A lip lift Chicago IL patients request is a proportion procedure, not a volume procedure, and understanding that distinction is the key to knowing whether it’s the right fit. Rather than adding fullness, a lip lift shortens the philtrum, the vertical span between the base of the nose and the upper lip border, which increases visible pink lip show and can improve tooth show when smiling. At Evolve Your Life, with locations in Chicago, Peoria, and Oak Brook, IL, Dr. Amir Dorafshar, MD, FACS, performs several variations of the procedure depending on a patient’s anatomy.
Subnasal vs. Corner Lip Lift Techniques
The most common approach, known as the subnasal or “bullhorn” technique, places an incision just beneath the nostrils in a gently curved shape, where the resulting scar is typically well camouflaged within the natural shadow of the nasal base. According to Cleveland Clinic, this technique shortens the central philtrum and is the standard choice for patients whose main concern is overall upper lip position. A corner lip lift, by contrast, targets the corners of the mouth specifically, subtly turning up a downturned smile rather than shortening the central philtrum, and is sometimes combined with the subnasal approach for patients who want both changes addressed.
Signs You May Be a Good Candidate
Ideal candidates typically show minimal pink lip visible at rest, a philtrum that looks elongated compared to earlier in life, or a natural downturn at the mouth’s corners that makes the face read as tired or unhappy even at rest. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that lip lift surgery is best suited to patients whose primary concern is lip position and proportion rather than overall lip volume, which is more appropriately addressed with fillers or fat grafting. A published clinical review of bullhorn lip lift techniques and outcomes is available through NIH PubMed, documenting consistently high patient satisfaction across studies.
Because the procedure changes facial proportion rather than adding tissue, results are effectively permanent, unlike the temporary correction offered by injectables. Patients weighing the two approaches side by side can review Lip Lift vs. Lip Fillers: Which Is Better? and How Long Does a Lip Lift Last Compared to Injectables? for additional comparison.
The procedure is typically performed under local anesthesia or light sedation, with sutures removed within seven to ten days and most patients resuming normal activities within one to two weeks. Swelling is most pronounced during the first several days and settles gradually, with the final scar continuing to fade and flatten over the following months. Some patients pair a lip lift with chin refinement or other lower-face procedures during a consultation, since correcting one proportion sometimes reveals that a neighboring feature would benefit from a complementary adjustment.
Dr. Dorafshar’s surgical training supports a conservative, anatomy-based approach to every lip lift, aiming for natural-looking proportion rather than an overly dramatic change. Patients in Chicago’s Gold Coast area, near his office at 60 East Delaware Place, as well as Peoria and Oak Brook, IL, can schedule a consultation to determine which technique fits their anatomy. Learn more about Dr. Dorafshar’s background on the About Dr. Amir Dorafshar page.
