Service
Lip lift (surgical lip lifting)
A lip lift shortens the distance between the nose and the upper lip, which lengthens with age and rolls the lip inwards. The lip is lifted and shows more of the red lip — without adding volume.
What concerns does it address?
How is it done?
A strip of skin is cut out just below the nose, in a shape that follows the base of the nose, and the lip is lifted. The scar lies in the shadow under the nose.
With red lip reduction
If the red part of the lip is too full, the reverse procedure is done — surgical reduction of the red lip (vermilion reduction), with the incision at the border between the red lip and the mucous membrane.
When is the procedure not suitable?
The procedure is not suitable when the distance between the nose and the upper lip is already short, because shortening it further would show the teeth and gums at rest. It is not done during an active cold sore on the lip, or when there is scar tissue at the base of the nose from earlier procedures. If you are prone to keloid scars, the incision beside the nose can stay visible, and we tell you this openly at the examination. Smoking slows healing exactly where the scar is most exposed.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — temporary stiffness of the upper lip, asymmetry that needs correction, a more visible scar if you are prone to it.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Lip lift (surgical lip lifting) | €800–1,000 |
| Surgical red lip reduction | €800–1,000 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
Frequently asked questions
Is it a substitute for filler? No — a lip lift changes the length of the lip, filler changes the volume. Sometimes they are combined.
How long does it last? Permanently — the skin that has been removed does not come back; the face continues to change with age.
How much is the lip lifted? On average three to five millimetres. We determine the exact amount at the examination, based on the distance between the nose and the lip and on how much of the teeth shows when the lips are relaxed. More than that is not better: too much shortening gives an unnatural expression.
Can I combine it with filler? Yes, but not at the same time. If filler is needed, it is done after the scar has fully matured, on average after three months. Often filler is no longer needed after a lip lift, because the lip turns outwards by itself.
Will the nose change too? The nose itself will not, but the incision runs along the base of the nostrils, so in the first weeks there may be mild tightness at the base of the nose. This fades as the scar softens.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.