Smile Lift (Lip Corner Lift)
When the corners of your mouth sit in better balance, your smile can look more harmonious and brighter, so you feel more at ease each time you smile.
Is this right for you?
When you smile, the corners of your mouth are pulled upward by a group of muscles around the lips. Over time, whether from how you were born or from an injury, these corners can begin to droop or look uneven from side to side. A smile lift, also called a lip corner lift, works with this muscle group to give the corners of your mouth a brighter shape. A consultation is how your surgeon decides whether this approach is a good fit for you.
This may be a good fit if
- You feel the corners of your mouth droop, and you would like them to have a brighter shape.
- You have a narrow mouth, or your lips and the corners on each side look uneven.
- You feel the border of your lips looks less defined than you would like.
- You are not yet comfortable with your smile, or you show gum when you smile, and you understand that results differ from person to person.
- You are in stable general health and have spoken honestly with your surgeon about your medical history, your medications, and whether you smoke.
This may not be right if
- You are taking aspirin or other medications that make bleeding more likely, and you are not yet able to stop them before surgery as your surgeon directs.
- You have an underlying health condition or a risk factor that your surgeon judges is not suitable for surgery right now.
- You are hoping for one specific result that someone promises with certainty. No surgery can do that.
How it works
Everything begins with a consultation with a Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon. Your surgeon will ask why you want surgery and what you hope for, along with your medical history, any drug allergies, the medications you take, whether you smoke, and any past procedures. The safety of your surgery depends a great deal on these honest details, so please share them fully.
Your surgeon will examine and assess your lips, the corners of your mouth, and your face, take photographs for your medical record, and then talk through the option that suits you and the results that are possible. Depending on your case, you may need some tests before surgery. You should stop aspirin and other medications that make bleeding more likely about 10 days before your surgery.
A smile lift is usually done under local anesthesia, which means only the area around your mouth is numbed while you stay awake. Your surgeon makes an incision of about 1 to 1.5 cm at the corner of the mouth, joined to the border of the upper lip, so the incision sits in a discreet place along the lip line.
Through this incision, your surgeon separates and works with the muscles that control the corner of the mouth, including the depressor anguli oris, the levator anguli oris, and the zygomaticus major. Part of these muscles is released, repositioned, and secured again to shape the smile. Your surgeon then removes any excess skin and closes the incision in two layers. The surgery usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes, and you can normally go home within about 30 to 60 minutes afterward without an overnight stay.
Realistic expectations
A smile lift works with the group of muscles around the corner of your mouth so the corners take on a brighter, more balanced shape. It does not give you a smile identical to someone else's, and the final shape depends on the structure of your own face.
What this will not do
- It does not promise a set smile or a copy of any model or template. Results differ from person to person.
- It does not erase the incision entirely. There is a discreet incision at the corner of the mouth, along the border of the upper lip.
- It does not stop the natural aging of your face over time.
Recovery
Because this is a procedure around the mouth under local anesthesia, you usually go home the same day. The surgical area will feel a little firm and will need care during the first few weeks, and you should return for your follow-up visits as scheduled.
- Right after surgery
- You can usually go home within about 20 to 30 minutes after surgery, without an overnight stay.
- The first 5 days or so
- If non-dissolvable sutures are used, they are usually removed after about 5 days. Overall recovery takes around 5 to 7 days.
- The first 2 weeks or so
- You should avoid opening your mouth wide for the first 2 weeks or so. You can clean the incision with clean water, dry it, and then apply the medication your surgeon prescribes (Tetracycline ointment).
- About 2 to 3 weeks
- The surgical area may feel a little firm for about 2 to 3 weeks, then gradually softens.
- About 3 to 6 months
- Keep direct sun off the incision for the first 3 months or so. The incision usually fades and softens after about 3 to 6 months. You will typically return for 2 to 3 follow-up visits after surgery.
Risks & safety
As with any surgery, large or small, a smile lift carries risks tied to anesthesia and to the procedure itself, and you should know them before you decide. According to the source material, these complications are generally very rare.
- An allergic reaction to medication.
- Infection at the surgical site.
- Poor scarring at the corner of the mouth.
- Uneven corners of the mouth from side to side after surgery.
- The surgical area feeling a little firm during the first 2 to 3 weeks.
- The general risks that come with anesthesia.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, a smile lift is performed by a Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon, through a small incision of about 1 to 1.5 cm at the corner of the mouth that joins the border of the upper lip, so the incision sits in a discreet place. Your surgeon works directly with the muscle group that controls the corner of the mouth to shape the smile, then closes the incision in two layers.
Before surgery, our surgeons take the time to examine and assess your lips and your face, talk through the results that are possible along with the risks, and guide you on how to prepare, such as stopping aspirin and medications that make bleeding more likely about 10 days before surgery. After surgery, you are scheduled for 2 to 3 follow-up visits so we can watch your healing.
Frequently asked questions
Does a smile lift hurt much?
The surgery is usually done under local anesthesia, which means the area around your mouth is numbed during the procedure. The surgical area may feel a little firm and uncomfortable during the first 2 to 3 weeks, then eases over time.
Will it leave a scar?
There is an incision of about 1 to 1.5 cm at the corner of the mouth, joined to the border of the upper lip, so it sits in a discreet place. The incision usually fades and softens after about 3 to 6 months. Poor scarring is a risk, though it is uncommon.
How much time off do I need after surgery?
Overall recovery takes around 5 to 7 days. You usually go home the same day without an overnight stay.
Will my smile look natural afterward?
The goal is for the corners of your mouth to have a brighter, more balanced shape, based on the structure of your own face. The surgery does not create a smile identical to a set template, and results differ from person to person.
When are my stitches removed?
If non-dissolvable sutures are used, they are usually removed after about 5 days. You will be scheduled for 2 to 3 follow-up visits after surgery so your surgeon can watch your healing.
Do I need to stay overnight in the hospital?
No. According to the source material, the surgery does not require an overnight stay, and you usually go home within about 20 to 60 minutes after the procedure.
What should I avoid after surgery?
You should avoid opening your mouth wide for the first 2 weeks or so, keep the incision clean and dry and then apply the medication your surgeon prescribes (Tetracycline ointment), and keep direct sun off the incision for the first 3 months or so.
Can this surgery make the two corners of my mouth even?
A smile lift can be considered when your lips and the corners on each side look uneven. That said, uneven corners after surgery are also a possible risk, though the source material describes it as rare. Your surgeon will talk through your specific case during your consultation.
How should I prepare before surgery?
You should speak honestly with your surgeon about why you want surgery, your expectations, your medical history, any drug allergies, the medications you take, and whether you smoke. Depending on your case, you may need some tests, and you should stop aspirin and medications that make bleeding more likely about 10 days before surgery.
The next step
The next step is a conversation - book a consultation.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.