Can A Subnasal Lip Lift Be Done That Does Not Change The Upper Lip?

Q: Dr. Eppley, About my philtrum – it measures around 16mm and including the upper lip (to stomion) it is about 24-25mm.

I would like reduction to reduce this by 3-4mm. But I don’t want a bigger upper lip, nor do I want more tooth or gum show. It seems like I am not an ideal candidate for this procedure.

However after doing photoshop morphs of my mouth, I look far better when I move the entire mouth upwards by 3-4mm. 

I’m wondering how we could accomplish something close to my morph. I would require chin reduction too, and I would also consider a commissuroplasty to widen the mouth by 6-8mm in total.

A: In answer to your questions:

1) A subnasal lip lift by definition will change the upper lip…that is unavoidable. The Cupid’s bow area of the upper lip directly under the nose is going to get fuller to some degree and there may be slight tooth show. At 3 to 4mms of skin excision these changes will be slight but present nonetheless. (probably not the tooth show with that small excision) In essence your morph is not completely realistic.

2) Mouth widening is usually done with maximal 5mms per side.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana