Botox Lips: Lip Flip and Other Botulinum Toxin Treatments
Botox lips—do they even exist? Botulinum toxin isn't injected into the lips, but Botox can still affect the appearance of the lips.
Botox does not increase lip size, unlike fillers. It affects the muscles surrounding the lips. When specific muscles are relaxed, the shape of the lips changes subtly.
Botulinum toxin treatments are used in the lip area primarily for four purposes:
- for lip flip treatment
- Correcting a gummy smile
- to lift the corners of the mouth that have turned downward
- to reduce vertical lines on the upper lip, also known as smoker's lines
Summary: What can Botox do for the lip area?
- Botox does not increase the size of the lips; rather, it affects their position.
- A lip flip can make the red part of the upper lip more visible.
- Botox can also be used to correct a gummy smile.
- Vertical lines on the upper lip, also known as smoker's lines, can be smoothed out with Botox treatment.
- The effects usually begin within 3 to 7 days and typically last for 2 to 4 months.
Can you reshape your lips with Botox?
Yes, you can, but Botox affects the lips differently than many people expect. Botox does not plump or fill out the lips. In other words, it does not affect their size. Instead, Botox can relax the muscles around the lips that cause wrinkles, lip retraction, excessive gum exposure, or other aesthetic issues.
When the muscles around the lips are relaxed with a small amount of botulinum toxin, the position of the lips may change subtly. This can, for example, reveal more of the upper lip when smiling, even out the smile line, or soften the lines around the mouth.
Botulinum toxin treatment around the lips is particularly suitable for people who want a very natural-looking result. The goal is not to make the lips larger, but to achieve a more balanced overall appearance.
Lip flip – the most popular Botox treatment for the lips
Lip flip Botox treatment: before and after. The upper lip turns slightly outward, making the red part of the lip more visible. This treatment was performed by nurse Essi Ojala.
The lip flip is one of the most well-known botulinum toxin treatments for the lip area. During the procedure, a small amount of botulinum toxin is injected into the muscle surrounding the upper lip (orbicularis oris). As the muscle relaxes, the upper lip turns slightly upward and outward. This makes the red part of the lip more visible.
A lip flip does not increase the size of the lips or alter their natural shape. The fuller appearance is created by better highlighting the lips’ natural shape.
Gummy smile – correcting a gummy smile with Botox
A gummy smile refers to a condition in which more gum tissue is exposed than usual when smiling.
This is often because the muscles that lift the upper lip are very active and pull the lip strongly upward.
A small amount of botulinum toxin can relax these muscles.
Smoker's lines, or vertical lines on the upper lip
Over time, small vertical lines may form above the upper lip. These are sometimes called "smoker's lines" because they tend to appear at a relatively young age, especially in smokers.
Vertical lines on the upper lip are often associated with the activity of the muscle surrounding the lip (orbicularis oris) and skin aging.
Lifting drooping corners of the mouth with Botox
Some people have the corners of their mouths turned downward, especially when their face is at rest.
This phenomenon is partly due to the action of the muscles that pull the corners of the mouth downward. These muscles are called the depressor anguli oris.
The position of the corners of the mouth is influenced by the balance between various facial muscles. The key muscle in this system is the depressor anguli oris, whose function is to pull the corner of the mouth downward.
As people age, collagen in the skin decreases, skin elasticity declines, and the subcutaneous fat pads shrink. This can accentuate the pull of the downward-acting muscles, causing the corners of the mouth to appear droopy.
Botulinum toxin acts at the neuromuscular junction by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at the injection site. When the nerve signal is not transmitted normally, muscle contraction is weakened and the muscle relaxes.
As a result, the force pulling the corners of the mouth downward is reduced, and the corners of the mouth can lift slightly.
Botox treatments for the lips are off-label treatments
Botulinum toxin treatments for the lip area are considered off-label treatments.
Off-label use of a drug refers to a situation in which the drug is used for a purpose other than the indication for which it was originally approved.
In Europe, doctors are permitted to use a drug for off-label purposes provided that the treatment is based on a medical assessment and the patient is given sufficient information about the treatment.
Botulinum toxin is used in aesthetic medicine for a variety of treatments related to facial muscle balance, including in the lip area.
However, it is important to understand that the response to treatment varies from person to person. In some patients, the results may be excellent and clearly noticeable, while in others, the improvement may be modest.
Since the response to treatment cannot be fully predicted in advance, the first off-label treatment should be viewed as a form of experimental therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Botox for the Lips
Can Botox make your lips look bigger?
Not really. Botox doesn't add volume to the lips the way fillers do.
When does Botox start to take effect on the lips?
The effects usually begin within 3 to 7 days of treatment.
How long does lip Botox last?
Around the lips, the effects typically last about 2–4 months.
Can Botox affect your ability to speak or drink?
If the flow is too strong, the way your lips function may change momentarily, for example when drinking from a straw.
Can Botox be injected in the wrong spot on the lips?
Botulinum toxin only affects the area immediately around the injection site. Spreading issues are more commonly associated with improperly administered filler treatments.
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Author and Expertise
Author: Ville Männistö
Title: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Specializing in Aesthetic Medicine.
In addition to his clinical work, he is also a doctoral researcher. Part of his doctoral research focuses on the use of botulinum toxin. The research findings have been published in the PubMed database.
Specialty: Botulinum toxin treatments for the face
Last updated: 2026
