Bull Horn Lip Lift Surgery

Before you undergo any cosmetic surgery procedure at Karidis Clinic, you will have a consultation and a pre-operative assessment with your plastic surgeon. They will listen carefully to your concerns and what you expect to achieve and discuss which procedure, or combination of procedures, is appropriate.

At this stage, they will also ensure you are fully aware of the potential risks and complications inherent in that specific procedure and explain to you what you can expect immediately after surgery, throughout the recovery process, and when you will likely see the final results.

During the pre-operative assessment, the surgeon may take measurements of the area to be operated on and assess your skin tissue quality and the degree of skin laxity. The position of the incisions will also be decided upon.

A full medical history will be taken to ensure you are fit and well and can undergo surgery at this time.

After the initial consultation, there will be a two-week ‘cooling-off’ period before you can decide to proceed with surgery. You are welcome to return for further consultations with your Karidis Clinic surgeon, free of charge, if you have more questions.

If you make the decision to proceed with surgery, you’ll be given advice on how best to prepare for your operation, and you will have a dedicated Patient Coordinator who can answer any queries you may have.

Any pre-surgery tests can occur at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth, a leading London private hospital where Karidis Clinic is based. The hospital has recently built a new wing including a diagnostic department with the latest X-ray, MRI, CT and ultrasound technology.

We advise patients to stop smoking as soon as possible as nicotine acts as a vasoconstrictor, which impedes the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the surgical site. This can slow down healing, increase the chance of infection and even cause tissue to die. Smoking also increases the risks of a general anaesthetic, and smokers are more likely to suffer ill effects from an anaesthetic.

You will also be advised when to discontinue taking aspirin or other blood-thinning medication in advance of your operation. You will be asked to fast six hours before surgery.

All Karidis Clinic procedures are performed at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth. When you arrive, you’ll be greeted and taken to your stylish and luxurious private room with its spacious ensuite bathroom.

The nursing team will take your blood pressure and relevant vitals, and you will see your Karidis Clinic surgeon, who will make the final mark-ups. Our anaesthetist will also visit you.

Clinical photography will be taken to assist in your care and to enable clinical assessments to be made. These become part of your confidential medical record. These include photographs of the operation site and any distinguishing features and will be taken pre-op and post-op. 

Your procedure will be performed under a general anaesthetic, and once the surgeon has sutured the incision site, you will be taken to a specialist recovery room.

Once the hospital nursing team has ensured your recovery is complete, you will be taken to your hospital room for your overnight stay. The hospital nursing team will be on hand throughout the night, and you will be fitted with compression stockings and a compression device if required.

The following day, you will be visited by your Karidis Clinic surgeon or nurse and then discharged into the care of a friend or family member by the hospital nursing staff.

The pain and discomfort experienced after surgery are unique to the individual patient and the extent of their procedure. However, it should start to subside in the first week and should be easily managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

If necessary, you’ll be advised to wear a specially designed surgical support garment for approximately six weeks after surgery to support you during the healing process.

Depending on the nature of your job, you can usually expect to be able to return to work and normal activities between one to two weeks.

You’ll be given a comprehensive plan for the recovery process, including dates for your cast or suture removal and your check-ups with your Karidis Clinic surgeon. However, we are always on hand throughout this period, and you have access to our dedicated surgical nurse 24/7 if you have any concerns.

Balanced facial features are considered to be naturally beautiful. The space between your nose and mouth is known as the philtrum, and the ideal length in females is around 11-13mm (2mm longer for men). This often becomes wider as we age, and our skin and muscles lose their elasticity.

The bullhorn lift (or lip lift) uniquely addresses this concern by removing a small amount of tissue under the base of your nose, lifting your lips. The upper lip slightly tilts out, so it can also improve a flat or sunken vermillion border or a thin upper lip, as it looks plumper and more youthful.

If you’re fit and well but concerned about the appearance of your upper lip, a bullhorn lift could be the solution.

Lip enhancement with dermal fillers has become a popular aesthetic treatment in recent years. There are some drawbacks though; results do not tend to last as long as dermal fillers used elsewhere in the face, and results are very practitioner dependent. There are also some potential risks, such as lumps forming or asymmetry.

A bullhorn lift, or surgical lip lift, can produce permanent results, and the scar is usually well-hidden at the base of the nose and isn’t noticeable when healed. It’s very effective at reducing the distance between the nose and lips without overfilling your lips. Dermal fillers can only improve vertical lip height by increasing the projection of the lips at the same time, often resulting in the dreaded duck lips or trout pout effect.

Your bullhorn lift is performed using local anaesthetic as a day case procedure. Your skin is cleansed, and the area is carefully marked as part of your surgeon’s pre-operative planning. Injections of local anaesthetic are made to numb the area, and then a very fine incision is made around your nostrils and the base of the columella. Skin is then removed to shorten the length between your nose, and lip and the incision is closed.

The scar is often the most critical consideration as it is not hidden inside the nostrils but is made around the base of the nose. However, the scar is usually very well hidden in the shadow of the nose and not noticeable when healed.