Natural-looking, painless results
What is a Lip Lift?
A Lip Lift is a procedure to give the lips a fuller, more pronounced appearance. This is done by shortening the space between your nostrils and upper lip.
Discover a More Confident Smile
Your lips are one of your most defining features. When people lose volume and body in their lips over time, they tend to become less confident and more self-conscious. With Dr. Katherine B. Santosa’s Lip Lifts, self-consciousness can be a thing of the past. She strives to deliver the best Lip Lifts Atlanta has to offer. Restore the definition to your upper lip and get back the confidence you deserve. Schedule your Lip Lift consultation with Dr. Santosa in Sandy Springs, Georgia, today.
Natural-looking, painless results
A Lip Lift is a procedure to give the lips a fuller, more pronounced appearance. This is done by shortening the space between your nostrils and upper lip.
Millimeters Make the Difference
Small changes around the mouth can influence your entire expression, so choosing a surgeon who understands facial proportion matters. As a board-certified female plastic surgeon, Dr. Katherine B. Santosa approaches Lip Lift surgery with close attention to your philtrum, Cupid’s bow, tooth show, and natural lip shape. She takes time to understand what feels authentic to you, then plans each detail with the precision this delicate area deserves.
Measured for You
Good Candidates
A philtrum measuring around 18 millimeters or longer may prompt a closer evaluation, although facial proportions matter more than a single number. Strong candidates often have an elongated upper lip, limited upper tooth show at rest, or a vermilion border that turns inward and hides pink lip tissue. There’s no set age range. Some patients inherit a longer philtrum, while others notice it lengthening through natural aging. Recent lip filler usually doesn’t eliminate your candidacy. Because filler can temporarily change lip shape and measurements, Dr. Santosa may recommend allowing it to wear off or dissolving it before final surgical planning.
Who Should Wait
Lip Lift surgery may need to be postponed during pregnancy or breastfeeding, while an oral or skin infection is active, or until an uncontrolled medical condition is properly managed. Current nicotine use can interfere with blood flow and incision healing, so patients must be able to stop for the required period before and after surgery. A past smoking history alone doesn’t automatically disqualify you.
Think Beyond the Next Syringe
A Lip Lift and lip fillers address different parts of the lip. Filler adds volume and typically requires maintenance every six to 12 months. A Lip Lift permanently shortens an elongated philtrum and changes the position of the upper lip. Those maintenance appointments can add up. For example, filler may be priced lower per treatment, but would total several thousand dollars over the course of a decade when repeated once or twice annually. A Lip Lift involves one surgical fee, along with upfront recovery and a permanent incision. Patients who want lasting structural change may find surgery makes greater financial sense over time, while filler remains the best option for those who primarily want added lip volume.
Say Goodbye to Unflattering Lips
Whether it’s due to age or genetics, some people’s top lip tends to become thin and far away from the nose. Lip Lifts get rid of that space and provide you with a more aesthetically pleasing, natural-looking, and pronounced upper lip appearance. A Lip Lift could be perfect for you if you are a healthy adult who suffers from an upper lip that is far from the nose or lacks volume. You should not receive a Lip Lift if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have underlying medical conditions, or are a heavy smoker and can not stop smoking for the two weeks prior to and after your procedure.
We Can’t Wait to Meet You
Dr. Santosa is one of the most caring, passionate, and genuine doctors in the Atlanta area. During your consultation with her, she will answer any questions you may have about your procedure. She will also be sure to review exactly what you want from your results and work with you to make those expectations a reality. Schedule your Lip Lift consultation today.
Make Your Dream a Reality
Two weeks before the procedure, we will advise our Atlanta Lip Lift patients to avoid smoking, drinking, multivitamins, and anti-inflammatory medications. This promotes healthy blood flow for the best possible results.
During your procedure, Dr. Santosa will begin by cleaning around your nose and upper lip before using a local anesthetic to numb the entire area of treatment. Once you’re numb, she will make a small incision just below your nostrils. Dr. Santosa will gently pull the skin of your upper lip towards your nose, shortening the gap between them. After achieving the desired look, Dr. Santosa will close the incision with sutures and bandage it.
Exciting Results
After your procedure, you may experience bruising and swelling for up to two weeks. You may return to your daily routine after twenty hours, but you should avoid heavy exercise and direct sunlight for at least a week. Avoid touching your incisions as they are healing with the exception of gently cleaning them with non-irritating soap and water. You should try to eat only soft or liquid foods for the first two days after your procedure to avoid straining your upper lip as it heals. You should be ready to return to public settings within about two weeks when the swelling and bruising subside, and your full results should appear in about six weeks.
Dr. Santosa stays in touch with you throughout the healing process to ensure you have all the support you require as you go through this novel experience. She also gives her Atlanta Lip Lift patients supplements to prevent bruising. Make an appointment with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Katherine B. Santosa immediately, and rest assured that your best interests are considered.
Give Your Smile Time
During the first few days, your upper lip may feel extremely tight, swollen, stiff, or numb. Opening your mouth widely can feel difficult, so soft foods, small bites, and limited lip movement are helpful. Discomfort is often manageable with approved over-the-counter medication.
Around days seven to ten, swelling and bruising usually become easier to conceal. Many patients feel ready to return to work or social plans during this period, although some prefer to allow a full two weeks.
Over the next several weeks, the deeper pulling sensation gradually softens, and your smile begins to feel more natural. Early Lip Lift results become visible as swelling fades, with continued refinement around six weeks. The incision may remain pink for several months before flattening and fading into the contours beneath the nose.
Our Technique
The procedure Dr. Santosa performs is known as a subnasal or bullhorn Lip Lift. The incision curves beneath the base of the nose, following the natural contours under the nostrils in a bullhorn-shaped pattern. Its placement helps the resulting scar blend into the crease where the nose and upper lip meet.
Dr. Santosa removes a precisely measured strip of skin, then elevates the upper lip and carefully closes the incision. Shortening the philtrum, which is the space between the nose and Cupid’s bow, can increase tooth show at rest and create gentle vermilion eversion. This outward turn reveals more of the upper lip’s pink surface without adding artificial volume. The curve and amount of lift are customized across the central and lateral lip to preserve facial balance.
A More Complete Refresh
A Lip Lift can be incorporated into a broader facial rejuvenation plan when aging affects several areas at once. A Facelift or Deep Plane Facelift can restore support through the cheeks, jawline, and lower face while the Lip Lift refines the proportions around the mouth. Blepharoplasty may be added when heaviness or puffiness around the eyes is also part of your concern.
Combining procedures can create a more cohesive result and consolidate recovery into one period for appropriate patients. Dr. Santosa will consider your health, surgical time, anatomy, and priorities before recommending a combined procedure or a thoughtfully staged plan.
Incisions for Lip Lifts are made with delicate care to ensure that they heal properly and are as undetectable as possible. Most patients report that their scars are gone after about a year.
Lip Lifts are not considered particularly risky surgeries, but they have a few rare symptoms that could arise. These include heavy bleeding, scarring, infection, and nerve damage of the upper lip.
The cost of Lip Lifts can vary depending on the patient and their treatment plan. Dr. Santosa’s team can answer any questions you have about pricing, payment, or financing during your consultation. Lip Lifts are an elective cosmetic procedure and are not covered by insurance.
Early swelling can temporarily affect the appearance of the nasal base. Careful incision placement and closure help preserve the natural shape of your nostrils as healing progresses.
Yes. Once your Lip Lift has fully healed, dermal fillers may be used to add volume, refine symmetry, or further define the vermilion border.
A Lip Lift permanently removes a small amount of skin and isn’t considered reversible. Revision surgery may address certain concerns, although returning the philtrum to its original length generally isn’t possible.
Discuss your personalized treatment with Dr. Santosa today
Dr. Santosa delivers a well-rounded treatment experience through combined science, compassion, and experience. Begin your journey with trusted board-certified Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. Katherine B. Santosa in Sandy Springs, and rest assured that you have selected your best path to exquisite results.
At Evelina Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics, we are proud to be a women-owned practice committed to delivering exceptional care and outstanding results. Our dedication to excellence ensures that we stand out as a trusted choice for premier plastic surgery and aesthetic services in the Atlanta-metro area.
