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While full lips may sometimes be treated as a societal ideal, there are a variety of reasons why people with full or larger-than-usual lips may wish to change the way they look. Whether for medical or cosmetic reasons, lip reduction surgery (aka cheiloplasty) can help people achieve a more pleasing or symmetrical appearance of their lips.1
Continue reading to learn more about how lip reduction surgery works and what you might expect to pay for the procedure.
What Is Lip Reduction Surgery?
Lip reduction surgery is a cosmetic procedure that removes tissue from one or both of the lips.1 There are a number of reasons why someone might seek to have lip reduction surgery, including:
- Cosmetic reasons. Some people are just born with larger-than-average lips and may wish for a change.2 Many people seek lip reduction surgery to change the way they look or to achieve a certain appearance of the face and mouth for cosmetic reasons.2 They may also seek the surgery due to complications they have experienced from lip enhancement procedures, such as overfilling with injectable treatments, or postoperative complications of other facial surgery.3
- Improve functionality. People may also seek lip reduction surgery due to congenital issues related to the natural size of their lips, such as problems with drooling, speech pattern issues or simply not liking the size of their lips.3
- Macrocheilia. When lips are significantly prominent (known as macrocheilia), they can interfere with normal oral function, leading to drooling, speech pattern interference or an impact on self-esteem.3 Other instances of excessive lip size may result from medical conditions, including dentofacial deformities and cleft lip.2
How Much Does Lip Reduction Surgery Cost?
The national average cost* of lip reduction surgery ranges between $2,134 and $7,283, depending on whether it involves an upper lip, a bottom lip or dual lip reduction.4
Single vs. dual lip reduction cost
The average cost* for single lip reduction (upper or lower) is $2,754, but it can range from $2,134 to $4,747. The average cost* for dual lip reduction surgery is $3,983 but can range between $3,066 and $7,283.4
Average cost of lip reduction surgery by state/district
Below is the average cost* of single and dual lip reduction for all 50 states and the District of Columbia:4
| State/District | Upper or lower lip cost | Dual lips cost |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $2,294 | $3,437 |
| Alaska | $3,352 | $4,834 |
| Arizona | $2,827 | $4,033 |
| Arkansas | $2,380 | $3,352 |
| California | $3,438 | $4,925 |
| Colorado | $2,818 | $3,944 |
| Connecticut | $2,913 | $4,186 |
| Delaware | $2,756 | $3,961 |
| District of Columbia | $3,574 | $5,081 |
| Florida | $2,766 | $3,932 |
| Georgia | $2,498 | $3,612 |
| Hawaii | $3,855 | $6,584 |
| Idaho | $2,824 | $4,046 |
| Illinois | $2,617 | $4,144 |
| Indiana | $2,486 | $3,637 |
| Iowa | $2,388 | $3,509 |
| Kansas | $2,439 | $3,522 |
| Kentucky | $2,578 | $3,603 |
| Louisiana | $2,581 | $3,778 |
| Maine | $2,762 | $3,935 |
| Maryland | $3,236 | $4,429 |
| Massachusetts | $3,242 | $4,595 |
| Michigan | $2,507 | $3,671 |
| Minnesota | $2,566 | $3,650 |
| Mississippi | $2,353 | $3,305 |
| Missouri | $2,397 | $3,531 |
| Montana | $2,700 | $3,922 |
| Nebraska | $2,480 | $3,582 |
| Nevada | $2,765 | $3,969 |
| New Hampshire | $2,866 | $4,148 |
| New Jersey | $2,925 | $4,438 |
| New Mexico | $2,451 | $3,629 |
| New York | $3,174 | $4,374 |
| North Carolina | $2,504 | $3,692 |
| North Dakota | $2,534 | $3,641 |
| Ohio | $2,596 | $3,701 |
| Oklahoma | $2,371 | $3,373 |
| Oregon | $2,940 | $4,297 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,714 | $3,880 |
| Rhode Island | $2,886 | $4,118 |
| South Carolina | $2,605 | $3,654 |
| South Dakota | $2,480 | $3,586 |
| Tennessee | $2,457 | $3,573 |
| Texas | $2,545 | $3,741 |
| Utah | $2,833 | $3,846 |
| Vermont | $2,874 | $4,208 |
| Virginia | $2,679 | $3,880 |
| Washington | $3,049 | $4,434 |
| West Virginia | $2,474 | $3,445 |
| Wisconsin | $2,590 | $3,714 |
| Wyoming | $2,557 | $3,756 |
This wide range is due to variables such as location, your surgeon's training and credentials and the length or complexity of the surgery.5
Is Lip Reduction Surgery Covered by Health Insurance?
Lip reduction surgery is usually considered cosmetic surgery and, therefore, not generally covered by health insurance. However, in the case of fixing a cleft palate, it may be considered reconstructive surgery and possibly covered by some health insurance providers.5
Who Is a Good Candidate for Lip Reduction Surgery?
A good lip reduction surgery candidate will be seeking to balance their facial features, particularly their lips; correct a facial deformity or asymmetry that is either natural or the result of a previous surgery or augmentation; or improve the function of their lips and mouths for any of the medical reasons previously mentioned.1
Who Is Not a Good Candidate for Lip Reduction Surgery?
People looking to enhance or augment the size of their lips are not good candidates — they would need to seek lip enhancement surgery.2 People who smoke and won't quit smoking for several weeks before and after the procedure are also not good candidates.3
Additionally, people whose intralabial space is more than three millimeters or who have poor muscle tone may not be good candidates as the surgery may cause scarring or decrease lip mobility. Other medical conditions may also be prohibitive, so consult with a surgeon before proceeding.6
How Does Lip Reduction Surgery Work?
Lip reduction is a type of surgery, so your surgeon will administer a form of anesthesia, either local or general, to numb the pain and keep you comfortable during the procedure.3
Following the application of local or general anesthesia, the surgeon will make an incision inside your upper or lower lip. The type of incision will depend upon the goal of your surgery. Excess tissue will be removed from inside your lip, where scars are less likely to be seen.1
Finally, your surgeon will reshape the remaining lip tissue and close your incision with sutures that dissolve naturally over time.1 The entire surgery may take as little as one to two hours.2
Potential Side Effects of Lip Reduction Surgery
Lip reduction surgery is a permanent procedure.7 To undo the effects would require additional, perhaps several, surgeries.
Additionally, possible side effects related to lip reduction surgery include:7
- Allergic reactions such as swelling, rashes or redness2
- Loss of sensation (numbness)
- Scarring, lumps or asymmetry
Recovering From Lip Reduction Surgery
Recovering from a lip reduction procedure can take between one to two weeks for full healing and for any dissolvable sutures to degrade. Depending on how much swelling and pain you have and the nature of your job, you can likely return to work within a week or two of the procedure.8
Your doctor will likely prescribe anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medications, along with pain medication to minimize pain. For a few days after the procedure, you may experience numbness, irritation and/or temporary loss of function in the lip.8
Ice packs can be used to bring down swelling. Also, it's important to avoid strenuous activities for at least a few days and to keep your head elevated in bed.8
Financing Lip Reduction Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card
Ready to revitalize your appearance and boost your confidence? The CareCredit credit card makes it easy to pay for lip reduction surgery and related expenses not covered by health insurance.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit so you can stop dreaming and start living your best life. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.
In addition to cosmetic procedures, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, pet care, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?
Author Bio
Jordan Rosenfeld has been freelance writing for 21 years about finances, health, education and more. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Billfold, Good Magazine, GoBanking Rates, Daily Worth, Quartz, Medical Economics, The New York Times, Paypal, The Washington Post and more.
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