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Upper Lip Lift History Is Associated With Perioral Visual Attention During Smile Observation: An Eye-Tracking
Qiaohong Dai1,2,3, Chenxingyue Zhang4, Chi Zhang2,3,5
1Department of Prosthodontics, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Women who underwent upper lip lift surgery pay more attention to the perioral area when viewing smiles. This heightened visual attention correlated with lower aesthetic ratings for smiles with reduced perioral youthfulness.
Area of Science:
- Facial aesthetics
- Ophthalmology
- Psychology
Background:
- Facial aesthetic surgery can alter visual attention patterns.
- Limited research exists on upper lip lift surgery's impact on visual attention and aesthetic judgment during smiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare gaze patterns and aesthetic ratings of smiles between women with and without a history of upper lip lift surgery.
Main Methods:
- Case-control eye-tracking study with 30 women in each group (upper lip lift history vs. no surgery).
- Participants viewed harmonious and digitally altered smiles (reduced perioral youthfulness).
- Measured fixation duration, time to first fixation on the perioral region, and aesthetic ratings.
Main Results:
- Women with upper lip lift history showed longer perioral fixation duration.
- They had shorter time to first fixation on the perioral region for smiles with reduced youthfulness.
- No significant difference in aesthetic ratings for harmonious smiles, but lower ratings for altered smiles in the upper lip lift group.
Conclusions:
- Upper lip lift history is linked to increased perioral visual attention.
- This history is associated with lower aesthetic perception of smiles with reduced perioral youthfulness.
- Suggests heightened sensitivity to perioral aesthetics after upper lip lift.
