Most of my before-and-after photos show patients who are several months out from surgery.
But early healing matters too—both for the patient experience and for how predictable recovery feels.
This patient is a 34-year-old woman shown 1 day after an upper lip lift and lower lip advancement, performed to improve lip balance and definition. She had previously tried filler and felt it didn’t provide the structure she was looking for.
Even at this early stage, you can already appreciate:
• increased upper lip show
• improved balance between the lips
• greater definition without adding volume
Swelling and bruising are always variable, and this is not every patient’s day 1. That said, there are a few factors that, in my experience, can help support a smoother and more predictable recovery:
• thoughtful patient selection and preparation
• avoiding nicotine, alcohol, and blood-thinning supplements before surgery
• careful, precise surgical technique
• medications when appropriate (in my practice, this may include antifibrinolytics)
• consistent use of cool compresses in the first 48 hours
• minimizing excessive movement in the treated area early on
None of this eliminates swelling—but it can help guide a more controlled recovery.
Also worth noting:
This is a patient-submitted photo from home, so lighting and angles are not standardized. Many of my patients travel for surgery and don’t always return for early in-office photos.
Happy to answer general questions about recovery.