Considering lip flip in houston? Start with a consultation.
Book Consultation(opens in a new tab)What it treats
- A thin-looking upper lip when smiling
- A gummy smile (excess upper-gum show)
- A vertical lip line pattern that softens when the lip relaxes
- A first step before deciding whether filler is right for you
Products used in this treatment: Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA)
How a lip flip is dosed
The lip flip is one of the smallest doses I administer. Total treatment is typically 2 to 6 units of Jeuveau placed across 3 to 4 injection points along the upper lip border (the orbicularis oris where it inserts at the vermillion).
The dosing has to be precise because too much can affect speech (slight difficulty with certain consonants), drinking from a straw for a few weeks, and your ability to whistle. I dose conservatively on first treatment - we can always add a touch more at the two-week follow-up.
Lip flip vs lip filler
These two treatments solve different problems. A lip filler adds HA volume to the lip tissue itself - you literally have more lip than you had before. A lip flip does not add anything; it just changes how the existing lip drapes by relaxing the muscle that pulls it down.
You can do them together, and many patients do. A conservative filler dose (often less than half a syringe) plus a small lip flip creates a layered effect that looks more natural than either treatment alone at higher doses.
When someone asks me which to do first, my honest answer is: try a lip flip on its own first if you are unsure whether you want to add volume. It is reversible (it wears off in 6 to 10 weeks), it is inexpensive, and it tells us what your lips look like with a more everted upper lip. From there we can decide whether filler is the next step.
Timeline and how long it lasts
Effect starts within 5 to 7 days. Full effect by day 10 to 14. Lasts shorter than other neurotoxin treatments because the dose is so small and the lip moves constantly - typically 6 to 10 weeks. Most lip-flip patients maintain on a 8 to 12 week cycle.
Common side effects
- Slight difficulty with certain consonants (p, b, m, w) for a few days, usually resolves within 2 weeks. Most patients do not notice this; some musicians and singers do.
- Brief difficulty drinking from a straw for a week or two.
- Inability to whistle for the duration of the effect (some patients consider this a feature, some consider it a bug).
- Rare asymmetry that we can correct with a small touch at the two-week mark.