“If someone has a lip that’s very visual and larger, they might not see a difference from the lip flip,” Frontera explained. “On the contrary, if someone has a smaller lip, and we struggled with them even having an upper lip to begin with, then I might give them a bit of lip filler in conjunction with a lip flip to the lip stays nicely open.”
My pee-wee sized lips were in the second camp—making me the ideal candidate for both a syringe of Restylane Kysse (a softer, milder filler) and four units of neuromodulators.
If you’re looking for a dramatic change, look elsewhere
When you’re going in for any sort of cosmetic change, you have to manage your expectations from the get-go: at the end of the day, it’s a large psychological change when your face changes from one day to the next, Frontera explained. It’s important to have a doctor that not only will talk you through the expectations of what’s achievable for your face shape, but also, to personally analyze what would look best for you, regardless of what picture you bring in to show to them. Personally, my results were too subtle to anyone else but me and close family to notice.
“I try to give the spectrum of possibilities: you’ll swell, and then it’ll go down, and then you’ll wish you went bigger and you’ll have this process of feeling like you did too much or too little,” Frontera said. “Half of what we do in aesthetics is just being really upfront and forward and explain to people what they’re going to get. You have to prepare for every scenario.”
Don’t expect results overnight
Just like traditional facial Botox, lip flip results take time. While some patients see the results in as early as three to four days, you’ll get the full lip flip look 10 to 12 days after your injections. While waiting for results, make sure to ice your lips and not work out for at least 24 hours after at risk of sweating the active ingredients out (it’s a real thing!).
While I had to wait about two weeks to see the final product, the journey to get there was quick and painless. Most people get 4 to 5 units of injectables, meaning it’s just a few pinches here and there. The actual procedure takes less than two minutes, and I was in and out within 15. Unlike with traditional lip fillers, there’s minimal bruising and swelling in the days after a lip flip.
With straws and spoons, proceed with caution
Some people claim getting the procedure could jeopardize your ability to properly use a spoon or straw—the aspect of getting a lip flip I was most nervous about as I refuse to not be a Hot Soup Girl. However, a licensed practitioner will use the right amount of Botox so as not to compromise your straw-sucking abilities, although Frontera says you may feel slightly numb in the days after your procedure since the active agent in the injectible temporarily paralyzes the muscles around your lip.
Spoiler: That Insta look doesn’t come cheap.
It’s relatively affordable, but upkeep is frequent
The price of a lip flip varies from practice to practice, but it typically hovers around $150 to $200. Unlike plumping agents like Juvaderm or Restylane Kysse that last for six months or longer, the agents used in a lip flip typically last eight weeks. Traditional lip fillers can range anywhere from $600 to $1.200 depending on the number of syringes used.
