Lip Lift / Augmentation

Youthful lips are naturally attractive and appealing. With the aging process, or with genetics, the upper lip may lengthen, and curl inwards towards your upper teeth, creating a thin appearance to your lips.

A surgical lip lift may decrease the space between your nose and the top of your upper lip, providing you with a more rejuvenated appearance. At times, patients will repeatedly undergo lip filler injections to try to achieve a more youthful look. However, they are never able to achieve the youthful appearance they desire due to their “longer upper lip.” As such, some of these patients may be offered the “lip flip” Botox procedure—however, what the patient may really need is a surgical lip lift that can help them achieve their desired result.

What can a lip lift do for me?

A lip lift can subtly, but dramatically rejuvenate your facial appearance.

These enhancements, when performed by a master of the art, treats the following aesthetic issues:

Age-related lip thinning
Genetically thinner lips
Longer philtrum (facial structure between nose and mouth)

World-class lip lift procedures in Palo Alto

Dr. Graw brings a world-class education from The Johns Hopkins University, Harvard Medical School, and Stanford, to her private practice in Palo Alto. Her skills were honed even further under the tutelage of some of the world’s leading facial plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills, as well as facial guru, Dr. Seung Kim. As a woman, and one of few female plastic surgeons practicing in the area, Dr. Graw brings the female perspective to the art of lip enhancement.

Lip lift in Palo Alto: refine your look.

A lip lift is a custom surgery that shortens the distance between your nose and upper lip. Performed under local anesthesia, a thin strip of skin and tissue is removed beneath the nose structure, which raises the upper lip to reveal more of the rosy-lip color, and brings out the lovely curves of your upper lip.

“Scarless” lip lift in Palo Alto: a customized technique by Dr. Graw

The number one reason that patients do not want to undergo a lip lift is the scar that it can leave on the bottom of their nose. Some patients may be good candidates for Dr. Graw’s “scarless” lip lift she has personally pioneered. Ask about this procedure, and Dr. Graw will thoroughly discuss the various options best for your lip type and aesthetic goals.

A nuanced approach to lip lift surgery

A lip lift, under the care of Dr. Graw, is a customized procedure. Subtle changes in the procedure make a difference in the shape and definition of the distance between your nose and upper lip, and the amount of vermilion revealed. The precision with which Dr. Graw performs these surgeries can make the difference between a nice (or even disappointing) result and a stunning result.

Recovery time after a lip lift

After your procedure, you can expect some bruising and swelling, and mild discomfort. The stitches are removed in about one week, and the incision line can soon be camouflaged with concealer at 2-3 weeks, eventually fading into an almost “invisible” thin line. The typical recovery time is about two weeks, with the full result achieved as the tissues fully settle and heal at around three months.