Lip Lifts
in San Francisco

Natural aging and genetics cause many facial changes, including thinning or sunken upper lips, and an elongated distance from the nose to the upper lip. Lip lift surgery increases the projection of the upper lip and can dramatically revitalize the smile. This lip procedure restores a feminine, alluring lip pout. Amit Arunkumar, M.D. is a board-certified, Park-Avenue-trained facial plastic surgeon providing lip lifts in San Francisco.

“Dr Arunkumar is kind, caring and professional. His surgical skills are exemplary. He provides excellent post-op care and is always accessible to his patients. I highly recommend him as a facial plastic surgeon.”
– J.K.

What Is a Lip Lift?

The upper lip may stretch or droop with age and appear elongated, creating an angry or aged appearance. These changes may cause the lip tissue to roll or curl in, making the upper lip look thinner or smaller. Lip lift shortens the length of the upper lip to turn the tissues upward and reveal more of the lip vermilion (pink or reddish-tinted lip tissue).This subtle change increases lip projection and accentuates the lower face. Also called a subnasal or bullhorn lift, lip lift surgery focuses on the lipstick line of the upper lip and the Cupid’s bow or groove in the middle of the lip (philtrum).

Lip lift surgery benefits include:

• Establish a feminine pout or “Cupid’s bow”
• Fuller lip appearance
• Increased self-confidence
• Concealed incision lines
• More visible lip vermilion

Lip lift surgery provides dramatic results with minor changes in the upper lip and requires a skilled facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Arunkumar achieves exceptional results with natural-looking lips due to his experience and high-caliber training.

Candidates for Lip Lifts

Candidates for lip lifts are unhappy with their upper lip appearance due to asymmetry, thinning or unshapely lips, or lips that always appear to frown. Adults in their forties and older with fair skin are ideal candidates for lip lift surgery because the incision line will blend well with the lip line. Younger patients and patients with dark or thick skin may be more likely to have visible incision lines that may or may not fade after healing. Lip lift surgery focuses on the position and projection of the upper lip.

Prior to Your Lip Lift Procedure

Dr. Arunkumar will discuss your cosmetic concerns and goals for the procedure at your consultation. He will examine your lips and facial features, review your medical history, and recommend the procedure or treatment to provide the desired pout or lip projection. He may recommend another procedure or non-surgical treatment if you want more lip volume or lifting of the mouth corners.

If you’re a good candidate for a lip lift, our team will schedule your pre-operative appointment and procedure. Lip lift surgery can be performed in the office with local anesthesia or in the surgical suite with general anesthesia or twilight anesthesia. If you choose or require general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your lip lift surgery, and ask a loved one to accompany you and help you for the first day of recovery. On the morning of your lip lift surgery, Dr. Arunkumar will review the surgical plan with you and do a pre-operative safety check with his team before surgery commences.

Lip Lift Procedure

Lip lift surgery is a unique procedure with multiple approaches. The appropriate approach is individualized to your goals and anatomy.

Most commonly, Dr. Arunkumar recommends the subnasal or ‘bullhorn’ lip lift technique. Dr. Arunkumar trained on the Upper East Side in New York City where patients always desired natural-appearing lips that were revitalized, subtle, and refreshing. He always recommends and employs an approach that is exactly that — subtle and impactful, but never overdone. Dr. Arunkumar lifts the upper lip and uses delicate sutures to minimize the appearance of any incision. The elevated tissue gives the perception of fuller, natural lips and emphasizes the Cupid’s bow appearance with more pink or red lip showing. Lip lifts take under an hour and incisions are placed, strategically, in natural creases.

Lip Lift Surgery Recovery

The extent of downtime depends on one’s individual anatomy and degree of correction required. Discomfort is minimal and sutures are removed just four to five days after the procedure. Dr. Arunkumar will explain what to expect for lip lift recovery during the consultation and pre-operative visit. After a week, the incision lines can be covered by makeup while they heal.

Lip Lift Results

Lip lift provides impactful yet subtle results for women looking to improve or restore upper lip definition and volume and improve the Cupid’s bow appearance. Patients may notice some improvement right away, but it may take several weeks for swelling to dissipate entirely. Patients can enjoy and maintain their results with good skincare, sun protection, and healthy lifestyle habits.

Why Choose Dr. Arunkumar in San Francisco

With New York City fellowship training, Dr. Amit Arunkumar is perfectly suited to perform always-natural-appearing lip lifts. He is a UCSF-Medical-School-educated, Columbia-University-instructed facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Arunkumar uses the most advanced surgical techniques and the latest technologies to provide natural results, and his patients have nothing but glowing recommendations about their experience and outcomes.

If you’re interested in a lip lift, please contact Dr. Arunkumar in San Francisco, California. Schedule a consultation by calling (415) 773-0800 or book your appointment online.