“We have some patients who, after the procedure, have brought in pictures from 40 years ago, and their lip is as short as it was back then,” says Tal Raine, MD, FACS, of the Hinsdale Center for Plastic Surgery. “It won’t make you look completely like a teenager, but it will bring your lip’s appearance back to that time.”

An upper lip shortening can be a very satisfying element in the rejuvenation of the face.

Operation	Performed typically in an hour, as an outpatient surgery in our operating facility in Hinsdale. Local anesthetic or IV sedation by our certified anesthetist is used. Upper lip shortening is most frequently performed in conjunction with a number of other procedures in overall rejuvenation, but it may stand alone as a single procedure. The change to the upper lip is virtually permanent, and the procedure does not add significant cost to an overall facial rejuvenation series.
Scarring	Hidden in the normal creases under the nose.
Recovery	Swelling will decrease by the first week Sutures are removed in 7 days.
Healing Time	3 to 7 days. 4 to 6 weeks for active sports.
Time to return to public eye	Most patients can return to work and the public eye in 7-14 days.
Actual Results	Final results in 3-6 months. A shortened upper lip decreases the long lip seen in aging.
Risks	Asymmetry and numbness are rare.