Lip Lift Surgery in Tampa, FL

The lips are one the first facial features people notice in conversation, and are closely tied to overall attractiveness. As such, it’s no wonder nearly every woman wants a pretty pout! Unfortunately, some women are not as lucky as others and find that due to genetics or aging, their top lip is disproportionately thin or drooping downwards towards the mouth. Unfortunately, this also makes the mouth appear older by completely concealing the upper teeth when the lips are resting. While lip injections and fillers can plump up the lips temporarily, lip lift offers a permanent solution that gently lifts the upper lip. This adds height to the upper lip to increase the amount of “red show” (amount of vermillion border that is visible), shortens the distance between the nose and top lip (or “philtrum”), and allows a sliver of teeth to show at rest, creating a lifted, youthful, and attractive pout.

Dr. Traci Temmen is a board-certified plastic surgeon who is highly skilled in performing lip lifts to help women feel more confident putting their best face forward. Patient’s love her commitment to perfection and eye for detail, and she is skilled at making every woman feel comfortable and cared for from consultation to surgery and follow-up. At Temmen Plastic Surgery, patients are offered the highest quality care in the comfort and privacy of a boutique cosmetic surgery office and surgical suite. If you are ready to take the next step and get lush, youthful lips, call Dr. Traci Temmen at Temmen Plastic Surgery to learn more about lip lift surgery today.

Lip Lift Surgery

This procedure can be performed on its own, or at the same time as other cosmetic procedures on the face or body if desired. When performed on its own, this procedure can usually be performed under local anesthesia where the patient is awake and breathing on her own. It may be done under general anesthesia if the patient prefers, or if it is performed at the same time as other procedures requiring deeper anesthesia.

During the lip lift, an incision is made in the natural crease right underneath the nose. This “mustache shaped” incision is where a thin horizontal strip of skin is removed, allowing the top lip to be lifted to a slightly higher position on the face. This shortens the distance between the top lip and the bottom of the nose, and allows the top lip to expand in height. This also lifts the upper lift just slightly away from the teeth to reveal the perfect about of “tooth show” when the lips are barely parted.  At the end of the surgery, tiny sutures are used to close the incision under the nose. Overall, this procedure usually takes less than one hour to complete.

Who is a candidate for lip lift surgery?

Great candidates for lip lift surgery are healthy people who are bothered by an upper lip that appears thin due to the effects of gravity and aging on the face. Other good candidates include people who desire better balance between the top and bottom lip, or wish to shorten the distance between the nose and upper lip. Many patients may have already undergone lip injections and fillers in the past that made the lips plumper but still disproportional, and are bothered by a thin or drooping upper lip. Others may simply be tired of receiving lip injections repeatedly and seeking a more permanent solution.

To ensure that every patient has the best and safest lip lift possible, Dr. Traci Temmen performs a thorough history and physical examination on every patient. During the consultation, Dr. Temmen and her staff take the time to explain the surgery in detail, describe the expected results, and address all questions and concerns. Dr. Temmen recognizes that operating on the face requires absolute perfection and precision, and takes every measure to ensure that her patients are well-informed and comfortable throughout the entire process. As with any cosmetic surgery, all medical problems should be well-controlled and any infections should be appropriately treated. Patients undergoing lip lift in conjunction with other surgical procedures that require general anesthesia may require a more extensive preoperative evaluation that includes laboratory work, a chest X-ray, EKG, and medical clearance from their primary care doctor.

Who is not a candidate for lip lift surgery?

Poor candidates for lip lift surgery are those with uncontrolled serious medical conditions, uncontrolled infections, or open sores/wounds on the face. In addition, patients who already have a very short distance between the upper lip and nose may not be good candidates as this procedure would shorten that distance even more. Also, patients with long upper teeth that already show significantly at rest may not be good candidates as the lip lift may expose their teeth more than they want. Dr. Temmen performs a thorough history and physical with all of her patients to ensure they are good candidates for lip lift and can expect a satisfactory result.

Lip Lift Scars

Patients who have a lip lift will have one scar located just underneath the nose. This scar is camouflaged by the crease under the nose and fades significantly over time, often becoming almost invisible over the course of the healing process. During consultation, Dr. Temmen makes sure to go over precise scar placement and size so patients know exactly what they can expect.

Lip Lift Recovery

Recovery from a lip lift is usually very swift, and is performed outpatient with patients returning home the same day. If performed on its own, lip lift takes usually under an hour. If grouped with other surgeries, this time will increase based on the nature of the other procedures. During recovery, patients are provided with oral pain medications and may also receive anti-nausea medications and antibiotics. In the first few days following surgery, most patients experience local swelling and bruising of the area. This is normal and will rapidly as the tissue heals. Most patients can return to work within a few days to a week, and find that any residual bruising or redness can be adequately concealed under makeup at that time.

All patients are closely monitored following lip lift, and Dr. Temmen sees each patient within 1-2 days of their surgery to ensure they are healing well and have no concerns. Most patients can expect to see their final result after healing for six weeks.

Lip Lift Cost

The price of lip lift surgery varies depending on the region of the country, type of anesthesia, complexity of the operation, and number of procedures performed. Depending on these factors, a simple lip lift performed under local anesthesia can cost anywhere between $2,000-6,000. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Traci Temmen is proud to offer lip lifts to her patients starting at $4,900.

While it may be tempting to get “low cost” lip lift from someone who is not a board-certified plastic surgeon, keep in mind that this greatly elevates your risk of having a complication or a result you are unhappy with. Although a relatively quick operation, a lip lift is still a surgery that requires the expertise of a board-certified plastic surgeon who has the required training and experience to provide a safe, long-lasting, and cosmetic result. Be sure to choose a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who operates in a facility accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF) such as Dr. Traci Temmen.

Dr. Temmen offers convenient payment options for lip lifts and all other cosmetic surgery. They accept check, credit, card, and CareCredit, a credit card that offers special financing and low monthly payments for cosmetic surgery procedures.

Lip Lift Risks and Problems

As with any surgery, a lip lift has a risk of bleeding, infection, and fluid collection (seroma). These risks are extremely small for a lip lift because this is a minor surgery that only operates on the most superficial layers of skin and tissue on the philtrum. Patients with a history of bleeding problems or who take blood thinners are at increased risk of bleeding.

Other rare complications include abnormal scarring and nerve damage. Abnormal scarring may occur in patients with a history of keloids or other hypertrophic scarring, and should be discussed during the surgical consultation. Nerve damage is very rare due to the superficial nature of the incision, and is usually self-limited and resolves on its own over time.

The most common side effect of lip lift is bruising and swelling of the area. This can be managed by elevating the head while sleeping and applying cold packs to the area. In addition, it helpful to go into surgery with the knowledge that there will be normal post-op inflammation that will disappear over time. Other potential problems following lip lift include receiving an asymmetrical or otherwise unsatisfactory result. Choosing an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Traci Temmen helps minimize this risk, as does having in-depth personal consultation with your plastic surgeon during which the details of surgery, scar location, recovery, and expected aesthetic outcome are thoroughly discussed and all questions answered.

Dr. Temmen is meticulous in the planning, execution, and follow-up of all of her surgeries, and has an extremely low complication rate following lip lift. As an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon, she is not only a skilled in the operating room but also fully trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of any complications that arise.

Lip Lift Before and After Photos

Dr. Traci Temmen and her staff are proud to show real examples of previous patient transformations following lip lift. These before and after photographs are available for viewing and discussion during each patient consultation.

If you like what you’ve read and would like to learn more about if lip lift surgery may be a good fit for you, don’t wait! Simply call (813) 771-6393 to book your one-on-one consultation with Traci Temmen, MD today.