Revision lip lift
What should a revision lip lift aim to change?
Scar revision and further philtral shortening have different goals. Assessment considers how settled the scar is and whether it affects movement, alongside the current skin length, red-lip display and upper teeth.[1][2]
Written by the Lip Lift Korea editorial team from the cited sources. Last updated: .
Define the concern before choosing an operation
Start with what you want to change now. Scar colour, the width or position of a line, and the length of the upper lip are different concerns. Describe how the present appearance differs from your original goal. That gives the assessment a purpose before another operation is selected.
Scar assessment considers colour, raised areas, flexibility and the surrounding tissue. Topical treatments, injections and lasers are considered separately from surgery to remove and reclose a scar.[1]
When is another operation considered?
For scars in general, maturation at about a year is a point for reassessing the scar and considering surgical revision. Earlier intervention may be appropriate when a scar affects function. A nasal-base revision also requires assessment of lip movement and the original operation.[1]
Record what is still changing rather than relying only on the time since surgery. Note when redness, firmness or a particular lip position became a concern and how it has evolved. An assessment can document the present state even when no operation date is being chosen.
If work or travel makes you want a quick decision, explain that constraint. Ask what would be reviewed during observation and what findings would change the plan. Arrange the travel after clarifying the assessment and treatment sequence, so the booking does not become the reason for an operation.
Why are the first operation records useful?
Published lip lift techniques can include deeper release and suspension as well as skin removal. The visible incision does not describe all of that work. Ask for the original procedure name, excision details, fixation method and any accompanying nasal or corner operation.[3][4]
- Record the date and the procedure actually performed.
- Request documentation of the excision and deeper support.
- List treatments received during follow-up.
- Write down the current goal and features you want to retain.
If records are missing, distinguish what is known from what is uncertain. Do not fill in an excision measurement from an approximate memory. Find out which documents can be obtained and which parts need to be translated for a new assessment.
Is removing more skin the answer?
Further excision requires a new assessment of current philtral skin, vermilion, tooth display and alar width. The original desire for shortening should not automatically become a request for more of the same operation. Ask what change the remaining tissue and current proportions can accommodate.[2]
Excision removes skin. A wish to lengthen an upper lip therefore differs fundamentally from a request for additional shortening. Even when the main proposal is to revise a scar, ask whether more skin would be removed and whether the position of the lip would change.[4]
Before agreeing to further excision, ask the clinic you are considering about revision options and the need for additional skin removal.
How do nonsurgical proposals fit?
If a topical treatment, injection or laser is proposed, ask whether it addresses the scar’s colour, raised areas or flexibility.[1]
If a course of visits is proposed, ask what will be recorded and when the treatment choice will be reviewed. For care in Korea, distinguish appointments that require another trip from information that can be shared with a clinician at home. Put that arrangement beside the treatment plan.
What should you confirm and record at the consultation?
Keep a summary of the present findings, agreed goal, proposed method and review schedule. An answer that revision is possible needs an explanation of what would actually be done. If the plan differs from the original surgical explanation, ask why the approach has changed.
Can a lip lift be reversed?
A lip lift removes skin beneath the nose. Do not choose it on the assumption that it can be undone; review the planned excision and tooth display before surgery. [4][2] If you have already had surgery, bring the original operative record and distinguish wanting more lip length from wanting a different scar. [3][1]
Does redness mean another operation is needed?
The clinician assesses how settled the scar is and whether it affects movement before choosing treatment. Clarify the concern before considering further excision. [1]
Does the same incision mean the same operation?
Deeper work cannot be inferred from the surface line. Compare the release and fixation planned with the previous record. [3]
Can options other than excision be considered?
Scar management includes topical and procedural options. Their goals differ from additional philtral shortening. [1]
References
(4)
Bibliographic records retrieved from PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).
Skochdopole A, Dibbs RP, Sarrami SM, et al. Scar Revisions. Semin Plast Surg. 2021;35(2):130-138.
Salibian AA, Bluebond-Langner R. Lip Lift. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2019;27(2):261-266.
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.
Sturm A. Lip Lift. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2022;55(4):835-847.