Lip Lift Montréal - Lip lift surgery for improved lip volume and facial appearance
What is a lip lift?
A lip lift is a simple and powerful facial plastic surgery that helps lift the upper lip in order to increase the amount of the red lip (or upper lift) shown. The lip lift procedure practiced by Dr. Moubayed offers our patients a long-lasting effect, a more visible smile, and a more aesthetically pleasing lip contour.
Lip lifts involve a small incision underneath the nose to enhance the size, shape and position of the upper lip. These procedures usually require local anesthetic as general anesthesia is not typically employed due to the minimal discomfort associated with the procedure.
What Are The Benefits Of A Lip Lift Procedure?
Lip lifts help achieve a full and youthful appearance. Some of the main benefits include:
- Fuller upper lip
- Improves shape of the mouth
- Get a more prominent upper lip
- Lift the corners of the mouth (when a corner lift is performed)
- Reduce the signs of aging
- Increased upper tooth (incisor) show
- Improve self-esteem and confidence
- Permanent results
How is a lip lift performed?
A central lip lift or upper lip lift procedure is performed by making a small incision removing a small strip of skin at the base of the nose and leaving a scar that is hidden in a natural crease between the nose and the lip.
Anesthesia
Lip lift surgery can take place in the office, with local anesthesia and a mild sedative. It is sometimes done together with rhinoplasty or facelift surgery, requiring general anesthesia in an operating room.
Downtime
There is a short “downtime period” associated with the lip lift procedure. After the surgery, you might feel a bit of pain, but this sensation subsides within a few days. Upper lip swelling can also be anticipated. The sutures will usually be removed within 5-7 days. Generally, the resulting incision is small and begins to almost totally fade away with time. We include laser treatments to all of our patients as well as specific wound-care instructions to make sure the scar becomes as inconspicuous as possible.
Aesthetic Effect
As we get older (and in certain genotypes), the upper lip lengthens, causing it to turn inside resulting in a very narrow upper lip. This then ends up covering the upper teeth which makes one look older. A lift of the lips can help make the teeth visible again and enhance the overall beauty of the nose-mouth area.
Long-term Outcomes
Lip lift surgery offers permanent results, with virtually invisible incision lines after about a year. This surgery can help counter the natural elongation of the upper lip that comes with age.
Other Considerations
A doctor that is proficient in facial anatomy and aesthetics should perform this procedure. If the incision is put in an inappropriate spot or if too much skin is removed, it may lead to undesired effects, webbing or badly forming scars. Dr. Moubayed is known as a local leading expert in lip lift surgery, having done lip lift operations successfully on many patients for years.
Four ways to know if you are good candidates for lip lift procedure
- You have a small upper red lip
- The distance between your nose and upper lip is increased compared to the general population
- You have tried (and failed) reversible options such as hyaluronic acid filler injections
- You are not subject to hypertrophic scarring or keloids
What happens during a consultation for a lip lift?
A lip lift consultation starts with a complete history and physical examination. Photos are taken and analyzed with your surgeon. This is an essential communication tool as some patients want changes that are not always possible in surgery.
Then, we talk about surgery and recovery, and Dr. Moubayed answers all questions you may have.
Multiple consultations are sometimes necessary before deciding to proceed with lip lift surgery. Cosmetic facial surgery is an important decision to make and you must be well informed before proceeding with it.
Does lip lifting replace hyaluronic acid injections or lip fillers?
Lip lift surgery is a permanent solution to increase the size of the upper lip. However, it does not replace the volume and hydration obtained through injections. Lip injections and lip augmentation can still be necessary after the procedure.
How long should I wait after hyaluronic acid injections before a lip lift?
We generally recommend that hyaluronic acid fillers to the upper lip and dissolved before the lip lift procedure.
What are the risks of a surgical lip lift?
Like any surgery, lip lift procedures involve the universal (but minimal) risks of scarring, bleeding (and bruising), infection (superficial or deep), and pain (temporary or permanent).
However, the main risk of any cosmetic surgery is not satisfied with the result. After a proper consultation that includes a complete examination and photo evaluation, Dr. Moubayed can generally produce the results desired by the patient. However, we do not control the healing of tissues, and some patients heal in an unpredictable way producing asymmetries or irregularities that can sometimes require touch-ups.
Lip lifts involve the risk of producing numbness of the lips and asymmetries. Very rarely, surgery results in the lips not touching each other anymore (labial incompetence).
Dr. Moubayed is a head and neck surgeon practicing in facial cosmetic surgery and is exclusively trained in facial surgery. He has a conservative and individualized approach with each patient. All patients are followed closely after surgery with very precise and very clear instructions. All of this is done to minimize the risks listed above.
Lip lift cost in Montreal
Prices for cosmetic procedures can vary widely based on a number of factors, such as the specific techniques used, the complexity of the case, and the experience and reputation of the surgeon. Please refer to our Prices page in order to know about our procedures as well as the cost. You may also want to consider asking about financing options or payment plans if the cost is a concern for you.
Things You Should Know Before Lip Lift
What are the different types of lip lifts?
There are several different types of lip lifts, all common lip lift procedures, including the following:
- Bullhorn lip lift procedure: This type of lip lift involves making a small incision underneath the nose and lifting the upper lip indirectly. It is the lift that produces the most inconspicuous scar. Also known as the indirect lip lift, modified upper lip lift, or CUPID lift.
- Corner lip lift: This type of lip lift involves making an incision at the corners of the mouth and lifting the skin to turn up the corners of the mouth and create a more youthful appearance.
- Direct lip lift: This type of lip lift involves making an incision around the upper or lower lips to advance it and produce a larger lip. The incision here can be more visible than with the bullhorn indirect lip lift.
Dr. Moubayed performs all the lip lift techniques listed above.
How long does it take to perform a lip lift?
Lip lifting is a quick and relatively painless surgical procedure when performed appropriately. When using modern techniques that enable maximal tissue control, it generally takes less than an hour.
What type of anesthesia is used for lip lifting?
Lip lifting is practiced under local anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation.
How long is recovery from a lip lift?
Patients leave the surgical center the same day and recover at home with very precise instructions, such as not drinking from a straw. Your first post-operative appointment will take place 5 to 7 days later, where your stitches will be removed and your wound will be examined. At that point, you can return to your regular activities and any bruising can be hidden with concealer.
Light physical activity can be resumed after a week, but for more vigorous activities like weightlifting, it is recommended to wait 1-2 weeks or three weeks to minimize bleeding risk.
How long does swelling last after lip lifting?
After a week, you will have a very presentable appearance in society. The majority of swelling decreases over the first three months, but minimal (barely visible) swelling can persist for up to a year.
How to find one of the best surgeon for a lip lift in Montreal?
It is important to look at multiple factors during your lip lift surgeon choice:
- Does your cosmetic doctor have specific expertise in facial surgery and anatomy to be able to minimize complications?
- Can the doctors perform all types of procedures on the lips to be able to choose which one is most adapted to your needs?
- Did you have a positive experience and feel comfortable during your consultation?
Are there non-surgical or minimally invasive alternatives to lip lifting?
Carefully selected patients can benefit from hyaluronic acid lip injections.Nothing replaces consultation with a doctor that offers all procedures (non-invasive and invasive) to determine the options best suited for your face.
Dr. Moubayed can advise patients judiciously with regards to one of the best options according to their facial needs.
How do I get a beautiful scar from a lip lift?
At Clinique Face MD, we are obsessed with proper wound care and scar optimization. Our recommendations include:
- Proper wound care (as instructed) and prescribed ointment in the first week after surgery
- Silicone gel in the first three months
- PDL laser treatments (VBeam Perfecta) to decrease redness
- If needed, monthly 5FU and corticosteroid injections
- If needed, CO2 laser for scar resurfacing
All of these options are available at Face MD.
Warning: These photos are published as an indication to provide information on the nature of the intervention. They do not constitute a guarantee of results.
Source: Clinique Face MD.
