift?
Although a lip lift is a fairly small operation, its risks deserve careful thought:
- A scar under the nose that shows, widens or becomes raised
- Numbness or changed feeling in the upper lip, usually short-lived
- Unevenness of the lip or of the nostril base
- A lift that is more or less than intended, or that drops back a little with time
- A change in how the base of the nose looks
- Bleeding, infection or slow wound healing
Dr. Yazır explains how these apply to you during the consultation and the informed consent discussion.
How long do results last?
The subnasal lip lift is intended to give a lasting change. In the studies gathered by one systematic review, the improvement held throughout follow-up periods that ran from roughly one year to almost five years. Because the lip keeps ageing along with the rest of the face, some change over the very long term can still occur.