Corner Lip Lift: See Lifted Mouth Corners on Your Own Face
A corner lip lift removes a tiny piece of skin above each corner of the mouth so a downturned resting mouth sits level or slightly up. Here is what it changes, the scars it leaves, what it costs and the non-surgical options people try first — plus a render on your own photo.
Corner Lip Lift simulator — example render
- Type
- Surgical, permanent
- Typical US cost
- Commonly $1,500–$3,500
- Recovery
- Stitches out in about a week
- Scars
- Small, at each mouth corner
- Upload one front-facing photo
- The render changes the upward angle of your mouth corners — and leaves the rest of your face alone
- Compare your before and after side by side
1 render = 1 credit
5 credits $4.99, no subscription · or Starter $7.99/month for 10. The face analysis is free.
What is a corner lip lift?
A corner lip lift — also called a corner mouth lift or lip corner lift — is a small operation on the corners of the mouth (the commissures). The surgeon removes a small wedge of skin just above each corner and stitches the edges together, so the corner sits higher. It is a millimeter-scale procedure, commonly done under local anesthesia.
The goal is the face at rest. A mouth whose corners point downward can read as sad, tired or annoyed when you are not feeling any of those things, and a corner lip lift is aimed at that resting impression rather than at your smile.
Corner lip lift before and after: what changes at rest
| Feature | Before | After a corner lip lift |
|---|---|---|
| Resting corner angle | Corners point downward | Level or slightly upturned |
| Resting expression | Reads as sad, stern or tired | Reads as neutral or softer |
| Outer upper lip | Thin toward the corners | A little more lip visible near the corners |
| Center of the lip | — | No direct change |
| Smile | — | Largely unchanged; the procedure targets rest |
| Marionette lines, jowls | — | Not treated — those come from lower in the face |
Why mouth corners turn down, and what a corner lip lift can fix
Downturned corners have a few common sources, and a corner lip lift only addresses some of them. That is why surgeons typically look at the whole lower face before recommending one.
| Cause | What happens | Does a corner lip lift address it? |
|---|---|---|
| Natural anatomy | Some people have downturned corners from youth | Yes — this is the classic case |
| Muscle pull | The depressor anguli oris muscle pulls the corners down | Partly; Botox targets the muscle directly |
| Volume loss with age | Support under the corners thins out | Partly; filler restores support |
| Skin laxity, marionette lines, jowls | Tissue lower on the face sags and drags the corners | Not really — this is lower-face territory |
The downturned lips page explains how the resting corner angle is measured against the center of the mouth from a front photo. That angle is the region this procedure changes — a number to discuss, not a diagnosis.
Corner lip lift vs Botox vs filler for the mouth corners
Most people with downturned corners hear about three options. They work on different causes, which is why practitioners often try the reversible ones first.
| Corner lip lift | Botox at the corners | Filler to lift the corners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Removes skin so the corner sits higher | Relaxes the muscle pulling the corners down | Adds support under and beside the corner |
| Usually considered for | Anatomically downturned corners | Corners pulled down by muscle activity | Corners drooping from volume loss |
| How long it lasts | Permanent | Commonly 3–4 months | Usually 6–12 months |
| Scar | Yes, small, at each corner | No | No |
| Reversible | No | Wears off | Yes, with hyaluronidase |
| Commonly noted downside | Visible scars; hard to undo | Too much can affect lower lip movement or smile symmetry | Too much looks heavy around the mouth |
Many people use Botox or filler as a trial: if a temporary lift at the corners feels like the change they wanted, a corner lip lift becomes a more informed decision. See the lip filler simulation for the volume side of that comparison.
Corner lip lift with a lip lift: when they are combined
A corner lip lift is frequently done at the same time as a bullhorn or subnasal lip lift. The two change different things: a lip lift shortens a long upper lip in the center, a corner lift raises the outer ends. Done alone, a central lip lift can make the middle of the lip look lifted while the corners still point down; done together, the whole upper lip moves as one.
Combining them raises the cost and adds scars in two places, so the question worth asking is whether the corners actually bother you at rest, or only look downturned next to a newly lifted center.
Before — generatedAfter — simulatedSee a corner lip lift on your own face
Run this simulationCorner lip lift recovery and scars: a timeline
| When | What is commonly reported |
|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Swelling and tightness at the corners; the mouth can look over-lifted |
| Days 5–7 | Stitches removed; talking and eating feel stiff at the corners |
| Weeks 2–6 | Corners settle lower toward their final position |
| Months 1–3 | Scars pink or red and sometimes firm |
| Months 6–12 | Scars fade and flatten; the result is judged at about a year |
The corner lip lift scar is the trade-off. Unlike a subnasal lip lift, whose scar hides under the nose, corner scars sit on the face near the lip line. In many people they fade to fine lines that are hard to see at conversational distance; in others they stay noticeable, widen or heal lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. Stretching the mouth wide early on — big yawns, large bites — is commonly advised against while the wounds heal.
Corner lip lift cost
A corner lip lift is commonly quoted at roughly $1,500–$3,500 in the United States. Because it is often done under local anesthesia in an office, facility costs tend to be lower than for larger facial surgery.
- Combined with a lip lift — the most common reason a quote is well above this range.
- Surgeon and city — as with most facial plastic surgery, major cities cost more.
- Anesthesia — sedation adds cost over local anesthesia alone.
- Scar treatment — some practices include laser or follow-up scar care, others charge separately.
Botox and filler are cheaper per visit but are repeated, so over several years the comparison is closer than a single quote suggests.
Corner lip lift risks and downsides
- Visible scars — the downside mentioned most often, because the scars are external and on a highly visible part of the face.
- Over-lifting — corners that look fixed in an upturned, unnatural position, especially in movement.
- Asymmetry — one corner sitting higher than the other once swelling resolves.
- Undercorrection — corners that settle back further than expected, sometimes leading to a revision.
- Not treating the real cause — if the pull comes from jowls or marionette lines, the corners can drift down again.
Removing skin is not reversible. Scars can be revised and a small undercorrection can be adjusted, but an over-lifted corner is much harder to bring back down.
Corner lip lift simulator: see lifted corners on your own face
The corner lip lift simulation lifts the corners of your mouth so the resting expression reads softer and less downturned, and leaves the rest of your face as it is. It is a quick way to see whether a small change at the corners changes how your face reads at rest — which is usually the whole question.
What it cannot show: the two scars, how the corners move when you talk and smile, and the over-lifted look of the first weeks. Measure your resting corner angle with the free lip shape analysis before or after rendering, so the conversation starts from a number rather than a feeling.
The lip shape analysis reads your resting corner angle, fullness and upper-to-lower ratio from one front photo.
Measure your lip cornersQuestions to ask your surgeon before a corner lip lift
- How visible are corner lip lift scars in your patients at one year — can I see close-up photos in daylight?
- Would Botox or filler at the corners be a reasonable trial first, and what would that tell us?
- How much lift are you planning, in millimeters, and how do you avoid an over-lifted look?
- Is the downturn coming from the corners themselves, or from lower in my face where a corner lift will not help?
Alternatives to corner lip lift
How the corner lip lift simulation works
Your photo is analysed for the landmarks that matter to this procedure, and the render changes the upward angle of your mouth corners while leaving the rest of your face alone. That constraint is the hard part — a generic image model will happily redraw your whole face and hand you a stranger who looks better.
The render lifts the corners in the frame. It cannot show the two small scars, and it cannot show how the change reads in movement — which for a mouth is most of the time.
It is an illustration of a plausible direction, not a prediction of your result and not a medical opinion. What it is genuinely good for is finding out whether you want the change at all — plenty of people render one, find the difference smaller than they imagined, and stop there.
Measure your face before a corner lip lift simulation
The free analysis tools measure symmetry, facial proportion and face shape, and tell you which measurements sit outside the reference range. Choosing a procedure from that is a much better starting point than choosing one from a photo you saved.
Corner Lip Lift simulator — frequently asked questions
How long does a corner lip lift last?
The change is permanent because skin is removed, though the corners settle somewhat in the first weeks and the face keeps aging around the result. If the downturn is partly driven by sagging lower in the face, the corners can drift down again over the years.
Is a corner lip lift painful?
It is commonly done under local anesthesia, so the procedure itself is mostly felt as pressure. Afterwards people usually describe tightness and soreness at the corners for several days, worse when talking or eating, rather than severe pain.
Does a corner lip lift change your smile?
It mainly changes where the corners sit at rest, which is the point. The smile itself is driven by muscles the procedure does not move, although the corners can feel stiff during the first weeks.
Can men get a corner lip lift?
Yes. Downturned corners are common in men as well, and the goal is usually a neutral rather than upturned corner.
Can exercises lift the corners of the mouth?
There is no good evidence that facial exercises permanently raise the resting position of the mouth corners. Makeup — a slightly lifted liner at the outer upper lip and concealer under the corners — can change how they read in photos.
Is the corner lip lift simulator free?
The face analysis is free and needs no account. A rendered simulation costs credits because it runs on a GPU — $4.99 buys five and does not require a subscription.
How accurate is an AI corner lip lift simulation?
It is an illustration of a plausible outcome, not a prediction of your result. Real outcomes depend on your anatomy, the facial plastic surgeon and how you respond. Treat it as a conversation starter for a consultation, not a promise.
Do you keep my photo?
The free measurements never leave your browser. A simulation does send the photo to a rendering service, which is why it asks for explicit consent first, and you can delete the result from your dashboard at any time.
Can I show this to a facial plastic surgeon?
Yes, and that is the most useful thing to do with it. Bringing a picture of the direction you want is far more precise than describing it in words.
Other lips & mouth simulations
This page is not medical advice and we are not clinicians. A simulation cannot tell you whether a procedure is appropriate for you, what it costs, or what the risks are. Those questions belong with a qualified facial plastic surgeon.