{"id":6898,"date":"2026-10-18T14:32:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T14:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/?p=6898"},"modified":"2026-10-18T14:49:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T14:49:41","slug":"lip-lift-recovery-day-by-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/lip-lift-recovery-day-by-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Lip Lift Recovery Day by Day: Swelling, Stitches and Final Results"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6898\" class=\"elementor elementor-6898\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb0dd7b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cb0dd7b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d000c68 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d000c68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Lip Lift Recovery Day by Day: Swelling, Stitches and Final Results<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e1352f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0e1352f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cdf560 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3cdf560\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A lip lift is a short procedure, but recovery can still feel unfamiliar, especially in the first days when the lip is swollen and tight. Knowing what is normal helps you stay calm and plan your time off work and travel. In this article, I explain <strong>lip lift recovery<\/strong> day by day, from the first evening to the final result.<\/p><h2>Right After Surgery<\/h2><p>A bullhorn lip lift takes about 45\u201390 minutes under local anaesthesia. When it is finished, you can go back to your hotel or home. The area will still be numb for a few hours. A thin layer of ointment covers the stitches beneath the nose. As the anaesthetic wears off, you will feel tightness rather than sharp pain.<\/p><h2>Days 1\u20133: Peak Swelling<\/h2><p>The first three days are when swelling is at its highest. Your upper lip will look puffy, and it may look <strong>over-lifted<\/strong> or turned out more than expected. This is normal and is caused by swelling, not by the final shape.<\/p><p>What to do:<\/p><ul><li>Keep your head elevated, including when sleeping.<\/li><li>Apply cold compresses gently around the area as instructed.<\/li><li>Take your pain relief as prescribed; most patients need only simple painkillers.<\/li><li>Clean the incision as instructed and apply the ointment.<\/li><li>Eat soft foods and use a small spoon. Avoid opening your mouth very wide.<\/li><li>Avoid wide smiling, laughing hard and exaggerated facial expressions.<\/li><\/ul><p>Mild bruising around the upper lip or nose is possible and fades over the following days.<\/p><h2>Days 4\u20136: Swelling Starts to Settle<\/h2><p>Swelling begins to decrease, and the lip starts to look more natural. You may still feel tightness, especially when smiling. Some patients notice slight numbness of the upper lip, which improves over the coming weeks.<\/p><p>You can usually go for walks and light outings. Continue to avoid stretching the lip.<\/p><h2>Days 5\u20137: Stitch Removal<\/h2><p>The stitches are usually removed between <strong>days 5 and 7<\/strong>. Stitch removal is quick and only mildly uncomfortable. After this, the scar will look like a thin pink line beneath the nose.<\/p><p>If you are travelling from abroad, this is usually when you can fly home. I recommend staying in Istanbul for <strong>5\u20137 days<\/strong> in total.<\/p><h2>Days 7\u201310: Back to Work and Social Life<\/h2><p>Most patients return to work and social activities within <strong>7\u201310 days<\/strong>. Once the skin has fully closed, light make-up can be used to cover any remaining redness. Your lip may still be slightly swollen, but usually not noticeably to others.<\/p><h2>Weeks 2\u20134<\/h2><p>Most visible swelling has settled within <strong>10\u201314 days<\/strong>. The lip looks more natural, and the tightness eases. The scar is pink and may feel slightly firm. You can usually return to the gym and strenuous exercise after <strong>two weeks<\/strong>.<\/p><p>Start using silicone scar gel once the skin has closed, and protect the scar from the sun every day.<\/p><h2>Months 1\u20133<\/h2><p>Subtle swelling continues to settle. Lip movement and sensation return to normal. The scar gradually softens and becomes paler. Many patients feel happy with their result at this stage.<\/p><h2>Months 3\u20136: The Final Result<\/h2><p>By three to six months, the swelling has completely gone, the lip shape is final and the scar has faded into a fine line. This is when you see your true result: a shorter, fuller upper lip, a defined Cupid&#8217;s bow and a little upper tooth show at rest.<\/p><p>You can read more about how the scar heals in <a href=\"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/lip-lift-scar\/\">lip lift scar: what to expect<\/a>.<\/p><h2>What to Avoid During Lip Lift Recovery<\/h2><ul><li><strong>Smoking:<\/strong> for at least 4 weeks, as it impairs healing<\/li><li><strong>Strenuous exercise:<\/strong> for 2 weeks<\/li><li><strong>Saunas and hammams:<\/strong> for 2 weeks<\/li><li><strong>Sun exposure on the scar:<\/strong> protect it for at least 6 months<\/li><li><strong>Lip fillers:<\/strong> wait at least 3\u20136 months<\/li><li><strong>Dental treatment:<\/strong> avoid non-urgent dental work for 2\u20133 weeks, as it stretches the lip<\/li><\/ul><h2>When to Contact Your Surgeon<\/h2><p>Contact me if you notice:<\/p><ul><li>Increasing pain, redness or warmth around the incision<\/li><li>Discharge from the incision<\/li><li>Fever<\/li><li>An opening of the incision<\/li><li>Sudden swelling on one side<\/li><\/ul><p>These are uncommon, but they should be checked promptly.<\/p><h2>Eating and Drinking After a Lip Lift<\/h2><p>In the first few days, choose soft foods such as yoghurt, soups, mashed potatoes, eggs and smoothies (without a straw if instructed). Cut food into small pieces and use a small spoon. Avoid very hot, spicy or salty foods, which can increase swelling. Rinse your mouth with water after eating.<\/p><h2>Planning Your Lip Lift<\/h2><p>If you are planning a lip lift in Istanbul, you can find details about the procedure, prices and packages on my <a href=\"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/lip-lift-cost-turkey\/\">lip lift cost in Turkey<\/a> page. To compare prices with the UK, read <a href=\"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/lip-lift-cost-uk-vs-turkey\/\">lip lift cost UK vs Turkey<\/a>. You can also learn more on my <a href=\"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/lip-lift\/\">lip lift<\/a> page.<\/p><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><h3>How long does swelling last after a lip lift?<\/h3><p>Most visible swelling settles within 10\u201314 days, and subtle swelling within 1\u20133 months.<\/p><h3>When can I return to work?<\/h3><p>Most patients return to work within 7\u201310 days.<\/p><h3>When can I fly home after a lip lift?<\/h3><p>Usually after stitch removal, 5\u20137 days after surgery.<\/p><h3>Is it normal for my lip to look too high at first?<\/h3><p>Yes. In the first days, swelling makes the lip look over-lifted. It settles as the swelling goes down.<\/p><h3>When can I kiss or brush my teeth normally?<\/h3><p>Gentle brushing is fine from the first day using a small, soft toothbrush. Avoid kissing and stretching the lip for about two weeks.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lip Lift Recovery Day by Day: Swelling, Stitches and Final Results A lip lift is a short procedure, but recovery can still feel unfamiliar, especially in the first days when the lip is swollen and tight. Knowing what is normal helps you stay calm and plan your time off work and travel. In this article, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lip-lift"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6898"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6903,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6898\/revisions\/6903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drakinsahin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}