A lip lift in Islamabad with Dr. Umbreen Munir Minhas shortens the space between your nose and upper lip, so the lip turns out a little and your upper teeth show again at rest.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Umbreen Munir Minhas, MBBS, FCPS (Plastic Surgery). Last updated October 2026.
A lip lift removes a thin strip of skin just under the nose and raises the upper lip into a shorter position. The most common version is the subnasal lip lift, named the bullhorn lip lift after the shape of skin removed.
A 2025 review of 1,754 patients found it shortened the philtrum, the groove between nose and lip, from about 14 mm to about 11 to 12 mm.
A balanced philtrum measures about 11 to 13 mm in women and 13 to 15 mm in men. When it is longer, the lower face looks heavy and the upper lip seems to hang.
With lips gently apart, about 2 to 4 mm of the upper front teeth should show. A long lip covers them, which makes the smile look closed and the face look older.
When the lip is long, the pink part rolls inward and looks thin. Filler adds volume but not height, so heavy filler can make a long lip look even longer.
The philtrum lengthens again from around 30. A woman typically shows 3 mm of teeth at 30, about 1 mm at 50, and often none by 70.
The cut runs along the base of the nose from one nostril to the other. It shortens the whole upper lip evenly and hides the scar in the natural crease.
Two small cuts sit under each nostril instead of one long line. It suits narrower noses and lifts the outer parts of the lip a little more.
Small triangles of skin are removed at the corners of the mouth. It turns up downturned corners that make the face look sad or tired at rest.
Skin is removed along the upper edge of the pink lip to roll it outward. It gives the biggest change in lip height but leaves a scar on the lip border.
In published studies, the visible pink lip grew from about 5 to 6 mm to 7 to 9 mm, and tooth show rose to 3.5 to 5 mm. The lip looks fuller without any filler. Photos below are shared with consent.
Illustrative images. See Dr. Umbreen’s patient results in the before and after gallery.
Dr. Umbreen measures your philtrum and how much tooth shows at rest and when smiling. She plans the exact millimetres to remove, so the lip is not over-shortened.
Stop smoking 4 to 6 weeks before surgery and stop aspirin and herbal supplements 2 weeks before. Dissolve old lip filler first if it distorts the lip.
The operation is done under local anesthesia and takes about 30 to 45 minutes. The skin strip is removed and the lip is stitched in layers to reduce tension.
You go home the same day, awake and alert. The upper lip feels tight and swollen, so smiling and wide yawning feel strange for a few days.
| Time After Surgery | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Days 5 to 7 | Stitches under the nose are removed in clinic. |
| Weeks 1 to 2 | Lip swelling settles enough for work and social plans. |
| Weeks 6 to 8 | The scar flattens and starts to blend into the crease. |
| Months 3 to 12 | The scar fades to a fine pale line. |
Keep the scar clean and use silicone scar gel once the stitches are out. Protect it with sunscreen, as sun can darken healing skin.
Across published studies, revision surgery was needed in 0.6% to 6.7% of patients. Dr. Umbreen explains every risk before you sign consent.
It does not add much volume to a naturally thin lip or smooth smoker’s lines. A gummy smile caused by the jaw bone also needs a different treatment.
Your fee is confirmed after consultation, once the technique is agreed. Ask for one written estimate covering surgeon, anesthesia and facility.
| Factor | How It Affects Your Fee |
|---|---|
| Technique | A subnasal lift costs less than a combined subnasal and corner lift. |
| Anesthesia | Local anesthesia costs less than sedation. |
| Filler removal | Dissolving old filler first is a separate visit. |
| Combined surgery | Adding rhinoplasty changes the total fee. |
Ask whether follow-up scar care and any scar touch-up are included in the quote.
A lip lift is measured in millimetres and its scar sits in the centre of the face, so careful stitching in layers matters. As a female surgeon, she understands patients who want a soft, natural mouth.
Lip filler is a hyaluronic acid gel injected into the lip to add volume in a short clinic visit.
| Feature | Lip Lift | Lip Filler |
|---|---|---|
| What it changes | Lip length and tooth show | Lip volume |
| Suited to | An upper lip that is too long | A thin lip of normal length |
| How long it lasts | Long term | Usually 6 to 12 months |
| Scar | Fine line under the nose | None |
| Can it be reversed? | No | Yes, with a dissolving enzyme |
Some patients have both, with the lift fixing length and a small amount of filler adding shape afterwards.
Dr. Umbreen sees patients privately at Omer Diagnostic & Specialist Clinics (ODC), 12-A, LG Floor, CBC Plaza, G-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Monday to Friday, 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
Bring a front photo with your lips relaxed and slightly apart, and details of any lip filler you have had.
Most patients feel tightness and mild soreness rather than real pain. You are awake but numb during surgery, and simple painkillers usually control the discomfort afterwards.
The skin removed does not grow back, so the shorter lip lasts. The lip still ages slowly over the decades, but from a better starting point.
Younger adults with a naturally long lip and older patients whose lip has lengthened with age can both be suitable. The lip should be fully grown before surgery.
Yes, once the swelling has fully settled. Many patients need far less filler after a lift, because the lip already shows more of its pink part.
Yes, but it needs careful planning. Both operations work near the nostril base, so the nose and lip changes are measured together to protect nostril shape.
Yes. Men usually need less shortening, because a slightly longer lip and less tooth show suit a masculine face. A moustache can also cover the scar.
Patient guides on face surgery from Dr. Umbreen’s blog.
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