What lip reduction is
Lip reduction makes a full upper or lower lip smaller by removing a strip of tissue from the inside of the lip.
The incision is hidden inside your lip and closed with sutures that dissolve on their own. You eat a regular diet from day one, rinsing after every meal, and the swelling settles over 2 to 3 months.
Every procedure is performed at True Surgical Center, our AAAHC-accredited surgical center in Beverly Hills. About True Surgical Center
Who it is for
Your surgeon tells you at your consultation whether lip reduction fits your goals, and says so when another approach would serve you better.
Lip Reduction in Beverly Hills: the essentials
- Where
- True Surgical Center, the AAAHC-accredited surgical center at 150 S. Rodeo Drive, Suite 220, Beverly Hills.
- Anesthesia
- Local anesthesia with MAC (monitored anesthesia care) and IV sedation, given and watched throughout by a board-certified anesthesiologist. Someone takes you home or to your hotel and stays nearby the first day.
- Sutures
- Inside the lip, where the incision is hidden; they dissolve on their own within about 2 weeks.
- Eating
- A regular diet from day one: high protein, low sodium, plenty of water. Rinse after every meal with salt water or an antiseptic mouthwash. Avoid crunchy, hard foods in the first week.
- First-week visit
- You see your surgeon and our physician assistant at your 1-week visit, on Day 7.
- Swelling
- Your lip looks fuller before the swelling goes down. Swelling is greatest in the first 2 weeks and lasts 1 to 3 months.
- Exercise
- No bending, lifting or straining for 3 weeks. Light cardio may resume at 2 weeks. Strenuous exercise: typically 3 weeks, once your surgeon clears you.
- Final result
- Full healing may take up to 3 months.
Every plan is personal, so your surgeon confirms each of these for you at your consultation. Recovery, week by week
What happens on the day
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01Before you go in
Your surgeon plans how much fullness to remove with you at your consultation, and you follow the Pre-Op General Instructions.
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02Reducing the lip
A strip of tissue is removed from the inside of the lip, and the incision is closed inside the lip with dissolvable sutures.
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03Going home
Sleep and rest on your back with your head raised on 2 to 3 pillows for 2 weeks, ice 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, for 5 days to a week, and keep your tongue and toothbrush away from the incision.
Preparing for surgery · Out-of-town patients · Post-operative care guide
Recovery, week by week
This comes from the written instructions our patients receive before surgery, so it changes only when those instructions change.
Your lips are very swollen and bruised at first. Numbness, tingling, tightness and dull pain are normal and improve as you heal; on Days 3 and 4 the swelling may increase. Rinse after every meal, brush gently, and don’t pull on your lip. You may shower the day after surgery if you had no other procedures. 1-week visit on Day 7.
The stitches inside the cheek dissolve within about 2 weeks; the deep permanent stitch stays in place. Light cardio may resume at 2 weeks. Strenuous exercise: typically 3 weeks, once your surgeon clears you. No bending, lifting or straining, and no alcohol, until 3 weeks.
Lip swelling is greatest in the first 2 weeks and lasts 1 to 3 months. Tightness and numbness may last 2 to 3 months. A scar that becomes thick, raised or painful, or stays itchy after the first few weeks, can be an early keloid. Call us: a steroid injection given early prevents it. Full healing may take up to 3 months.
Difficulty breathing, chest pain, or bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure means call 911. For anything else that worries you, call us at (424) 363-4112, day or night. When to call us right away
Lip Reduction risks, and how we keep you safe
Every procedure carries risk. Your surgeon 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 lip reduction, the consent lists:
- Over- or Under-Reduction. The lip may end up smaller or fuller than planned, or the two sides may differ, and a revision may be needed.
- Scar Inside the Lip. A scar inside the lip that can be felt as a firm line, or seen when the lip is turned out, is possible.
- Numbness. Numbness of the lip is possible; it may be temporary or permanent.
- Prolonged Swelling. Swelling or firmness of the lip may last several months.
- Lip Movement. A change in lip movement or in your smile is possible; it may be temporary or permanent.
- Mucous Cyst. A small mucous cyst inside the lip is possible.
- Infection Inside the Mouth. Infection inside the mouth is possible.
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.
When to call us right away · Before & after gallery · Request a consultation
Lip Reduction FAQ
Surgery to make a full upper or lower lip smaller, with the incision hidden inside the lip and sutures that dissolve on their own.
The incision is inside your lip. The consent notes that a scar inside the lip that can be felt as a firm line, or seen when the lip is turned out, is possible.
Yes. Eat a regular diet from day one, rinse after every meal with salt water or an antiseptic mouthwash, and avoid crunchy, hard foods in the first week.
Your lip looks fuller before the swelling goes down. Swelling is greatest in the first 2 weeks and lasts 1 to 3 months, and tightness and numbness may last 2 to 3 months.
The consent you read and sign lists these possible complications: a lip that ends up smaller or fuller than planned, or two sides that differ, which may need a revision; a scar inside the lip that can be felt or seen when the lip is turned out; numbness of the lip, which may be temporary or permanent; swelling or firmness that lasts several months; a change in lip movement or in your smile, which may be temporary or permanent; a small mucous cyst inside the lip; and infection inside the mouth. It also lists the risks of any operation, including bleeding, infection, blood clots and the risks of anesthesia. Your surgeon reviews each one with you.
Related Procedures
Schedule your lip reduction consultation
Every consultation is conducted personally by Dr. Truesdale. We respond same-day, Monday-Friday. International patients: WhatsApp (424) 363-4112.
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