Incision design
How is a lip lift incision designed?
A subnasal lip lift removes skin along the base of the nose to elevate the upper lip. Planning considers skin length, red-lip display, upper teeth and nasal shape together.[1][2]
Written by the Lip Lift Korea editorial team from the cited sources. Last updated: .
What does the surgeon measure?
The philtrum lies between the nose and upper lip. Assessment distinguishes the length of the skin from the height of the visible red lip, called the vermilion. It also considers the upper teeth visible with the mouth relaxed. These observations answer different questions: a wish for more visible red lip is not necessarily a request for the same change in skin length.[2]
Bring a description of both the change you want and the features you want to retain. You might want more lateral red-lip show while keeping your current relaxed tooth display. Explaining these priorities gives the surgeon something more specific to assess than a request to shorten the lip as much as possible.
The assessment also includes the upper jaw, dentition and the surrounding soft tissues. Ask to review a relaxed expression and a smile, as well as the profile. The published measurement literature considers this wider perioral region when describing upper-lip proportions.[3]
Where does a bullhorn incision run?
The bullhorn name describes the shape of the skin excision. Its upper edge follows the nasal base around the columella and nostril sills; the lower edge lies on the upper-lip skin. Removing the intervening skin allows the upper lip to move upward. The design is adapted to the existing nasal contours.[1][3]
The columella is the central tissue between the nostrils. The sill is the lower border of each nostril. During a consultation, ask the surgeon to indicate the central portion of the incision and its endpoints on each side. Seeing those locations is more useful than hearing only that the cut sits beneath the nose.
Incision location and philtrum length
On a cartoon face, a dotted line drawn beneath the nose marks an example incision location; a bracket marks philtrum length.
Transcript
- A cartoon face comes into front view, then the nose and upper lip come closer into view.
- A dotted line appears along the base of the nose, marking an example incision location.
- A bracket appears between the nose and upper lip, marking philtrum length.
How do central and lateral plans differ?
A plan focused on the middle of the lip allocates the excision differently from one intended to address lateral red-lip display. Technique literature describes balancing the upper lip across its width, including the lateral vermilion and tooth show. Ask which part of your lip the proposed design aims to elevate.[4]
| Focus | Area assessed | Ask to see |
|---|---|---|
| Central or medial lift | Midline beneath the columella | Central excision and intended red-lip change |
| Lateral emphasis | Outer upper lip beneath the nasal base | Excision distribution and lateral endpoints |
| Corner lift | Corners of the mouth | Whether a separate corner incision is proposed |
A corner lift operates at the mouth corners and has a different purpose from shortening the skin beneath the nose. If a treatment is described as a lateral lift, clarify whether it means lateral subnasal planning or an operation at the mouth corner. The incision location should resolve that distinction.[4]
How much skin should be removed?
Patient selection literature identifies skin height, vermilion height, alar width, skin type, upper incisor display and maxillary height as relevant factors. A measurement used for someone else cannot serve as a prescription for your operation. Ask how the proposed amount follows from your own examination.[2]
The width of removed skin and the eventual reduction in philtral length are separate measurements. A systematic review discusses a study in which those values were not proportional. The operative plan should therefore explain the intended change in appearance as well as the tissue to be removed.[3]
If a facial ratio is discussed, ask how it relates to your relaxed mouth and smile. A ratio can help describe proportions, but your priorities still need to be translated into an actual design. Record where a measurement was taken so that the same landmark can be used when reviewing the plan.
Before agreeing an amount of skin removal, discuss the lip lift incision plan and ask how the central and lateral measurements relate to the tooth display you want to retain.
What is deeper fixation intended to do?
Some techniques combine skin excision with deeper release and suspension. The aim is to place support beneath the skin closure, reducing the load carried at the skin incision. A large published case series describes this deeper approach; it is a specific operative method rather than a synonym for every subnasal lift.[5][1]
Deeper fixation and removal of orbicularis oris muscle are different actions. The orbicularis is the muscle surrounding the mouth. Ask which layer will be released, where it will be secured and whether the muscle will be altered. An explanation of the tissues is more informative than a technique label alone.[1]
The operative sequence
Step 1 of 3: Confirm the design
Review the intended change, incision outline and planned excision against your anatomy.[2]
Step 2 of 3: Remove and elevate
The planned skin is removed and tissues are elevated according to the selected technique.[3]
Step 3 of 3: Support and close
The surgeon establishes support and closes the skin incision with sutures.[1]
What risks and complications belong in the discussion?
Published lip lift reports include conspicuous scars, asymmetry, undercorrection, changes to the alar base or nostril sill, and wound separation associated with bleeding. These should be discussed together with the proposed extent of surgery.[3]
The professional patient information also lists infection, temporary numbness, overcorrection or undercorrection and possible revision surgery. ISAPS lip lift information, checked 4 November 2026
Use the consent discussion to clarify which issues relate to your operation and how assessment and treatment would be arranged if needed. Ask who reviews the wound and how to reach the team after leaving Korea.
Is there a standard amount to remove?
The plan depends on lip, dental and nasal measurements together. Skin length alone does not determine an excision. [2]
Is a lateral lift the same as a corner lift?
Clarify the incision: subnasal work and surgery at the mouth corner address different areas. [4]
Does deeper fixation mean the muscle is removed?
Fixation and muscle removal are separate actions. Ask which layers will be released and secured. [1][5]
Does excision width equal the shortening?
They are separate measurements and need not change proportionally. [3]
References
(5)
Bibliographic records retrieved from PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
Sturm A. Lip Lift. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2022;55(4):835-847.
Salibian AA, Bluebond-Langner R. Lip Lift. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2019;27(2):261-266.
Zhao H, Wang X, Qiao Z, et al. Different Techniques and Quantitative Measurements in Upper lip lift: A Systematic Review. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2023;47(4):1364-1376.
Talei B, Pearlman SJ. CUPID Lip Lift: Advanced Lip Design Using the Deep Plane Upper Lip Lift and Simplified Corner Lift. Aesthet Surg J. 2022;42(12):1357-1373.
Talei B. The Modified Upper Lip Lift: Advanced Approach with Deep-Plane Release and Secure Suspension: 823-Patient Series. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2019;27(3):385-398.