A bullhorn lip lift, also known as a subnasal lip lift, is a non-filler surgery that can make the lips appear more prominent. The results are permanent with adequate care, while the filler is not.

Lip lifts come in a variety of styles. A bullhorn lip lift involves a surgeon shortening the philtrum, or space between the lips and the nose.

A bullhorn lip lift is so named because a slight scar along the nostrils runs in one continuous line from one nostril to the other, resembling a bullhorn.

People who want to make their lips look fuller or want their lips to be higher or poutier without additional plumping are good candidates for lip lifts. Candidates with smaller mouths and wider nasal bases are also considered.

What is the cost of a bullhorn lip lift?

Since a bullhorn lip lift is an optional cosmetic procedure, insurance is unlikely to cover it.

The price depends on the surgeon and your unique situation. The operation can range in price from $1,000 to $3,000, with the higher end of this spectrum being more prevalent.

Getting ready for a bullhorn lip lift

In the weeks preceding your lip lift, your surgeon will advise you on what to do and what not to do.

You should do the following to prepare for your lip lift:

• Avoid eating for 6 hours before surgery.
• Stop smoking for the duration determined by your doctor. Smoking can interfere with anesthetic, slow wound healing, and cause scarring.
• Avoid drinking in the days leading up to and following your procedure. Anesthesia and alcohol might also affect the results.

A bullhorn lip lift procedure

A bullhorn lip lift is performed in the specialist’s office. You may need to be medically approved in the weeks leading up to it.

Here's what to expect on the day of your procedure:

• You will be given a topical or local anesthetic to numb the area.
• Once you are numb and the surgeon has cleaned the area, an incision will be made from one nostril to the other.
• They will next cut the skin and use stitches or sutures to seal the wound.

How long does it take to recover from a lip lift?

Although the recovery time for a lip lift is short, surgeons usually advise patients to take off work for a week to two weeks if they do not want anyone to know they had the procedure. 

After two weeks, cosmetics might be used to conceal the scars. You should also avoid doing anything that would extend the lip away from the nose. Deep dissolving sutures are used by surgeons to keep the skin together and are removed on the sixth day following the treatment, although the results will not be robust for 4 to 6 weeks. 

This is the fundamental wound healing time, which cannot be altered. Many patients return to work the following day if they do not mind explaining what they did or simply telling everyone why they have stitches.

Food following a lip lift

Patients usually stick to liquid foods like cocktails, cream soups, and shakes for a few days after surgery. Some of them eat with a straw because it is difficult for them to eat solid food. It is easier, safer, and more comfortable because people frequently feel swelling following a lip lift treatment and find it difficult to open their lips wide. In terms of time off, people often take 7-10 days off after surgery. This is due to stitches, which should be removed around 10 days after surgery.

Risks or side effects

Bullhorn lip lifts, like most cosmetic surgeries, have the potential for risks or side effects. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Plastic surgery complications include:

• potential blood loss during or after surgery
• poor wound healing
• scarring
• nerve injury
• anesthesia-induced hypersensitivity.