Changing the Deepest Roots,
Leaving No Traces Behind

A.Scar management. The mouth is in constant motion — speaking, eating, and smiling throughout the day — which means persistent tension is applied to the closure site, making the scar prone to stretching or widening. The result is therefore determined less by how much the corner is elevated, and more by how effectively the tension is distributed.

A.It depends on the degree of descent and the volume of skin to be removed. For mild corrections of around 3–4 mm, simple excision of the lip corner skin followed by direct closure is sufficient, as the amount of skin removed is small and the tension remains manageable. However, in mid-life patients where the philtrum has elongated and philtrum reduction has also been performed, the volume of skin to be removed from the lip corner increases significantly — making standard excision and closure more likely to produce a visible scar. In these cases, triangular flap transposition is required to fill the space below the lip corner and minimise scarring.

A.A small adjacent skin flap is transposed to fill the space created below the elevated corner. Unlike a simple tension-based pull, the transposition distributes the tension at the lip corner so that it rises naturally without strain — and the scar line is also dispersed in the process. This difference is particularly significant in a high-movement area such as the mouth.

A.When philtrum reduction of 3 mm or more is planned, simultaneous corner lip lift is recommended. Mid-life philtrum reduction tends to elevate the central philtrum more than the lateral corners, so lifting the corners simultaneously maintains a natural curvature and bilateral balance. The added benefit is that both procedures share a single recovery.

A.Because the amount of elevation is precisely designed relative to the degree of descent and the patient's natural expression, an unnatural result does not occur. The goal is a natural resting position, and where triangular flap transposition is applied, the tissue deficit below the corner is filled simultaneously — producing an even softer, more refined result.

A.Major swelling subsides within 3–5 days, and sutures are removed on days 5–7. A return to everyday activities is typically possible from 1 week onwards, with residual swelling and the final natural result settling over 2–4 weeks. The closure scar at the lip corner matures over 3–6 months.

A.Because the skin at the lip corner is directly excised and the muscle repositioned, the results are long-lasting. Natural ageing continues, but the face does not simply return to its pre-operative state — a more lifted, brighter lip appearance is maintained long-term.

A.There may be some tightness when opening the mouth wide for the first few days after surgery, so a soft diet is recommended during this period. From the time of suture removal at 1 week, eating and speaking are generally comfortable, and the natural ease of facial muscle movement recovers over 2–4 weeks.