Dysport for Gummy Smile and Lip Flip in South Florida

A smile that shows more gum than you would like, or an upper lip that seems to roll inward when you smile, can be influenced by the way small facial muscles move. In carefully selected patients, a dermatologist may use Dysport to subtly reduce specific muscle activity around the upper lip. This can create either a softer gummy smile or a lip flip effect without adding volume.

These are precision treatments rather than one-size-fits-all injections. The anatomy involved in smiling, speaking, drinking, and forming certain sounds is complex, so the amount and placement of Dysport matter. A personalized evaluation is especially important when treating the area around the mouth.

Quick answer

• Dysport is a prescription botulinum toxin product that temporarily reduces activity in targeted muscles.
• For a gummy smile, treatment may be directed at muscles that elevate the upper lip excessively during smiling.
• For a lip flip, small amounts may be placed around the upper lip to reduce inward rolling and allow slightly more of the pink lip to show.
• Neither approach adds physical volume the way dermal filler does.
• Using Dysport specifically for a gummy smile or lip flip is an off-label use, so treatment should be individualized by a qualified medical professional.

What does Dysport do around the upper lip?

Dysport contains abobotulinumtoxinA, a form of botulinum toxin type A. When injected into a targeted muscle, it temporarily reduces the nerve signals that cause that muscle to contract as strongly. The goal in cosmetic treatment is not necessarily to stop movement completely. Around the mouth in particular, maintaining natural expression and normal function is important.

The FDA has approved Dysport for specific indications, including temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. Treatment of a gummy smile or creation of a lip flip is not among its FDA-approved cosmetic indications, which makes these uses off-label. Off-label prescribing is a recognized part of medical practice, but it requires careful clinical judgment and informed discussion about potential benefits, limitations, and risks.

How Dysport may help a gummy smile

A gummy smile generally refers to a smile that exposes a noticeable amount of gum above the upper teeth. There can be several reasons this happens. In some people, strong upper-lip elevator muscles pull the lip relatively high when they smile. In those cases, strategically placed botulinum toxin may reduce how forcefully the upper lip rises.

Not every gummy smile is primarily muscular. Tooth proportions, gum position, jaw anatomy, lip length, and other structural factors can contribute. That is why an examination matters before deciding whether Dysport is a reasonable option. If the main cause is structural rather than muscular, weakening a facial muscle may not address the underlying concern.

What is a Dysport lip flip?

A lip flip uses very small, strategically placed injections around the upper lip to reduce the tendency of the lip margin to curl inward. With slightly less pull from the surrounding muscle, a little more of the upper lip may remain visible at rest or when smiling.

The effect is different from lip filler. Filler physically adds volume or changes contour by placing an injectable material within the lips or surrounding tissue. A lip flip does not add volume. Instead, it changes muscle activity. Someone who wants substantially fuller lips, more projection, or correction of a volume imbalance may need a different approach.

Can a gummy smile treatment and lip flip be done together?

Potentially, but combining them is not automatically appropriate. Both techniques involve muscles around the upper lip, and their effects can overlap. Treating too many points or weakening the area more than intended could interfere with normal lip movement.

A dermatologist can assess your smile dynamically, including how the upper lip moves when you smile, speak, purse your lips, and relax your face. That assessment helps determine whether one technique, both techniques, or neither is the better fit for your anatomy and goals.

What can you realistically expect?

The goal is generally a subtle change rather than a dramatic transformation. With gummy smile treatment, the upper lip may rise less aggressively during a full smile. With a lip flip, slightly more of the upper lip may remain visible without adding injectable volume.

Responses vary from person to person, and the effect of botulinum toxin is temporary. How quickly changes become noticeable and how long they remain visible can differ based on anatomy, muscle activity, treatment technique, and other individual factors. Your clinician can discuss what is realistic for your specific facial movement rather than promising a fixed result or timeline.

Why injection precision matters around the mouth

The muscles near the lips are involved in everyday functions such as speaking, drinking through a straw, eating, smiling, and making facial expressions. That makes conservative dosing and accurate placement particularly important.

Possible treatment-related effects can include tenderness, swelling, redness, bruising, headache, temporary weakness in nearby muscles, or unwanted changes in facial movement. Botulinum toxin products also carry important safety warnings regarding the possibility of toxin effects spreading beyond the injection area. Although serious reactions are uncommon in cosmetic practice, difficulty swallowing, speaking, or breathing requires urgent medical attention.

Tell your clinician about medications, previous botulinum toxin treatments, neuromuscular conditions, facial weakness, prior procedures, allergies, and other relevant medical history before treatment. Your clinician can help determine whether Dysport is appropriate for you.

How is this different from lip filler?

The easiest distinction is that a lip flip changes movement while filler changes volume and structure.

• Lip flip: May allow more of the natural upper lip to show by reducing selected muscle activity.
• Gummy smile treatment: May reduce excessive elevation of the upper lip when the concern is driven by muscle activity.
• Lip filler: Adds injectable material to change volume, shape, contour, or projection.

Some people are interested in a very subtle change and prefer not to add volume. Others specifically want greater fullness or definition. A consultation can help separate those goals because the treatments are not interchangeable.

What should you do before treatment?

Start by describing the change you want rather than requesting a specific number of units or injection points. Photos of your natural smile can also help demonstrate what concerns you. Your clinician should evaluate your face both at rest and in motion.

Do not purchase botulinum toxin products online or attempt self-injection. The American Academy of Dermatology advises receiving botulinum toxin injections in an appropriate medical setting from a qualified clinician. Product authenticity, storage, dosing, anatomy, and injection technique all affect safety.

When should you see a dermatologist?

A medical consultation is appropriate if you are considering Dysport around the mouth, especially if you have had previous facial injections, facial surgery, muscle weakness, asymmetry, difficulty swallowing, or an underlying neuromuscular condition. It is also worth discussing your complete medication and treatment history before proceeding.

If you develop difficulty breathing, swallowing, or speaking after a botulinum toxin injection, seek urgent medical attention.

FAQ

Does a Dysport lip flip make the lips bigger?

It does not add physical volume. The treatment may allow a little more of the natural upper lip to show by changing how strongly selected muscles contract. If your primary goal is increased lip volume or projection, your clinician may discuss other options.

Can Dysport completely hide a gummy smile?

That should not be assumed. Results depend heavily on why the gums are visible in the first place. A muscle-driven gummy smile may respond differently from one caused primarily by tooth, gum, lip, or jaw anatomy.

Is Dysport FDA approved for a lip flip or gummy smile?

No. These specific cosmetic applications are considered off-label uses. Dysport is FDA approved for other indications, including temporary improvement of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. A dermatologist can explain what off-label treatment means and whether it may be reasonable in your situation.

Is a lip flip the same as lip filler?

No. A lip flip modifies muscle activity and does not add volume. Dermal filler places injectable material into the tissue to change volume or contour.

Can Dysport affect speaking or drinking?

Because the muscles around the mouth contribute to speaking, drinking, and other lip movements, unwanted weakness can affect these functions. Conservative treatment and precise placement are important, and potential risks should be discussed before treatment.

Who should perform a Dysport lip flip?

Botulinum toxin injections should be performed by an appropriately qualified medical professional who understands facial anatomy, product dosing, potential complications, and how to evaluate dynamic movement around the mouth.

At Waverly DermSpa, we offer Dysport and can help you understand whether it may be appropriate.

This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. For diagnosis and personalized treatment, please book an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist.

Sources & further reading

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Dermal Filler Do’s and Don’ts for Wrinkles, Lips and More
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) – Botulinum toxin therapy: FAQs