Lip lift in Turkey

• It shortens the philtrum

  A strip of skin is removed just under the nose and the upper lip is lifted. The distance between nose and lip gets shorter, which is what makes the lip look fuller without filler.

• It increases tooth show

  A lifted upper lip reveals more of the upper teeth at rest, which is a large part of why the result reads as younger.

• It is permanent

  Unlike filler, it does not wear off. That is the appeal and also the reason to be careful about how much is taken.

• It does not add volume

  If your complaint is that your lips are thin rather than that your philtrum is long, a lip lift is not the operation you are looking for.

These solve different problems, and choosing wrongly is the commonest reason for disappointment. A good consultation measures the philtrum and looks at your tooth show before recommending either.

• Long philtrum, little pink lip visible. A lip lift is the operation that addresses this. Filler in this situation makes a long upper lip look heavier rather than younger.
• Short philtrum, thin lips. Filler adds the volume you actually want, and a lip lift would make the proportions worse.
• Both. Sometimes a lift first and filler later, once the new proportion has settled.
• Neither. If the concern is fine lines around the mouth, resurfacing rather than either of these is the treatment.

1. 1

   The first days

   The upper lip is swollen and stiff and it looks over-lifted. Speaking and eating feel awkward. This is the stage people photograph and panic about.
2. 2

   The first week

   Stitches are removed. Swelling starts to come down, and the lip begins to move normally.
3. 3

   Weeks two to six

   Most of the swelling resolves and the shape becomes recognisable. The scar is pink and firm at this point.
4. 4

   Months three to twelve

   The scar pales into the crease under the nose. Judge the result at the end of this period, because the early look is always more dramatic than the settled one.

• A long philtrum with little upper lip show. The clearest indication and the group with the most satisfying results.
• Someone who has repeatedly had filler without getting the look they wanted. Often the underlying issue is proportion rather than volume.
• Not someone with a naturally short philtrum. Shortening it further pushes the face out of proportion and it is not reversible.
• Not someone expecting filler-style fullness. The lip shows more, it does not become bigger.

• Send photographs straight on, at rest and smiling. Tooth show at rest is the measurement that matters, and a smiling photograph alone does not give it.
• Ask for the planned measurement in writing. How many millimetres, and what the surgeon expects your tooth show to become.
• Let existing filler settle or dissolve. Assessing proportion through recent filler is unreliable, and surgeons often ask for a gap.
• Plan for a visible fortnight. This is a face operation with obvious early swelling. Do not book it a week before an event.
• Book a changeable return. Flying is usually fine once the wound is checked.

• British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, facial aesthetic surgery patient information.
• NHS, cosmetic procedures and choosing a practitioner.
• General Medical Council, cosmetic interventions guidance.
• Turkish Ministry of Health, health tourism authorisation for hospitals.