How To Shorten The Philtrum | Natural Lip Shaping
The philtrum is an overlooked part of the face.
Lately more people have been interested in how to shorten it.
In this article, we'll discuss some methods to shorten the philtrum as well as why people would like to do it.
Surgical options for philtrum shortening include chieloplasty, lip lift, and counterclockwise rotation.
Orthodontic solutions to shorten the philtrum include braces and reverse traction caps.Some non-invasive philtrum-shortening methods include lip fillers, facial exercises, makeup, and meows.
What is the Philtrum?
The philtrum is the area from the lower tip of the nose to the center of the upper lip.
People will naturally have a longer philtrum as they age, but there are times when this problem is due to jaw deformity or another genetic issue.
An abnormally long philtrum will be longer than +2 of the standard deviation for the average length.
The standard deviation, in this case, is the value determined to be above or below the mean.
As it applies to the length of the philtrum, the value may be higher or lower than the average but still considered within the normal range.
For men, the average length of the philtrum is about 1.8 cm and 1.68 cm for women.
In a study by Zankl et al. (2002), found that +2 of the standard deviation for philtrum length is 2.13 cm in men and 2.01 cm in women.
A longer philtrum is abnormally long.Hennekam et al. (2009) define the philtrum as a vertical groove in the middle part of the upper lip delimited by two side ridges or pillars.
Although older people also develop larger noses with age, this should not be confused with length.
Although the bridge of the nose increases in size over the years, the nose does not necessarily lengthen either.
As Hennekam's study revealed, the nose and the philtrum influence each other inversely, one shortening the other lengthening with age
The Ideal Philtrum Length
The "ideal" philtrum length is approximately 1.3 to 1.5 cm for men and 1.1 to 1.3 cm for women depending on facial proportions and ruler third party face.
The rule of thirds, as it applies to the face, means that there must be an equal distance when the face is measured and divided horizontally into thirds.
This division goes from the hairline on the forehead to the eyebrow, from the eyebrow to the tip of the nose and from the tip of the nose to the chin.
However, Zankl et al. the study found that the average philtrum length for 20-year-old men is 1.78 cm and 1.63 cm for women, then decreases and increases again at age 30.
From the age of 30, men will have an average philtrum length of 1.8 cm and women 1.68.
As a person ages, the philtrum increases on average by about 0.05 cm each year.
In addition to age, habits can also accelerate the elongation of the philtrum.
One such practice is mouth breathing.
It won't happen overnight, but the long-term habit of mouth breathing not only contributes to health issues like sleep apnea, but also affects facial structure.
What is a Long Philtrum?
Human phenotype ontology defines a long philtrum as a standard deviation greater than +2 from the mean.
Going back to the study by Zankl et al., this means that it exceeds 2.2 cm for males and 2 cm for females for adults.
A longer philtrum is often seen as less attractive although we may not be aware that this is a problem.
Differences in philtrum length from person to person can be a few millimeters.
Non-Surgical Methods for Shortening the Philtrum
The first set of options for shortening the philtrum involves non-surgical methods.
Naturally, some people don't want to undergo invasive surgery for a small improvement.
This aversion to surgery is especially true for those who simply wish to shorten the philtrum for purely cosmetic purposes.
Here are some options to shorten the philtrum for those who don't have a very long philtrum:
Non-surgical orthodontic methods
The long philtrum is often caused by problems in the jaw or the lower middle part of the face.
Non-surgical orthodontic solutions may include braces and elastics, bite pads, or reverse traction night gear to correct bite and jaw alignment.
Lip Fillers
The f Some would resort to lip fillers, especially on the upper lip, for the look of a shorter philtrum.
They think this improvement will make the philtrum shorter.
It's not a solution to get a shorter philtrum because lip fillers don't make the philtrum shorter.
Facial and Lip Exercises
There are still no studies on the benefits of facial exercises to decrease philtrum length.
But some people swear by facial yoga and there's nothing to lose.
If facial exercises don't improve the philtrum, the least they can do is help circulation to the facial muscles.
I would start by simply flexing the philtrum area and holding for 30 seconds.
Do these 10 reps, adding one extra rep each week.
Mewing
A better alternative to unproven facial exercises is mewing.
People have experienced dramatic or subtle results from meowing correctly.
Mewing moves its jaw over time, giving your philtrum a more attractive shape.
Mewing directly combats jaw recession that occurs with age and even vice versa.
It is about developing the habit of keeping the tongue, mouth and jaws in the correct position.
Mewing won't produce results overnight, but prolonged practice will improve your appearance.
This person has experienced an improvement in their philtrum with years of mewing.
Makeup
The most superficial and temporary solution involves cosmetics.
There are techniques for applying lipstick, lip liner, and contouring to give the illusion of a shorter philtrum.
Surgical Procedures to Shorten the Philtrum
For those with a much longer philtrum or other facial deformities, surgery may be the best option.
Surgery usually scares people away because it's invasive, but the benefits are more dramatic and permanent.
Lip surgery or cheloplasty
Chieloplasty is a form of lip restoration performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or plastic surgeon.
Compared to lip fillers, adjustments made by lip surgery are more permanent and precise.
It is a better option to permanently increase lip size.
Lip lift or speaker surgery
A lip lift is different from cheiloplasty.
In this procedure, incisions are made under the bridge of the nose along the top of the philtrum.
The surgeon will cut part of the area and then prick the skin, thus shortening the philtrum.
Counter Clockwise Rotation (CCW)
CCW is an important facial reconstruction operation.
CCW is a surgery that involves the repositioning of the upper and lower jaw.
In this procedure, the jaws are moved forward and turned upwards.
This procedure will correct facial problems, including shortening the philtrum.
Why is Philtrum length important?
T
he most crucial reason to shorten the philtrum is when a longer philtrum coincides with other medical issues.
For aesthetic reasons, a longer philtrum makes a face look more mature because that's exactly how our face develops naturally.
A longer philtrum makes a face look older.
As mentioned earlier in this article, studies have shown that the philtrum stretches with age.
Just like wrinkles and age spots, the longer philtrum is an indicator of aging.
Therefore, people with longer philtrums are perceived to be older than them.
The study also revealed that men generally have a longer philtrum than women.
There is a marked peak in philtrum length during adolescence, which decreases in early adulthood.
But the philtrum begins to develop again after 30 years for both men and women.
Longer philtrum makes face disproportionate A woman's face is considered attractive if the distance between the eyes and the mouth is around 36%.
The vertical eye-to-mouth distance should also be proportional to the horizontal distance between the eyes, which is approximately 46% of the width of the face.
A longer philtrum breaks up this golden section.
Human beings like visual proportions and anything that doesn't conform to it is considered less desirable.
Conclusion
As people age, the philtrum lengthens, on average about 0.05 mm per year.
The ideal philtrum length is 1.3 to 1.5 cm for males and 1.1 to 1.3 cm for females.
However, the average philtrum of the male at 30 years old is 1.8 cm and 1.63 cm for females.
There are several options for shortening longer philtrums through non-surgical or surgical procedures.
Although risky, surgical methods produce more dramatic and permanent results than non-surgical options.
The philtrum affects the appearance of our face and the way we see others, whether we are aware of it or unconsciously.
A few millimeters could be the difference between an attractive face and a less attractive face.
The philtrum used to be an overlooked part of the face. Lately, more people have taken an interest in how to shorten it.
In this article, we will discuss some methods to shorten the philtrum, and also the reasons why people would want to do so.
Surgical options to shorten the philtrum include chieloplasty, lip lift, and CCW rotation.
Orthodontic solutions to shorten the philtrum include braces, and reverse pull headgear.
Some non-invasive methods to shorten the philtrum include lip fillers, facial exercises, makeup, and mewing.
🍀 GOOD LUCK 🍀
Matt Phelps