About lip lift
The philtral column lengthens with age, and in some people it is long from the outset. The visible consequence is a lip that appears thin and flat with little tooth show at rest, which reads as older regardless of actual lip volume.
Filler cannot correct this. Adding volume to a lip sitting under a long philtrum pushes the lip outward rather than upward, producing the projected, duck-like appearance that patients describe when they say filler did not suit them.
The subnasal or "bullhorn" lip lift removes a measured strip of skin at the base of the nose and re-drapes the lip upward. The scar hides in the shadow of the nasal sill and alar creases, and the change is permanent.
Who this suits
- A philtral length over about 15mm in women or 20mm in men.
- Little or no upper tooth show with the lips at rest.
- A thin-appearing upper lip that filler has not improved satisfactorily.
- Non-smokers with healthy skin and no keloid tendency.
- Not suitable where the philtrum is already short — the scar gains nothing.
How the procedure is performed
- Precise measurement of philtral height, tooth show at rest and on smile, and vermilion height.
- Marking of a bullhorn-shaped excision that follows the nasal sill and alar bases.
- Excision of skin only, preserving the underlying orbicularis muscle.
- Meticulous multi-layer closure with fine sutures to minimise scar width.
- Performed under local anaesthesia in around an hour.
- Optional concurrent vermilion filler once healing is complete, if extra volume is still wanted.
What it achieves
- Increased pink lip show without added volume.
- Two to four millimetres more upper tooth show at rest.
- A more youthful lip-to-nose proportion.
- Permanent, with no maintenance appointments.
- Scar concealed in the natural creases at the nasal base.
Recovery timeline
Individual recovery varies. These are the stages most patients pass through, and the ones we plan your follow-up around.
- Days 1–3
Swelling of the upper lip, most noticeable at 48 hours. Sleep elevated; avoid wide mouth opening.
- Days 5–7
Sutures removed. Swelling substantially reduced.
- Weeks 2–3
Presentable. Scar is pink and will need cover makeup for a period.
- Weeks 4–12
Silicone gel and sun protection on the scar. Progressive fading.
- Months 6–12
Scar matures to a fine pale line within the nasal shadow.
Cost
Includes procedure, dressings, scar care protocol and follow-up for one year.
Bands reflect the genuine variation in complexity between patients. Your firm quote is issued after examination and does not change afterwards. See our full price list for context across the catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
It sits in the crease where the nose meets the lip, which is naturally shadowed. In most patients it is difficult to see at conversational distance by six months, though it is never literally invisible and we say so before surgery.
They solve different problems. If your philtrum is long and tooth show is minimal, a lift is the correct answer, and that is the one we perform. If the lip is genuinely small but well-proportioned, filler is — and we will refer you rather than operate.
No. The excised skin is gone, which is why we measure conservatively and err towards under-correction.
It increases tooth show at rest. The smile itself is not altered, since the muscle is left intact.
