“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
Medical clearance, pre-operative instructions, and a personalized plan Dr. Truesdale reviews with you before the day of the procedure.
Procedure Day
Performed in office under local anesthesia. 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 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.
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.
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).