How Bad Is The Scar From A BullHorn Lip Lift?

Q: Hi, I live in the UK and am interested in a gull wing lip lift. I have a few questions. How bad can the scar be? Do you have any photos of ‘worst case scenario’ ? Also can there be tightness or loss of feeling afterwards? Why do so few plastic surgeons do this operation? If I have a lower lip increase as well as upper would I have increase bottom tooth show? (which I don’t want). Lastly, how soon after can I fly back to the UK?  I could get a surgeon here to remove stitches if necessary.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. Having done a lot of subnasal lip lifts, I have never seen a bad scar and not a single patient has ever complained about any scar issue. While there may be some temporary upper lip tightness, it passes quickly and no patient has ever told me that it is a long-term problem. Patients do say that they have some upper lip numbness for a period of time which has always surprised me but it is a consistent finding. No sutures are placed that need to be removed as they are all dissolveable. One can return home the very next day. There are no restrictions after surgery.

While you will have some increase upper tooth show (1 to 3 mms), which is desired, there is no increase in lower tooth show. That is controlled by the lower lip position not the upper lip.

I don’t know why so few plastic surgeons do lip lift or advancement procedures. In the right patient they are extremely successful with no significant problems.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana