How Long Does It Take For A Lip Lift Scar To Fade?

Q: Dr Eppley, How long does it take for a bull horn lip lift scar to fade? I read that a lot of people experience bumps and track marks from the sutures. Also, looking at some pics, it looks like a crack or line between the nostrils that the make-up is not hiding very well. Can you advise? (I’m interested in the procedure) Thanks.

A: Like all facial scars, it takes 3 to 6 months for it to either fade completely or be headed that way significantly. I would equate the lip lift scar to that of facelift incisions in terms of how they mature over time. The thickness and pigmentation of one’s skin and one’s age will also influence the time to scar fading. Thicker skin will take longer than thinner skin, older skin fades quicker than younger skin.

I have not seen the bumps or track marks that you refer to in lip lift scars. The bumps are typical reactions to buried sutures as they dissolve and may appear many weeks after the surgery. I use very small internal buried sutures, such as 5-0 and 6-0 monocryl,  and probably explains why I haven’t seen them. Track marks along any suture line is the result of using skin sutures that are too large or left in too long. I use either a buried subcuticular running 6-0 monocryl or interrupted 7-0 prolenes, neither of which will result in any visible track marks. For out of town patients, I use a running 6-0 plain for the skin suture which also will not leave any track marks.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana