Lip Lift Surgery for Facial Balancing. Aviva Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. Atlanta, GA
This patient came to see me because she had always felt her upper lip was “too long” and that it hid too much of her smile. She wanted a brighter, more balanced appearance without looking overfilled or unnatural.
Instead of adding more volume, I performed a conservative surgical upper lip lift (“bullhorn” lip lift). The procedure shortens the philtrum, or distance between the nose and upper lip, allowing more of the pink lip to show and improving upper tooth show with smiling.
One thing I think is important to understand about lip lifts is that they are really a structural procedure, not just a “bigger lips” procedure. In the right patient, they can:
- improve smile balance
- reduce an elongated upper lip appearance
- create better harmony between upper and lower lip
- enhance lip shape without relying on filler
This patient is shown 7 months after surgery. Her scar has healed beautifully and sits discreetly along the natural contours beneath the nose. The goal was never to make her look “done” — only more refreshed and balanced.
I think lip lifts are one of the most powerful but also most misunderstood procedures in facial plastic surgery. In the wrong patient, they can look exaggerated very quickly. But in carefully selected patients with a long philtrum and limited upper tooth show, the change can be subtle, elegant, and incredibly impactful.
I welcome your questions and comments!
-Inessa Fishman, MD.