Dr. Zhuravsky introduces one of his favorite procedures, the lip lift. This surgery is able to bring subtle but signifiant enhancement to the face with a relatively short surgery and recovery time. Although lip lifts have been around for decades, more recent advances in understanding have led to even better and more natural results. Dr. Zhuravsky focus greatly on the fine details that are required to make this seemingly minor procedure achieve beautiful results for his patients.
Dr. Zhuravsky explains what a lip lift is and what it does. This is essential to understanding who is a candidate and how to perform the procedure for the best results. A lip lift shortens the philthrum (area btwn nose and lip), which improves facial proportions and lifts the lip itself. It also increases the lips volume and enhances its natural 3 dimensional shape. Lastly, by elevating the lip it allows for a more youthful and sensual appearance by increasing tooth show.
This video provides an important foundational understanding of lip lift that all patients should have when considering this surgery.
Most patients looking to enhance the appearance of their central face and top lip are candidates for a lip lift. It leads to a significant improvement in overall facial aesthetics with a subtle but very calculated change in facial proportions, lip shape, lip size, and tooth show.
Problems with mouth closure (oral incompetence) either from bite deformities or other issues can prevent someone from having this procedure as it will work against their ability to close well. There are cases where this can be off-set with other techniques, but it is on a case by case basis.
Dr. Zhuravsky explains what it’s like for patient to go through a lip lift and how it is performed.
Lip lifts are performed with just local anesthetic and often described to be “much easier” than a dental procedure. The lip is measured multiple times to get the ideal lift prior to surgery. Patients are given anti-pain and anti-anxiety medications to make them comfortable. A numbing medication is injected into the upper lip and nasal base, which produces a brief sting and burn sensation, followed by complete numbness of the entire area. Patients relax with their eyes closed, listening to music while the procedure is performed. A quality lip lift will take from 45 min to 1hr 30 min, but patients report thinking that it was only about 30 minutes.
Dr. Zhuravsky explains what it’s like for patient to go through a lip lift and how it is performed.
Lip lifts are performed with just local anesthetic and often described to be “much easier” than a dental procedure. The lip is measured multiple times to get the ideal lift prior to surgery. Patients are given anti-pain and anti-anxiety medications to make them comfortable. A numbing medication is injected into the upper lip and nasal base, which produces a brief sting and burn sensation, followed by complete numbness of the entire area. Patients relax with their eyes closed, listening to music while the procedure is performed. A quality lip lift will take from 45 min to 1hr 30 min, but patients report thinking that it was only about 30 minutes.
A common question is whether or not a lip lift is suspending “the muscle”. This is due to some misunderstanding and marketing regrading lip lift. It is important to elevate the lip in what we refer to as the deep plane, as it is the layer that provides strength and support. However, this layer is right above the muscle. In most cases we do not lift the muscle itself for a variety of reasons, and we focus on the thick “SMAS” of the upper lip. However, in some cases the muscle itself is too long, or folds in onto itself, requiring use to lift it as well.
So, it is important to avoid skin only lifts, but the real layer of support is the SMAS, which is not truly the muscle. The muscle is altered in select cases only.
The essential information that patients should know about the lip lift procedure.
Dr. Zhuravsky, a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, performs lip lifts as one of his top procedures, achieving great results and happy patients. The key to giving his patients such wonderful results is the ability to perform these techniques with very meticulous precision and to modify them for each individual patient.
A very common question is whether a lip lift can be done at the same time as a rhinoplasty. This is because the two areas are in close proximity and both have an important role in central facial aesthetics. Additionally, noses that are turned downward can obscure the top lip and cast a shadow. When these noses are rotated to neutral or slightly up, the full length of the lip becomes more visible, and in some people it may appear to be long.
An important question regarding lip lifting that all patients want to know is what the recovery is like and how long will it take.
The lip gets get very swollen for several days after the procedure. This does vary as some patients are really not badly swollen at all, while others will have a very large amount of swelling. Prior filler and other injectables for the lips play a big role and predispose to greater swelling for a longer time.
The scar from a lip lift is what patients seem to fear the most. They want the surgery but fear the scar, because it is located in the center of the face.
Our experience has been that the scar heals very well and in some cases even difficult to find when examining up close. In those that have a visible scar months later, it is something that is NOT obvious and requires someone to look closely under the nose in order to find. The enhancement that results from a properly performed lip lift is obvious and out shines “the scar”.
