03/11/2026
What procedure has more downtime than patients expect?
A lip lift 👄While the procedure is straight forward; it can swell or bruise for a week or more afterwards. The procedure is quick, it can be done in the office with local anesthesia, there is very little pain, and from a functional standpoint, patients are fine to return to work the next day (or Monday if we do it on a Friday). Patients FEEL FINE, but the lips are known to swell. Everyone is different, and some patients swell for a week, some barely swell at all. There is also a chance of brusing. The downtime from a lip lift is what we call "social downtime." Patients may return to work and light exercise within a day or so, but they should be prepared for swelling and the lip looking odd for at least a 7-10 days. Sutures will be in place for 5-7 days and the incision may be hard to cover with make up the first 10-14 days. A lip lift is my personal favorite in office procedure, and the results are totally worth it! But patient should plan social events accordingly.