This vibrant 80-year-old woman came to Dr. Salvatore Pacella seeking subtle facial enhancement to better reflect her inner vitality. Her primary concern was the long appearance of her upper lip and the lack of visible central incisor teeth when at rest, which made her mouth look flat and aged. In addition, volume loss around the mouth and perioral region gave her smile a deflated appearance.
In facial aesthetics, upper lip length and central incisor show are critical elements of a youthful appearance. When the upper lip becomes too long with age, it can cover the teeth completely — even when smiling — leading to a tired or overly serious look.
Dr. Pacella performed a central lip lift, carefully shortening the upper lip to restore ideal proportion and reveal a natural amount of tooth show. To further soften and rejuvenate the mouth area, he combined the lift with a strategic fat transfer, restoring volume around the upper lip, corners of the mouth, and philtral columns. This advanced combination technique restores balance and contour while maintaining a completely natural appearance.
At 12 months post-op, her results are a testament to refined aesthetic surgery at any age:
Dr. Pacella is well-known for his expertise in perioral rejuvenation and natural lip reshaping, especially in mature patients who want subtle refinement — not exaggeration. This case highlights the power of precision lip lifting and volume restoration in older adults.
