The lips are often considered one of the hallmarks of the feminine identity. Today, cisgender and transgender women regularly undergo lip filler injections to achieve plump, shapely lips. For women on an MTF transitional journey, lip feminization is sometimes part of facial feminization or general gender affirming treatment. There are several ways to feminize the lips. Dr. Javad Sajan performs the best lip feminization procedures.
Lip feminization surgery is one or a combination of surgical procedures meant to make the lips more feminine. Transgender women seek this surgery out the most. However, cisgender women and others along the gender spectrum do sometimes undergo procedures to make the lips appear more feminine.
Commonly, feminizing the lips is part of a larger facial feminization surgery. By itself, even the maximum amount of surgery necessary for lip feminization would take no more than a couple of hours. Thus, it is an ideal procedure to combine with other feminization surgeries if desired.
The lips can say more about gender than people realize. Within broader society, women add color to their lips, enhance their shape, and use products to make them look plumper. Men, however, may only use lip balm. This highlights the importance of the lips when determining perceived gender.
On a woman, the distance between the upper lip and the base of the nose is shorter than a man’s. This is known as the philtrum distance. The “ideal” distance for each gender is roughly 11 to 13 millimeters for women and 13 to 15 millimeters for men. These measurements are close, so it is not always necessary to address this difference. However, if a transgender woman also has a thin upper lip, this can further accentuate the longer philtrum.
A few other differences between masculine and feminine lips include:
Lip feminization can come with many benefits for transgender patients as well as general cosmetic benefits. Some of the advantages and possible benefits may include:
There are multiple procedures Dr. Sajan can perform to feminize the lips. However, the majority of these procedures focus on two primary goals: shorten the length of the philtrum and augment the lips. Occasionally, other possible lip feminization procedures could include lifting the corners of the mouth or midface lift. Below is a more in-depth look at the most popular lip feminization procedures.
A lip lift is a plastic surgery that reduces the distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip. Using a bullhorn-shaped incision along the base of the nose, Dr. Sajan removes excess skin. He then stitches the philtrum back together. This naturally lifts the upper lip. It also tends to result in more of the upper lip becoming visible and an increase in tooth show.
Lip augmentation is one of the most popular procedures in the world. There are surgical and non-surgical options. Some of the most effective lip augmentation techniques for transgender women include:
A lip lift does come with the risk of visible scarring. For most people, the scar heals and eventually blends in with the base of the nose. However, patients should understand the risk of scarring. Luckily, scars can usually be easily covered with makeup. If a patient has concerns about scarring or is prone to raised scarring, talk to Dr. Sajan about this during the consultation.
Since lip feminization is usually performed with FFS, it tends to follow that recovery pattern. If performed in isolation, a lip feminization recovery is often not too painful or difficult for most people. Patients will need to rest and make some alterations to their everyday life. Though, they can expect to return to life within a week or so.
Patients may experience some side effects such as soreness, redness, bruising, and swelling. Generally, side effects are minor and will resolve on their own within about two weeks.
Most of the time, yes. A lip lift will age, but it does so like any woman would age naturally. Lip augmentation is not necessarily permanent. Dermal fillers are temporary and require injections two to three times a year to maintain fullness. A lip implant and fat transfer to the lips can be permanent.
Yes, if a patient has a philtrum close in size to a woman’s. In these circumstances, lip fillers can often provide enough vertical height to achieve a more feminine look. Depending on the patient’s natural lip anatomy and goals, lip fillers may or may not provide adequate feminization.
If a patient has a documented history of gender dysphoria, insurance will likely cover some or all of the surgery. With that said, it is unlikely they will cover non-surgical procedures such as lip fillers, even if gender affirming. If planning to undergo multiple facial gender affirming procedures, it is usually best to do so all in one session as FFS.
Dr. Javad Sajan is a world renowned plastic surgeon known for performing gender affirming surgery of the face and body. Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming patients have come from all over the world for his expertise and skills. With years of experience and training at an exclusive FFS fellowship, Dr. Sajan is a top surgeon for FFS-related surgeries. Dr. Sajan provides the best lip feminization in the United States.
To learn more and schedule a consultation, call us at 206-209-0988. You can also reach out online via chat or contact form.