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A full, pouty upper lip can help balance facial proportions and is considered a universal sign of youthful beauty. A full upper lip can also help mask the appearance of a “gummy smile.” Fortunately, for those of us who weren’t born with voluminous lips, a BOTOX® Cosmetic lip flip by the expert practitioners at Before-N-After can create a fuller appearance and more youthful contours to the upper lip. This minimally-invasive cosmetic treatment has helped many of our patients achieve a perfect pout.
- Non-Surgical Lip Flip
- Benefits of a Botox Lip Flip
- Lip Flip vs Augmentation with Lip Fillers
- What to Expect During Your Lip Flip
- Preparing For Lip Flip
- The Lip Flip Procedure
- After Lip Flip
- FAQs About Lip Flip
Non-Surgical Lip Flip in San Marcos, Menifee, and Temecula
AA lip flip is a non-surgical form of lip augmentation and enhancement. Through strategic injections of BOTOX into the area, the muscles of the upper lip are relaxed and the lip becomes slightly everted, or “flipped” outward. This modification to the contours of the upper lip does not add volume, but creates a fuller and more youthful look and can reduce the amount of gums that show when smiling.1
Benefits of a BOTOX Lip Flip
A lip flip is a minimally-invasive procedure that provides a range of cosmetic benefits, including:
An upper lip that appears fuller
Reduction in the appearance of a gummy smile
Results that look natural
Improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the upper lip
Improved facial balance
Lip Flip vs Augmentation with Lip Fillers
When most people consider lip treatments, they think of lip augmentation with dermal fillers. This, too, is a minimally-invasive treatment that can cause the lips to look fuller, but the procedure has slightly different goals and results:
- A BOTOX lip flip helps the upper lip look fuller by relaxing the muscles beneath it, allowing more lip to show when smiling. Dermal fillers, on the other hand, actually add volume to the lip using gel formulas that are hyaluronic acid-based.
- A lip flip is solely focused on making the top lip look fuller. Dermal fillers can be used to enhance the volume of both the upper and lower lip.
- The results of a BOTOX lip flip take a few days to become apparent, and last roughly three months. Lip augmentation with fillers provides immediate results which last six months to a year.
- Less product is needed to achieve optimal results with a lip flip, so this procedure usually costs less than lip augmentation with fillers.
What to Expect During Your Lip Flip
Preparing for Lip Flip
There isn’t much you need to do to prepare for a lip flip at Before-N-After. One thing we do note to our patients is that refraining from drinking alcohol or using blood-thinning medications like aspirin for a few days prior to treatment can help reduce the chance of bruising or swelling.
The Lip Flip Procedure
A lip flip is a fast procedure that is performed in about 10 minutes at our office. After a topical anesthetic is applied to reduce your discomfort, you will relax in a comfortable chair while your practitioner places small injections of BOTOX into the outer edges of your upper lip.
After Lip Flip
Following a lip flip, it is normal to experience mild swelling at the site of the injections. This usually resolves naturally within a few hours of the treatment. You will be able to resume your normal exercise routine the day after treatment. Results of a lip flip aren’t visible immediately: it takes a few days for the treated muscles to relax. You should enjoy the full results of your lip flip after about two weeks, and results will last up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lip Flip
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Is a Lip Flip Painful?
You should feel no pain during your lip flip experience. Your lip will be numbed before treatment begins, and there is no downtime after the procedure. -
How Much Does a Lip Flip Cost?
The cost of a lip flip is dependent on how many units of BOTOX are required to achieve your desired result. Most lip flips costs range from about $60 – $75. -
Are Lip Flip Results Permanent?
The effect of a lip flip generally lasts about three months. As your body metabolizes the BOTOX used to perform the flip, results will start to fade. Many of our patients come in for a quick refresh every few months. -
Will My Lips Look “Overdone” After a Lip Flip?
No! A lip flip creates the appearance of more volume by relaxing the muscles below the upper lip and causing the lip to turn slightly outward. Your smile will look more youthful and fuller, but not over-enhanced.
Contact Before-N-After in San Marcos and Menifee
If you are interested in achieving a more youthful, fuller look to your upper lip, a BOTOX lip flip may be the ideal treatment for you. To learn more about lip flip and to schedule an appointment, please contact us at Before-N-After.
1 Dinker S, Anitha A, Sorake A, Kumar K. Management of gummy smile with Botulinum Toxin Type-A: A case report. J Int Oral Health. 2014;6(1):111-115. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959148/. Accessed August 4, 2021.
The Medical Professionals at Before-N-After have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.