If you have ever pulled your upper lip down to a thin line in selfies and wondered if there is a small fix that does not change the shape of your face, you are probably a lip flip candidate, not a lip filler candidate. We see this question every week at our Mississauga and Toronto clinics, so we wrote the long version. For booking, see lip filler at Reforme Lab.
What is a lip flip?
A lip flip is a tiny dose of botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport, Nuceiva or Xeomin, depending on what your injector stocks) placed into the orbicularis oris, the ring of muscle around your mouth. The dose is small, usually 4 to 6 units across the upper lip. The muscle relaxes just enough that the upper lip rolls slightly outward when you smile or speak. There is no volume added. There is no filler. From the front, your lip looks a touch fuller because more of the pink shows. From the side, your top lip no longer disappears under your nose when you smile.
The treatment was first used as an off-label trick by injectors who wanted to soften gummy smiles. Around 2018, Toronto patients started asking for it on its own and it became a standalone menu item. The version we offer today uses cannula-tip palpation to mark the white roll of the lip, then 3 to 5 micro-injections placed along the philtrum and lateral upper lip.
Lip flip vs lip filler at a glance
The two treatments solve different problems. Lip filler adds hyaluronic acid (Juvederm Volbella, Restylane Kysse, Teosyal RHA Kiss, Revanesse Kiss) directly into the lip body. The lip becomes physically larger. A lip flip does not add anything. It only changes how your existing lip drapes when the muscle is at rest.
People walk in asking for one and leave wanting the other constantly. The two-second test we run in consult: stand in front of a mirror, smile naturally, and look at your top lip. If it almost disappears under your nose, you are a lip flip candidate. If it is still visible but you wish it had more cushion, you are a lip filler candidate. If both, you are a combo candidate (more on that later).
Who is a good candidate?
The ideal lip flip candidate has lips she likes the size of, but a smile that hides the upper lip, or a slight gummy smile. Common in patients in their late 20s through their 50s. Ideal too for clients who tried filler once, did not love the size change, and want a softer option.
Not ideal: anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a neuromuscular condition like myasthenia gravis, and anyone who plays a wind instrument professionally or relies on precise lip control for work (singers, voice actors). The muscle relaxation is mild but it can change embouchure for 4 to 6 weeks.
What the appointment looks like
The whole visit takes about 25 minutes. First, your injector cleans the area with chlorhexidine and marks 4 to 5 injection points along the white roll of the upper lip with a fine surgical pen. Topical numbing cream is rarely used because the needle is so fine and the doses are so small. Most patients describe it as a brief pinch.
You will not see a result the day of the appointment. The flip starts to appear at day 3 and reaches its full effect by day 7 to 10. It lasts 6 to 8 weeks for most patients, sometimes 10 weeks if you are a slow metabolizer. After it wears off, your lip returns to exactly how it was before, no shrinkage, no scarring, no lasting change.
Cost in Toronto in 2026
Most reputable Toronto and Mississauga medspas charge by unit. In 2026, the going rate is $11 to $14 per unit of Botox or equivalent. A standard lip flip is 4 to 6 units, so expect $44 to $84 per session. Compare this to a syringe of HA filler at $650 to $850. Lip flip is the cheapest entry point into injectables in Canada and one of the most reversible.
Be cautious of pricing under $40 for a flip. Either the dose is too small to work, or the product is being diluted, or the injector is not a regulated health professional. Ontario has no licensing barrier for non-medical injectors, so always verify your provider is a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, dentist, or physician.
Aftercare and what to avoid
For the first 4 hours, do not lie flat, do not rub the area, and skip your gym session. For the first 24 hours, avoid alcohol, hot yoga, saunas, and aggressive facial massage. Do not use a straw on day one. You can wear lipstick the next morning.
Possible side effects are minor: a slightly pursed look when speaking for the first 2 weeks, mild difficulty whistling, the very rare droop if the toxin migrates upward. The droop, when it happens, is always the result of an injection placed too high or too laterally and resolves on its own in 4 to 6 weeks. We have not seen one in over 800 lip flips at our two locations because we mark conservatively.
Combining the two treatments
Many of our patients eventually do both. The standard combo: 0.5 mL of HA filler in the lip body (Volbella or Kysse work beautifully here for a soft natural look), then 4 units of toxin for the flip about 2 weeks later. The combination gives a small volume bump plus the visual rolling effect that makes the lip look longer and more youthful from the side. Done correctly, it does not look like work. Done badly, it is the duck lip everyone is afraid of. Choose your injector, not your treatment.
FAQ
How long until I see results? Day 3 to 5 you will notice it. Day 7 to 10 it peaks.
Can I get a lip flip the day before a wedding? No. Book it 10 to 14 days before the event, or pivot to filler instead.
Does it hurt? Brief pinch. Most patients rate it 2 out of 10.
Will it look obvious? No. Friends usually notice your smile looks different but cannot say why.
Is it safe to do every 6 to 8 weeks forever? Yes. Toxin clears completely from the body each cycle, no buildup.
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