Aesthetic Surgery
Lip Refinement
Lip length, shape and thickness adjusted against the nose, the teeth and the chin.
Care you can measure
Figures from the YOUNIFY surgical programme.
01 — Planning
Measure lip proportion before choosing a technique
Agree on how much the proportion will change.
The distance from nasal base to upper lip border is measured, along with how much tooth shows at rest, while speaking and while smiling.
Those measurements decide whether the lip is lifted, reduced, or both — so the lips relate to the nose and chin rather than simply becoming fuller.
Simulation is a planning aid. It illustrates an expected direction, not a guaranteed outcome.
What this procedure is
Lip refinement covers several procedures that alter lip proportion. The most common is the lip lift, which shortens the distance between the base of the nose and the lip border so more of the lip edge and upper teeth show when you smile.
Your surgeon measures the distance from nasal base to upper lip border, assesses how much tooth shows when speaking and smiling, and reviews the thickness of both lips — adjusting the lip without accounting for those measurements usually produces an unbalanced proportion.
Concerns it addresses
Long nose-to-lip distance
A long upper lip segment makes the lip read as thin and the lower face as long.
Little lip show on smiling
Almost no lip border or upper tooth is visible when smiling.
Disproportionately full lips
Lip thickness does not relate to the overall facial proportion.
Downturned mouth corners
The corners angle down, which can read as stern regardless of mood.
Lip Lift vs Lip Filler
These two options change different things. One changes structural proportion, the other adds fullness.
| Lip lift | Lip filler | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary goal | Shortens the distance from nose to lip and reveals more of the lip border and upper teeth on smiling | Adds fullness to the lip |
| Changes structural proportion | Changes structural proportion | Does not change the nose-to-lip distance |
| Duration of result | Permanent, although the lips still change with age | Temporary |
| Incision | In the crease beneath the nasal base, a natural fold | No surgical incision |
Lip Lift vs Lip Reduction
These two procedures address opposite concerns. Your physician assesses lip proportion against the nose, teeth, and chin.
| Lip lift | Lip reduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Concern addressed | A long nose-to-lip distance and a lip that reads thin on smiling | Lips that are full out of proportion with the face |
| Primary goal | Reveals more of the lip border and upper teeth without adding volume | Brings lip thickness into proportion with the face |
| Incision | In the crease beneath the nasal base | Inside the mouth, with no incision on the outer skin |
| Who it suits | Those who show almost no upper teeth when smiling | Those whose lips are full out of proportion, or uneven between upper and lower |
How we plan your result
A well-proportioned lip is measured against the nose, the teeth and the chin — not by thickness alone. Adding volume without addressing a long upper-lip segment usually gives a fuller lip that is still out of proportion.
Who is it for
- People with a long nose-to-lip distance who feel the upper lip is thin
- People who show almost no upper teeth when smiling
- People whose lip fullness is out of proportion to the face
- People in good general health with no active infection around the lips
03 — Technique
Shortening the distance or reshaping the lip
A lip that reads as thin is usually a distance problem, not a volume one.
Lip lift
A shaped strip of skin is removed under the nasal base and the incision is closed within the crease there.
Benefits: Permanently shortens the nose-to-lip distance so more lip border and upper tooth show, without adding any volume.
Suitable for: A long distance from nasal base to lip, with almost no upper tooth visible on smiling.
Lip reduction
Part of the inner lip mucosa is excised and closed, keeping the incision inside the mouth.
Benefits: Brings thickness into proportion with the face, with no scar on the outer skin.
Suitable for: Lips fuller than the facial proportion supports, or a marked mismatch between upper and lower.
Corner lift
Small triangles of skin are removed above each mouth corner to raise the corner slightly.
Benefits: Softens a downturned corner that reads as stern, without altering the shape of the central lip.
Suitable for: Corners that angle clearly downward at rest.
04 — Your team
Performed by board-certified plastic surgeons
This procedure is carried out by surgeons certified by the Thai Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Credentials below are as registered.
Dr. Phattrapohn Liangcheep
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Medical License No. 55825
View full profile →
Dr. Thanachot Kamolveerat
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Diploma of the Thai Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
View full profile →05 — Safety
Operating room standards and monitoring
Surgery is performed in a licensed operating facility with anaesthesia care and continuous monitoring throughout.
Licensed operating facility
Procedures are performed in a registered operating room, not a treatment room.
Specialist anaesthesia care
Anaesthesia is administered and monitored by a qualified anaesthesiologist for the duration of surgery.
Continuous monitoring
Vital signs are monitored continuously during the procedure and through initial recovery.
Sterile instrument protocol
Instruments and implants are handled under a documented sterile protocol.
The treatment process
Consultation & measurement
Nose-to-lip distance, dental show and upper/lower lip thickness are measured.
Incision design
The incision is designed to sit in the nasal-base crease or along the lip border, depending on technique.
Preparation
Health checks and oral-care guidance before the procedure.
Day of procedure
Performed under local anaesthesia and closed with fine sutures.
Aftercare
Cold compress, wound hygiene, and avoiding wide mouth opening early on.
Follow-up
Suture removal on schedule and a shape review once swelling settles.
Recovery timeline
Your surgery at YOUNIFY
From the surgeon who operates to the nurses who follow up — and a private suite to recover in.
Price list
* Indicative prices for reference only. Some items are priced per area. Final pricing depends on an individual assessment. Overseas prices are indicative market estimates for comparison only — contact our team for a personalized quote.
Your final quote follows an individual medical assessment. You receive a written quotation before any deposit.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the scar?
For a lip lift it sits in the crease under the nasal base — a natural fold — so it blends with that area as it fades.
How does this differ from lip filler?
Filler adds temporary volume without changing the nose-to-lip distance. A lip lift changes the structural proportion and is permanent.
Will it affect speech or smiling?
Tightness is common early on while the muscles adapt. Speech and smiling generally return to normal once swelling settles and the wound heals.
Is the result permanent?
Lip lift and reduction are permanent, though the lips continue to change with age as the rest of the face does.
* This information is for general education. Results and treatment plans depend on an individual medical assessment. Every procedure carries risk — please consult a doctor before deciding.
Related procedures
Considering lip refinement?
Book a lip assessment and an individual plan with the YOUNIFY Clinic medical team.
Reviewed by The YOUNIFY Clinic medical team · Last reviewed
Individual results may vary. Please consult a doctor before treatment.