Upper Lip Shortening in New York City with Dr. Cangello
In recent years, upper lip shortening, also known as lip lift surgery, has become a sought-after procedure at the New York City practice of Dr. David Cangello. Not only can an upper lip lift help patients achieve a more shapely pout, but this procedure can be used alone or in conjunction with a facelift to create a dramatically more youthful appearance.
Conducted with the proper artistry and expertise, upper lip shortening diminishes the distance between the bottom of the nose and the top of the lips and enhances the contour of the upper lip. As a world-class plastic surgeon, Dr. Cangello has mastered the techniques necessary to create the kind of natural-looking and refined results his patients rely on to improve their appearance as well as their self-confidence.
Contact Dr. Cangello today at (646) 733-4696 to schedule your lip lift consultation at his NYC office.
Benefits of an Upper Lip Lift
Over time, the supporting structures of a person’s face begin to loosen, causing the upper lip to gradually shift and droop downward. Resulting lengthening and thinning of the upper lip exacerbates the appearance of aging, which is further compounded by diminished exposure of the upper teeth when the person is in repose, speaking, or smiling. Using advanced lip lift surgery techniques, Dr. Cangello is able to reduce all of these aesthetic issues with minimal scarring and downtime.1
Some women also use a lip lift procedure to evert the upper lip, turning it outward. This is also often done with dermal fillers such as Juvéderm® and Restylane®Ⓡ, which creates a more voluptuous appearance by causing more of the pink part of the lip to show.
The Lip Lift Surgery Procedure
An upper lip lift involves the removal of a small amount of skin between the nose and pink/red portion of the upper lip. This decreases the amount of visible skin between the nose and the upper lip and also increases the amount of the visible pink portion of the upper lip. In order to achieve the most favorable results with minimal scarring, Dr. Cangello employs what is often referred to as the bullhorn lip lift method, named for the shape of the incision made just under the nose.
Once excess skin is removed, Dr. Cangello gently and precisely brings the edges of the incision together, literally lifting the upper lip to a slightly higher position on the face. Dr. Cangello then meticulously places sutures to minimize the appearance of any surgical scars, which will be hidden in the natural fold below the nostrils.2
Lip shortening surgery is performed at Dr. Cangello’s office in New York City, which is equipped with a fully accredited (AAASF) operating room, and generally takes less than an hour. The procedure can be done under local anesthesia. However if the patient desires, our anesthesiologist can administer sedation.
Candidates for Lip Lift Surgery
If you feel that the lengthening or thinning of your upper lip has contributed to a tired or aged appearance, you may be a good candidate for lip shortening surgery with Dr. Cangello. Potential candidates should also be in good overall health, able to travel to Dr. Cangello’s offices in New York City, and have realistic expectations about what can be achieved through lip lift surgery.
Lip Lift Surgery vs Lip Augmentation
It is common for Dr. Cangello’s patients to explore the benefits of lip lift surgery as compared to lip augmentation using fillers, implants, or fat transfer. For some patients, lip augmentation may be sufficient to achieve a more youthful, pouty appearance to the lips. However, lip augmentation cannot change the position of the lips or the distance between the nose and lips which is often the source of a patient’s discontent. Additionally, lip lift surgery provides a permanently more youthful, fuller appearance to the mouth, the likes of which can only be maintained with regular and repeated use of lip fillers.3
To learn more about lip lift surgery and other facial rejuvenation options, please contact us to schedule your personal consultation with Dr. David Cangello in New York City.
References
1 Austin, H. The Lip Lift. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Volume 77, Issue 6, June 1986, pages 990-994. Available: https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Citation/1986/06000/The_Lip_Lift.24.aspx.
2 Spiegel JH. The Modified Bullhorn Approach for the Lip-lift. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019;21(1):69–70. doi:10.1001/jamafacial.2018.0847.
3 Holden PK, Sufyan AS, Perkins SW. Long-term Analysis of Surgical Correction of the Senile Upper Lip. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2011;13(5):332–336. doi:10.1001/archfacial.2011.55.
