top of page
Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas Clinic logo: Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Istanbul

Lip Lift with Facelift: Why the Upper Lip Lengthens With Age

9 hours ago
7 min read

Quick answer. With age, the skin between the nose and the upper lip gets longer and the red part of the lip turns inward and thins. A facelift lifts the cheeks, jawline and neck, but it does not shorten this distance. A lip lift removes a small strip of skin under the nose to shorten the upper lip and show more lip and teeth. The two can be done in one operation.

Key takeaways

  • Imaging studies show the upper lip gets longer and thinner with age.

  • A facelift alone did not change upper lip length in a matched study of 100 women.

  • A lip lift shortens the skin of the upper lip and shows more of the red lip and the front teeth.

  • The scar sits in the crease under the nose. Most heal well, but some thicken and need treatment.

  • Combining the two means one recovery, but the lip must be planned in proportion to the whole face.

Why does the upper lip get longer with age?

The upper lip lengthens, thins and loses volume with age. A study of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans in 200 people compared adults aged 20 to 30 with adults aged 65 to 80. In the older group the upper lip was 19.24% longer in women and 18.24% longer in men. It was up to 40.55% thinner in women, and its volume was about 21% lower in women (Ramaut et al., 2019).

Other research using photographs, MRI and tissue samples found the same lengthening. The skin and the muscle around the mouth thin, so the red part of the lip rolls inward and the lip droops over the teeth (Iblher et al., 2012).

You may notice this as:

  • Less of your upper teeth showing when you speak or smile

  • A flatter, thinner upper lip, even after fillers

  • A longer gap between the base of your nose and the lip line

  • Deep plane facelift and skin quality: result
  • Deep plane facelift: before and after

Does a facelift shorten the upper lip?

No. A facelift lifts tissue upward and backward from the side of the face. The upper lip sits in the centre, and a facelift has little pull on it.

A 2026 study matched 100 women having a primary facelift. In the 50 women who had a facelift without a peel around the mouth, the length of the upper lip skin did not change after surgery (Janssen et al., 2026). In the other 50, a deep chemical peel around the mouth shortened that distance by 9.3% on average. A peel tightens the skin. It does not shorten the lip in the way a lip lift does.

So if your lip has lengthened, a facelift alone will not correct it.

What does a lip lift do?

The most common technique is the subnasal "bullhorn" lip lift. The surgeon removes a strip of skin shaped like a bull's horns, running along the base of the nose. Closing that gap lifts the upper lip. The scar follows the natural crease where the nose meets the lip.

A 2026 systematic review of seven studies with 1,754 patients summarised the changes. Across the bullhorn techniques:

  • Upper lip skin length — Before: 14.0–14.5 mm — After: 10.8–12.0 mm

  • Height of red lip — Before: 5.0–6.0 mm — After: 7.0–9.0 mm

  • Upper teeth showing — Before: 1.5–2.0 mm — After: 3.5–5.0 mm

No major complications were reported, and revision rates ranged from 0.6% to 6.7% (Komisarek et al., 2026). The review rated all seven studies as moderate quality, with no randomised trials.

Video: Deep plane facelift and skin quality: result. Watch on YouTube

Why combine a lip lift with a facelift?

Lip lengthening and facial sagging develop over the same years. In one European series of 380 patients having a short-scar (MACS) facelift, 27.6% also had a lip lift in the same operation (Sommar et al., 2025).

Doing both together has advantages:

  • One anesthetic and one recovery period

  • The surgeon can judge the lip against the lifted face, not the sagging one

  • The lower face is treated as a whole, so the mouth area does not lag behind the jawline

The main caution is proportion. Over-shortening can expose too much tooth or look unnatural, so the amount removed is planned in millimetres.

What about the scar?

Every lip lift leaves a scar. A review of upper lip lift techniques noted that surgical lifts last longer than non-surgical options but come with an "inevitable scar", while non-surgical options are temporary (Zhao et al., 2023).

The scar sits in the shadow under the nose, so in most people it becomes hard to see. It does not always heal perfectly. In the 2026 review, minor problems included redness, temporary numbness, swelling and thickened scars. In one series of a related corner-of-the-mouth lift, 4.6% of patients had a thickened (hypertrophic) scar (Komisarek et al., 2026). Thick scars can usually be improved with treatment, and a small number need revision.

People prone to thick or keloid scars, smokers, and those with a naturally short upper lip are less suitable. Tell your surgeon if you have had fillers or threads in the lip.

Video: Deep plane facelift: before and after. Watch on YouTube

What is recovery like?

The lip is swollen and feels tight for the first days. Numbness of the upper lip is common early on and usually settles. The scar is pink for some months before it fades.

With a facelift, the lip heals during the same period as the rest of the face. Keep the scar clean and protect it from the sun.

Contact your surgeon promptly if the scar opens, becomes hot, red and increasingly painful, or leaks pus.

How Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas approaches this

Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas performs deep plane face and neck lifts under local anesthesia, with you awake and without general anesthesia. He operates on one patient per day and performs each operation personally. His TAS Signature Lift can combine, in one session under local anesthesia, a deep plane facelift, neck lift, temporal and forehead lift, upper and lower eyelid surgery, fat injection and lip lift. A lip lift is added only when your upper lip needs it. See deep plane facelift and facelift combined with eyelid surgery, brow lift or fat transfer.

You stay in Istanbul for about 10 to 14 days, with daily hyperbaric oxygen sessions and a private nurse, and one year of online follow-up. The fee is quoted individually after Prof. Dr. Tas has reviewed your photographs or examined you. See facelift scars: where the incisions go and facelift before and after.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Can fillers do the same job as a lip lift?

Fillers add volume, but they do not shorten the skin of the upper lip. In an already long lip, filler can make the lip heavier and push it further down. Fillers can work well for a short lip that has lost volume. For a long lip, surgery addresses the length, and fat or filler can be added later if fullness is still wanted.

Will a lip lift change my smile?

It usually shows more of the upper teeth, which many people see as a younger smile. The amount depends on how much skin is removed. Your surgeon should check your tooth show at rest and when smiling before deciding. Over-shortening can expose too much tooth, so planning in small, careful steps matters.

Is a lip lift suitable for men?

Yes, and a moustache can hide the scar well. MRI research suggests that the ageing changes of the lip are less marked in men than in women, and one small male study found no significant lengthening with age (Penna et al., 2017), so fewer men need it. The decision depends on the measured length of your lip and how much tooth shows at rest.

How long does a lip lift last?

In published series, follow-up ranged from 3 months to about 5 years, and the improvement held over those periods (Junior et al., 2022; Komisarek et al., 2026). Ageing continues, so some gradual change is expected over many years. Unlike fillers, a lip lift does not wear off within months.

Can I have a lip lift years after my facelift?

Yes. A lip lift can be done on its own, and it is often performed under local anesthesia. Some people decide on it only after their facelift has healed. If you already see it before your facelift, though, combining the two saves a second recovery.

About the Author

This article was written and medically reviewed by Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas, a plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon in Istanbul with over 20 years of experience. He is the author of Rhinoplasty in Practice (CRC Press, 2020), has more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications and five patents, and teaches facelift and rhinoplasty techniques to surgeons at international courses. Read more about Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas.

Individual results vary. Before and after photos and videos are shared with patient consent. This article is for general information and does not replace a personal medical consultation.

See More Before and After Results

Would You Like a Similar Result?

You can send your photos for an online assessment or book an appointment at the Prof. Dr. Suleyman Tas Clinic, Terrace Fulya, Şişli, Istanbul. Book an online consultation.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page