The “Lip Flip” Is the Under-the-Radar, Crazy-Looking Treatment Derms Actually Endorse

When it comes to changing lip shape or achieving a plumper pout, the go-to request that may immediately roll off most patients’ tongue is filler. According to data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, injections of hyaluronic acid fillers (in the lips and elsewhere) ranked as the second most popular nonsurgical procedure of 2017. But, there’s another under-the-radar option for patients looking to achieve the look of a more voluminous lip, and the technique and product may surprise you: micro-injections of neurotoxin in a treatment doctors call the “lip flip.” “There are many different techniques for the lip flip, but it’s most commonly done with Botox,” says Fort Lauderdale, FL dermatologist Matthew Elias, MD. During the procedure, a very small amount of neurotoxin (Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, Xeomin) is placed into the muscles around the upper lip. “The procedure weakens the muscle around the mouth that causes lips to turn inward over time,” explains Augusta, GA dermatologist Lauren Ploch, MD. “It’s fairly low-risk but there is the potential of minor bruising or swelling that resolves quickly as with other injections. It’s a great low-cost and low-downtime alternative to fillers.” You May Also Like: The Fillers of Tomorrow “It works really well for folks who still have an upper lip that's turned inward toward the gum. It evens the upper lip so you get more lip show without any filler. It's very subtle but needs to be done by a very experienced injector,” adds Brookline, MA dermatologist Papri Sarkar, MD. The lip flip technique, although unanimously loved by dermatologists we surveyed, has mostly stayed out of consumer awareness. But recently, a variation of the procedure has gained popularity on Instagram, where trending videos of the treatment have garnered hundreds of thousands of views and more than a few enthused responses. As with most medical advice found on social media, however, the learning is the same: 15-second looping videos may be transfixing to watch, but rarely tells the full—or safe—story.