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What does it change?: Removing a small strip of skin under the nose to shorten the philtrum so more of the upper lip shows.
Is there anything short of surgery?: Yes. Lip filler adds thickness to the lip itself. But filler does not shorten the philtrum — the two address different things.
Can it be undone?: Surgery cannot be undone and leaves a scar under the nose. Filler can be dissolved.

There are no numbers and no citations in this box. What has been established, and how far, is below.

What divides this slot is "thin lips" versus "a long philtrum." Both make the upper lip show less, and the methods differ.

If the lip itself is thin, filler adds volume. It can be dissolved and is absorbed over time
If the philtrum is long, a lip lift removes skin under the nose. Filler will not shorten it

The philtrum lengthens with age, so this operation sits across both changing a shape and reversing a change.

The scar is under the nose. It is hidden in the shadow between nose and lip, but this is one of the few operations on this axis whose scar sits in the middle of the face.

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Options before surgery

Used for the same concern but not surgical. These do carry evidence grades.

Moderate evidenceHyaluronic acid fillerInjection

Operations for this concern

Surgery on this site is not yet graded for evidence. Reversibility is shown in place of a grade.

Lip liftCannot be undone