The lips today represent a phenomenon of great interest in aesthetic medicine for patients of all ages. For this reason, the last few years have mainly been characterized by a high demand for lip enchantments procedures, including dermal fillers, lip implants, autologous lip augmentation, and more.
The interest for these procedures started to fade with the appearance of the latest trend in cosmetic surgeries: the lip flip with botox — a non-surgical, quick, and painless cosmetic procedure that offers clearly defined lip shape with a fuller and more sensual appearance.
Lip Flip with Botox: procedure explained
The Lip-Flip is similar to the well-known Lip Filler. In both minimally invasive treatments, the lips are lightly sprayed on with an injection. However, the botox lip flip technique does not use hyaluronic acid or autologous fat but botox.
Anyone who has a question mark on their face at this point and thinks of Botox as a "nerve poison" - right, Botox is an injectable botulinum toxin used for cosmetic reasons that cause temporary paralysis of facial muscles. Still, in the lip-flip case, Botox does not create any new volume per se.
That's because the active ingredient is not injected into the lips themselves, as is the case with the other filling substances, but only directly into Cupid's bow (the middle of the upper lip) and into the corners of the mouth. As a result, the muscle-relaxing effect of Botox causes the upper lip to turn inside out minimally, or 'flip-up'. Hence the name: Lip Flip.
Following this procedure, the lips automatically appear larger and crisp, but in a very natural way - after all, the lip surface itself is not artificially filled, but only the middle area above the lip contour.
This elongates the upper lip, making it appear bigger without actually adding any volume.
Patients who use this procedure
In most cases, botox lip flip is used by those who want to get rid of the gummy smile appearance or those who have a very thin upper lip.
In simple terms, the 'flip' is the botox action that relaxes the muscles, causing the upper lip to curl slightly. This makes the lip appear fuller, which is why the method is particularly interesting for women and men who do not like their very narrow or absent upper lips.
For those who want improvements on their smile, the effect of botox on their upper lip will help to cover their teeth gums, showing more of the lips while smiling, laughing, and talking.
Given these points, the botox lip flip technique is not recommended for a patient who dreams of bulky lips, an effect that is much better obtained using hyaluronic acid fillers, able to redefine the lips and give the much loved plumpy effect.
Benefits of Botox Lip Flip
This procedure can add an extra level of confidence for anyone who wants a change in the appearance of their lips, giving a more youthful and less artificial appearance compared with other methods.
Therefore, the botox lip flip is usually done to achieve fuller lips without a dermal filler. The effect can be seen immediately after the treatment, and, depending on how quickly the body breaks down the injected active ingredients, it lasts between three and eight months.
The main benefits of lip flip with botox are the following:
- enlargement of the upper lip
- lifting for corners of the mouth
- smooths out the puppet's wrinkles (lines that start from the corners of the mouth and go downwards)
- correction on the vertical wrinkles that develop along the lip contour (smoker's wrinkles or barcode wrinkles)
- can be combined with hyaluronic acid
- gives a perfect natural look
- works with any lip shape or color
- reduce the appearance of a gummy smile
- fast and painless treatment
- no downtime needed
Side effects
Even though botox lip flip is a non-invasive procedure, you may still experience mild side effects following it. These typically last a couple of days and can include:
- numbness and bruising at the injection area
- swelling, which can temporarily cause the lips to look larger than expected
- tenderness
- headache
- nausea
To minimize the occurrence of potential side effects, make sure not to massage or rub the injected area after your lip-flip in the first 48 hours after the treatment.
In case of bruises or swelling after the lip-flip, wait a few hours until puncture holes are closed before using makeup to cover them.
In addition, you should avoid facial treatments such as micro-needling or laser treatments for a period of two weeks and not exercise or visit a sauna or solarium for 24 hours after the treatment. UV rays can make the treated skin particularly sensitive and affect the result.
Keep in mind that this treatment must be performed by an experienced professional because the botulinum should only be injected into the superficial layers of muscle in minimal but sufficient quantities to relax the muscle fibers without altering their functionality, a consequence really unpleasant.
Seek immediate medical attention if you start experiencing:
- overall muscle weakness
- difficulty in breathing
- difficulty speaking
- difficulty swallowing
- visual disturbances
Preparation for the lip flip technique
Preparing for lip flip with botox is similar to other lip augmentation procedures. Mainly, the patient should avoid alcohol and blood thinners (Apixaban, Dabigatran, Dalteparin, and others) for a few days before the procedures.
However, because each patient is different, you should ask your doctor what it takes to prepare before this treatment for your particular case.
In the first two weeks after the procedure, you should try to sleep face up and avoid any stress on the lips area like pressing or rubbing them.
You should avoid blood thinners after the procedure as well, along with sports such as swimming or other activities that could damage the face area.
FAQ’s
How many units of botox do you need for the lip flip?
The amount of botox can vary depending on the patient, some needing only 2-3 units, and others 6 or more. For those who want to get more volume on their lips, combining this technique with traditional fillers is recommended.
How long does the Botox lip flip procedure last?
Quick and painless, the lip flip treatment takes about 10-20 minutes, giving a delicate relaxation of the lips, with an optical effect of greater fullness, perceptible already after a few weeks, lasting about three months.
Can Botox lip flip go wrong?
Because the procedure is performed with highly strategic injections administered in small amounts - if done by an inexperienced person, there is a chance that the amount of botox to be measured incorrectly, leading to adverse effects that are difficult to remedy.
Author - Dr. Ramandeep Sidhu
SPECIALTIES: Percutaneous aneurysm repair, endovascular treatment of peripheral arterial disease, treatment for varicose veins, open vascular surgical procedures, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism treatment and aesthetic services.