“The lip lift is one of the most satisfying procedures in my practice — and one of the most misunderstood. It does not make the lips larger. It shortens the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip, increasing visible vermillion and restoring the natural curvature that aging and genetics can diminish. The incision is hidden within the subnasal crease and heals to near-invisibility. For patients who have been chasing this result with filler and never quite achieving it, the lip lift is the answer.”
What a lip lift can do for you
A subnasal lip lift permanently shortens the distance between the nose and upper lip, increasing the amount of upper lip showing and subtly rolling the lip outward. Unlike filler, the result lasts forever — and looks like the lip you had in your twenties.
- More visible upper lip — restores the philtrum-to-lip proportion you had in photographs from a decade ago.
- Softer, younger resting mouth — the slight upward tilt of the upper lip that age quietly erases.
- A result filler cannot reproduce — filler makes the lip thicker; the lip lift makes more of your actual lip visible.
- Hidden scar inside the base of the nose — placed in shadow; fades to near-invisibility over months.
- A one-time, permanent change — no annual top-ups. The change holds for a lifetime.
Ready to discuss your lip lift goals?
Understanding the lip lift
What the lip lift is
The upper lip lengthens with age — the distance between the nasal base and the vermillion border (the lip-skin junction) increases, reducing visible lip tissue and giving the upper lip a thin, elongated appearance. A subnasal lip lift removes a precisely measured crescent of skin from the base of the nose, shortening the upper lip and exposing more vermillion. The result is a fuller-appearing, more youthful upper lip with improved curvature — without adding volume.
Unlike filler, which adds volume but cannot shorten the lip, the lip lift achieves the structural change that creates a truly youthful lip-to-nose proportion. For patients who have been chasing this result with filler and never quite achieving it, the lip lift is the answer.
Who the lip lift is for
If any of the following describes you, the lip lift may be worth exploring:
What makes Dr. Truesdale’s approach different
Dr. Truesdale’s approach to every procedure reflects a consistent set of principles — the same standards that inform every consultation, every surgical plan, and every post-operative follow-up.
Restraint, Not Over-Correction
The most over-done procedures in facial aesthetics are over-done because someone kept going past the right stopping point. Dr. Truesdale's rule: when the result is right, stop — even if more could technically be done. For lip lift, that means a measured, conservative shortening of the philtrum — never creating an unnatural reduction.
The Artist's Eye
Before becoming a surgeon, Dr. Truesdale was a trained portrait artist. That lens shapes every decision — proportion, light, shadow, the relationship between every feature — in a way purely clinical training alone does not. For the lip, that lens balances upper-lip show against the lower lip and chin so the smile reads in proportion.
Personal, Start to Finish
Every consultation, every surgical plan, every procedure — performed personally by Dr. Truesdale. No delegation to coordinators, PAs, or residents. Dr. Truesdale is personally involved every step of the way. Every lip-lift incision and closure — including the meticulous scar placement at the base of the nose — is performed by Dr. Truesdale himself.
Natural Is Non-Negotiable
The only acceptable outcome is one that no one can identify as a procedure — a result that reads as a better version of you. No pulled look, no frozen expression, no obvious work. The lip-lift goal: a younger, fuller-looking upper lip that simply reads like yours from a decade ago.
“The upper lip you had in your twenties, returned by surgery — not filler.”
— Dr. Carl Truesdale, MD
Lip lift before & afters
Real lip lift patients of Dr. Truesdale. The scar sits completely inside the base of the nose and fades invisibly over time.
Your transformation starts with a conversation.
From first consultation to final reveal
We always tell our patients to ‘trust the process.’ You are in good hands on every step of the journey to your unique masterpiece.
Consultation
Personal session with Dr. Truesdale — facial analysis, honest assessment of candidacy, and a clear plan for what the procedure can and cannot achieve.
Planning
Pre-operative instructions, medical clearance when you have sedation, and a personalized plan Dr. Truesdale reviews with you before the day of the procedure.
Procedure Day
Performed at True Surgical Center, under local anesthesia or with MAC and IV sedation. Incision hidden in the natural columellar-lip junction (base of the nose).
Suture Removal
Sutures removed at Day 5. Mild swelling and redness around the upper lip are normal. Regular diet as tolerated. Makeup is OK on the surrounding skin once sutures are removed, but not on the incision itself for an additional 1 week.
Vermillion Reveals
Swelling resolves and the new vermillion show (visible lip-pink) is fully revealed. Incision begins to fade.
Look and Feel Like a Masterpiece
Shortened philtrum and increased upper lip show, with a near-invisible scar at the base of the nose.
Individual timelines vary. Dr. Truesdale sets realistic, patient-specific expectations during your consultation — not exaggerated claims.
See if a Lip Lift is right for you.
See the work in motion
Dr. Truesdale on technique, philosophy, and patient stories — from his self-produced Beyond the Surface docuseries and his educational content library.
Lip lift in Beverly Hills: the essentials
- Your surgeon
- Dr. Truesdale personally, or his associate Dr. Sajjadi. You choose your surgeon on the free Discovery Call.
- Where
- True Surgical Center, the AAAHC-accredited surgical center at 150 S. Rodeo Drive, Suite 220, Beverly Hills.
- Anesthesia
- Local anesthesia alone, or local anesthesia with MAC (monitored anesthesia care) and IV sedation, given and watched throughout by a board-certified anesthesiologist. Dr. Truesdale decides with you.
- Time in surgery
- About 30 to 60 minutes on its own.
- Sutures
- Dr. Truesdale removes them on Day 5.
- Going home
- Back to your hotel or home the same day. If you have sedation, an adult takes you and stays with you for the first 72 hours.
- If you travel
- Arrive at least a day before surgery and plan on about a week. Most patients fly home the day the sutures come out or the day after.
- Back in public
- Most patients plan on 10 to 14 days before they feel ready to be seen.
- Exercise
- Light cardio at 2 weeks; heavier exercise at about 3 weeks, once Dr. Truesdale clears you.
- Final result
- The new lip shows as swelling settles over 2 to 6 weeks; full healing, including the scar, takes about 6 months.
The facts patients ask about first. Every plan is personal, so Dr. Truesdale confirms each of these for you at your consultation. Recovery, week by week
What happens on surgery day
A subnasal lip lift shortens the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip. It does not add volume; it shows more of the lip you already have. Here is what the day looks like for you.
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01Before you go in
Under local anesthesia alone you eat and drink normally that morning; if you are having sedation, nothing to eat or drink after midnight. Dr. Truesdale goes over the plan with you before you begin.
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02A measured plan
The amount of shortening is set from your real anatomy, with you sitting upright and relaxed, and balanced against your lower lip and chin. The aim is a conservative change, never a lip that looks too short.
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03A crescent of skin at the base of the nose
Dr. Truesdale removes a precisely measured crescent of skin from the base of the nose. This shortens the upper lip, shows more of the pink of the lip, and gently rolls it outward.
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04Closing in the natural crease
The incision is closed in the natural crease where the base of the nose meets the upper lip, where it sits in shadow. Your sutures come out on Day 5.
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05Going home
You go back to your hotel or home the same day, with Aquaphor on the incision. After a procedure under local anesthesia you start your antibiotic that same day.
Lip lift vs. lip fillers: which problem do you have? → · The lip lift as part of The Masterpiece Surgery · Rhinoplasty · Chin augmentation
Lip lift recovery, week by week
This is the same protocol our patients receive in writing before surgery. The detailed instructions below come straight from it, so they change only when Dr. Truesdale changes them.
Mild swelling and redness around the upper lip, and the nose may look a little wider for a while. Ice 20 minutes on and 20 off for 5 days to a week. Keep the incision clean and moist with Aquaphor. No tension on the lip or nose: avoid stretching the upper lip and big mouth movements. Dr. Truesdale removes your sutures on Day 5.
No straws for two weeks: the suction pulls on healing tissue. Makeup on the surrounding skin once the sutures are out, but not on the incision for another week. Start silicone scar gel two days after your sutures come out, twice a day for a month. Light cardio from Day 14. Most patients feel ready to be seen at 10 to 14 days.
Swelling of the upper lip settles over 2 to 4 weeks and the new lip shows fully between weeks 2 and 6. Heavier exercise at about 3 weeks, once Dr. Truesdale clears you. SPF 50 and limited sun for 6 weeks.
The scar keeps fading, and full healing takes about 6 months. Follow-ups at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months; the 3-month visit is your last scheduled one.
Your detailed instructions
The lip lift is one of Dr. Truesdale's fastest-recovering procedures. Most patients resume normal daily activities within 1–2 weeks.
The incision is placed in the natural crease at the base of the nose (the columellar-lip junction) where it heals exceptionally well and becomes essentially invisible over time. Results are permanent — the shortening of the upper lip does not reverse.
Follow the general post-operative care instructions above. Keep the incision clean and moist with Aquaphor. Avoid stretching the upper lip excessively in the first week. Sutures are removed on Day 5.
No straws for two weeks after surgery — the suction pulls on healing tissue.
Full post-operative care guide · Preparing for surgery · Traveling for surgery
Lip lift risks, and how we keep you safe
Every operation carries risk. Dr. Truesdale goes through the risks that apply to your plan at your consultation, and each one is written in the consent you read and sign. For a lip lift, the consent lists:
- Visible Scar. A visible scar at the base of the nose is possible, and the scar may widen; a corner lip lift leaves scars at the corners of the mouth.
- Asymmetry. Asymmetry of the lip or nostrils, or widening of the nostril base, is possible.
- Numbness or Stiffness. Numbness or stiffness of the upper lip is possible; it may be temporary or permanent.
- Lip Length. Too much tooth showing, or a lip that looks too short, is possible.
- Loss of Pout. The upper lip may look flatter, with less pout.
Risks of any operation
- Bleeding. Bleeding during or after surgery is possible. A collection of blood under the skin (hematoma) may need drainage or a return to the operating room, and severe bleeding may need emergency treatment or a blood transfusion.
- Infection. Infection is possible and may need antibiotics, drainage or further surgery.
- Bruising and Swelling. Bruising and swelling are expected. They may last several weeks, and swelling or discoloration may persist longer.
- Scarring. Every incision or entry point leaves a permanent scar. A scar may be raised, widened, darker, lighter or more visible than expected, and takes at least 3 months to mature.
- Keloid or Raised Scar. Itching, thickening, pain or a growth along any incision can be the first sign of a keloid (a thick, raised scar). Let us know right away so it can be injected with a steroid to stop the keloid from forming. A keloid is more likely if you have had one before and may need further injections or treatment.
- Change in Skin Sensation. Numbness, tingling or a change in skin sensation around the treated areas is possible; it may be temporary or permanent.
- Delayed Healing. Delayed healing or separation of an incision is possible and much more likely with nicotine in any form.
- Allergic Reactions. Allergic reactions to tape, sutures, skin cleansers, latex or medications are possible.
- Blood Clots. Blood clots in the legs or lungs (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) are possible and more likely with longer surgery; your surgical team uses the clot-prevention plan chosen for you.
- Anesthesia. Risks of anesthesia and sedation are possible; the anesthesia provider reviews them with you separately.
- Pain. Pain after surgery is expected and should settle over several days; pain that lasts longer is possible.
- Result and Revision. A result that does not meet your expectations is possible: healing differs between people, no result is guaranteed, and a revision may be advised, with the fees described in your patient policy.
- Serious Complications. Serious complications, including death, are possible with any surgery or anesthesia.
- Heart and Lung Problems. Heart or lung problems, such as pneumonia or an irregular heartbeat, are possible after surgery and anesthesia.
- Medication Side Effects. Side effects of the medications used during and after surgery, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness or trouble urinating, are possible.
- Injury to Deeper Structures. Injury to deeper structures, such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles or glands, is possible.
- Persistent Sutures. A deeper stitch may work its way to the surface and need to be removed.
How we keep you safe
- Surgery only at True Surgical Center, an AAAHC-accredited surgical center, with a board-certified anesthesiologist whenever sedation is used.
- Medical clearance, and blood-clot risk screening, before surgery with sedation. A procedure done under local anesthesia alone needs no labs or clearance.
- No nicotine in any form for 3 weeks before surgery and 3 months after.
- With sedation, someone with you for the first 72 hours.
- Your Day 5 visit with Dr. Truesdale, follow-ups at 1 and 3 months, and a direct line to the team the whole time.
When to call us right away · Before & after gallery · Request a consultation
Lip Lift FAQs
Bring your own questions to consultation — Dr. Truesdale personally answers every one. Below are the questions patients ask most often about lip lift.
The strongest candidates have a long philtrum (distance between nose and upper lip) that is hiding your upper teeth and reducing the pink lip show. Dr. Truesdale evaluates you personally in consultation and only recommends the procedure when it will genuinely help. If a different approach would serve you better, he’ll tell you that too.
A lip lift is a permanent structural change that shortens the philtrum and increases natural upper-lip show. Filler is temporary and adds volume to the lip without addressing the proportion between lip and nose. If your concern is lip length or tooth show with a closed mouth, surgery is the real answer. If your concern is simply lip volume, filler may be appropriate.
Most patients describe the discomfort as mild to moderate. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, often with light sedation. Dr. Truesdale’s team is available throughout recovery — you are not managing discomfort on your own.
A lip lift can be done under local anesthesia alone, or under local anesthesia with MAC and IV sedation; Dr. Truesdale decides with you. When sedation is used, our surgical procedures utilize a patient-focused anesthesia technique known as MAC (Monitored Anesthesia Care) and IV Sedation, ensuring your maximum comfort and safety. This method provides a level of gentle, deep sedation comparable to the comfortable experience many patients have during a colonoscopy, which we have found helps make patients less fearful. The anesthesia is administered intravenously and meticulously monitored by a hand-picked group of board-certified anesthesiologists, who are dedicated to your well-being throughout your entire procedure.
Plan on 10–14 days of social downtime. Expect sutures removed at Day 5; upper-lip swelling resolves over 2–4 weeks. Most patients resume normal activity at 2–3 weeks. A 3-month check-up is standard, with full healing and final scar maturation continuing through 6 months. Your follow-up appointments along the way are conducted by Dr. Truesdale and our physician assistant, with Dr. Truesdale seeing you personally at the key milestones.
That’s the entire standard Dr. Truesdale designs for. The upper lip should look like the one you had in your twenties — never overdone. Every patient is evaluated in a seated, relaxed state beforehand so the target is based on your real anatomy — never on an idealized template.
Permanent. The shortened philtrum is a permanent structural change. Unlike filler, the result never fades.
Yes. A significant portion of Dr. Truesdale’s patients travel from across the United States and internationally. The process begins with a virtual consultation with Dr. Truesdale himself (not a coordinator), followed by in-person pre-procedure evaluation. Our patient-care coordinators help arrange travel, accommodations, and local transportation, and Dr. Truesdale’s team conducts virtual follow-ups after you return home.
Request a consultation through the form at the bottom of this page, email contact@doctortruesdale.com, or call (424) 363-4112. Our team responds within one business day to schedule either an in-person consultation at 150 S. Rodeo Drive, Suite 360, Beverly Hills, or a virtual consultation worldwide. Every consultation is conducted personally by Dr. Truesdale.
Most lip lift patients are between 35 and 65. The procedure shortens the lengthening philtrum that occurs with age, restoring the proportion of upper-lip show to chin. Younger patients with genetically long philtrums also benefit — and increasingly do so in their late 20s and 30s.
The cost of lip lift can vary based on the patient’s situation, including if it is a revision surgery and if this surgery will be combined with other surgeries or treatments. The total cost may include the surgeon’s fee, operating room fees, and anesthesia fees. At Truesdale Facial Plastic Surgery, we believe the surgeon’s philosophy and experience, and your comfort with him, are just as important as the final cost of the surgery. We can provide an approximate range for this procedure over the phone, and your patient care coordinator (PCC) will confirm the pricing for you after your consultation with Dr. Truesdale.
Dr. Truesdale removes your sutures at your Day 5 visit. Makeup is fine on the surrounding skin once they are out, but keep it off the incision itself for another week.
Not for two weeks after surgery: the suction pulls on healing tissue. For the same reason, avoid stretching the upper lip and big mouth movements while you heal, and keep tension off the lip and nose.
Arrive at least a day before surgery and plan on about a week. Dr. Truesdale removes your sutures on Day 5, and most patients fly home that day or the next. See traveling for surgery for hotels and aftercare.
The nose may look a little wider for a while after surgery as the area heals. A lasting widening of the nostril base, or a difference between the two sides, is one of the risks listed in the consent, and Dr. Truesdale goes through it with you at your consultation.
Keep the incision clean and moist with Aquaphor in the first days. Two days after your sutures come out, start silicone scar gel twice a day for a month, and use SPF 50 and limit sun for 6 weeks. If you notice thickness, pain or itching at the scar, call us: an early steroid injection helps prevent a keloid.
The consent you sign lists these possible complications: a visible scar at the base of the nose that may widen (and scars at the corners of the mouth after a corner lip lift); asymmetry of the lip or nostrils, or widening of the nostril base; numbness or stiffness of the upper lip, which may be temporary or permanent; too much tooth showing or a lip that looks too short; and a flatter upper lip with less pout. It also lists the risks of any operation, including bleeding, infection, blood clots and the risks of anesthesia. Dr. Truesdale reviews each one with you. See lip lift risks and safety.
This procedure is performed by Dr. Truesdale or his hand-picked associate Dr. Sajjadi — discuss the right path on your free Surgery Discovery Call.
Schedule your lip lift consultation
Stop chasing the result with filler. The lip lift achieves the structural improvement permanently — in a single outpatient procedure. We respond same-day, Monday-Friday.
Book a Surgical Discovery Call online
After clicking the booking link, select “new patient” under Schedule Your Appointment and fill out the form to see our current availability for a Surgical Discovery Call with a Patient Care Coordinator and book immediately. Call us (424) 363-4112 for additional appointment times and information.All times are based on Los Angeles, Pacific Time (PT).
Book Discovery Call →Prefer to share details first? Submit the form and a Patient Care Coordinator will reach out the same business day (Monday–Friday).