What is Lip Feminization Surgery?

A masculine lips before undergoing lip feminization surgery and the result of a more feminine mouth after lip FFS Surgery.

Lip feminization may include different soft tissue procedures around the mouth. The result is a feminizing effect to the entire lip area. Depending on your goals and facial features, we may recommend different lip FFS procedures, such as the following:

  • FFS lip lift;
  • lip augmentation with temporary fillers;
  • lip augmentation with facial lipo feminization.

Our goal is to help you attain natural results without obvious scars. Therefore, our techniques have been developed to avoid outcomes that look artificial.

Am I a Good Candidate for Lip Feminization Surgery?

Feminine lips are the ideal frame of your smile, which is one of the most important expressions in non-verbal communication. It is understandable if you desire lips that are more coherent with your gender identity.

Longer, thinner upper lips with little or no visibility of the upper teeth are typically masculine traits. Also, the upper lip tends to sag and cover the upper teeth with age, so a liplift can have a bonus rejuvenating effect too. Certain upper lip asymmetry can also be improved with lip surgery.

Many people consider it more feminine when the red area of the lips has slightly more volume and projection, but this may vary from person to person.

If your upper lip is longer or the vermilion is flatter than desired, lip feminization surgery can address this.

The lips and Gender Recognition

We define the lip area as the entire space from below the nose to the bottom lip. It includes the surrounding skin, the upper and lower lips, as well as the vermilion (the colored part of your lips). Although lips come in all shapes and sizes irrespective of gender, there are certain traits which are generally perceived as more feminine.

Traits of a masculine lip

Masculine lips have a greater distance between the nostrils and the border of the upper lip. We also refer to this as the height or length of the upper lip. More space between the nose and the upper lip is recognizable as a masculine trait. A lack of lip volume may have a masculinizing effect if it is not counterbalanced with other feminine secondary characteristics. 

Traits of a feminine lip

A characteristic of a youthful, feminine face is a shorter distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip. This means that when the face is relaxed, there is subtle visibility of the upper teeth. Good lip volume may be perceived as a feminine feature, although this is a cultural perception. 

How is Lip Feminization Surgery performed?

Specialists in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with experience in facial feminization should perform this procedure, normally under general anesthesia. Experts in this procedure will be able to explain problems that result from an improper lip technique as well as how it may be combined with a feminization rhinoplasty or dental work for an optimal effect. 

We use two procedures in lip feminization surgery. First, our specialists assess your needs and goals regarding feminizing your lip area. Then, we recommend the most suitable course of action, be it lip lift surgery and/or lip augmentation. 

Lip Lift Surgery

We remove a specially-shaped segment of skin from directly under your nose to shorten the distance between it and the lip. By doing this, your upper lip becomes closer to the nose. The procedure transforms your lip from a masculine, low lying position to a more raised position that shows the teeth.

A lip lift has the following advantages:

  • more projected upper vermilion that appears fuller; 
  • natural exposure of upper teeth when your face is relaxed;
  • a less visible incision in the crease under the nose. 

Although a lip lift can create the illusion of a fuller lip, it does not make the lips fuller. Therefore if you want fuller lips, we can offer lip augmentation, which is explained further down. 

Recovery

Recovery and aftercare of lip feminization is relatively easy. Our post-op team will guide you during your recovery as part of Facialteam’s comprehensive care. All patients receive personalized pre-op and post-op support that meets the highest standards in transgender healthcare. 

Initially you will feel sore, swollen and may have some bruising. You will slowly regain normal feeling and function as the healing evolves. Recovery times vary for each patient. Generally, you gently return to all your everyday routines within days or weeks of having a lip lift. We recommend waiting 6 weeks before taking part in any high impact activities. 

Result

You will likely notice a difference immediately, despite the swelling and bruising. Your lips will continue to settle over the following months, so patience is key. At some point it may seem like your lip is descending, but you may be confident that internal stitches help keep the lip’s new position stable. 

As is the case with all our procedures, we may conduct a final assessment after a year. Scar healing will indeed still be in process, but we are able to evaluate more definitive results. 

Remember, as with all soft tissues, the lips are subject to the effects of aging over time.

Lip Augmentation

If needed for your desired look, we can inject filler during or after your surgery. This option is excellent for people with thin lips. We prefer to use temporary fillers or fat grafts from your body (lipofilling) to increase the lip volume.

In the case of lipofilling, the body reabsorbs a small percentage of the fat grafts, but the majority will remain stable. We mainly inject the lipofiller into the inner side of the lip, directly below the intraoral mucosa. Here the skin is more delicate, and the augmentation effect is more natural. 

If we use temporary lip fillers such as hyaluronic acid, your body slowly reabsorbs the fillers over time. For this reason, you may notice a decline in results after about six months. We recommend repeating the procedure every six months or so to maintain maximum results. 

How much does Lip Feminization cost?

The price of lip feminization can vary, as the combination of procedures are personalized for you. The overall costs for a lip feminization with Facialteam (including a full array of services, hospital and surgeon fees, materials, anesthesia, etc.) may range anywhere from 3 900 € to 4 200 €. The total price will depend on optional aspects such as accommodations. Flights are not included in lip feminization budgets.

Be sure to ask what is included (and what’s not) in the costs.

Consultation

Get multiple consultations with a variety of surgeons, whose approaches will vary, until you feel able to make an informed decision about what is best for you.

Facialteam consultations consist in building a realistic plan for you together. Lip feminization orientations with our experienced FFS specialists are always free.

Our experts will guide a discussion to help you understand your principal needs and what are realistic objectives. We can establish which procedures, if any, are essential for you  to attain the feminine look you want and the results you can expect. We will also determine which procedures are not indicated or will have less of an impact. 

Start your Revelation Journey

Book your Consultation

We offer both online as in-person consultations in our clinic in Marbella, Spain.

Our consultations are free of costs and a great aid for those patients seeking advice to start their journey.