Three Things Dr Yasmin Tayeb Looks At for a Confident Smile

Three Things I Look At for a Confident Smile

A smile is one of the first things people notice about you, and it is rarely just about the teeth. When I assess a patient who wants a fresher, more confident smile, I look at the whole picture: the shape of the lips, where the top lip sits when it moves, and how much expression is coming through the rest of the face. Small, well judged adjustments in these three areas can make a real difference, and none of them involve surgery.

In one of my recent clinic videos, I shared the three things I pay most attention to. They are simple to explain but they take an experienced eye to get right. Below I have expanded on each one, so you can understand what I am actually looking for, how the relevant treatments work, and what to expect if any of them apply to you.

The thread running through all three is balance. A confident smile is not about adding as much as possible. It is about proportion, movement and the way your features work together when you are relaxed and when you are animated.

Tip one: is the lip beautifully contoured?

The first thing I look at is shape. Do the lips have a defined border? Is there a clear line where you would place your lip liner, so you are not chasing a blurred edge or overdrawing to create one? Contour is a big part of what reads as youthful. Younger lips tend to have a crisp vermilion border, a defined cupid's bow and a gentle fullness that sits in proportion with the rest of the face. As we get older that definition softens, the border becomes less distinct and the lips can look flatter and less structured.

Lip filler is the main tool for restoring shape, and it is worth being clear about what that means. Good lip treatment is not simply about volume. It is about rebuilding the architecture of the lip: sharpening the border, supporting the cupid's bow, balancing the top and bottom lip, and smoothing any fine lines that run into the lip edge. Done well, the result is a lip that has a shape you can work with, so your everyday makeup sits neatly and you are not overdrawing to fake a line that is not there.

How lip filler works

The fillers used for lips are made from hyaluronic acid, a sugar molecule that occurs naturally in the skin and holds water. When it is placed into and around the lip, it adds structure and hydration, and it draws in a little water to give a soft, cushioned feel. Because it is a naturally occurring substance, hyaluronic acid can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase if you ever want it removed or adjusted, which is one of the reasons it is the material of choice for such a delicate, expressive area.

The product is delivered through a very fine needle or a blunt cannula, depending on the technique and the area being treated. Most practitioners apply a numbing cream first, and many modern lip fillers also contain a local anaesthetic, so the treatment is far more comfortable than people expect. A session usually takes around twenty to thirty minutes.

What to expect afterwards

Lips are vascular and mobile, so some swelling is completely normal in the first day or two, and it is common for lips to look bigger and slightly uneven immediately afterwards. That settles. Bruising is possible but not guaranteed. Most of the swelling eases within forty eight to seventy two hours, and the lips usually look their final, natural shape at around two weeks. Hyaluronic acid lip filler typically lasts somewhere between six and twelve months, after which it is gradually broken down by the body. How long it lasts varies from person to person and depends on your metabolism, the product used and how much movement the area sees.

Aftercare is straightforward. Keep the area clean, avoid heavy exercise, alcohol and very hot environments for the first day or so, and try not to prod or massage the lips unless you have been asked to. If you have an important event coming up, book at least two weeks ahead so any swelling has fully resolved.

Tip two: where does the top lip sit when you smile?

The second thing I assess is movement, specifically how high the top lip travels when you smile. In some people the upper lip lifts a long way, exposing a band of gum above the teeth. This is what is commonly called a gummy smile, and it is usually down to a naturally strong or overactive muscle that pulls the lip upward. A gummy smile is not a flaw and plenty of people wear it beautifully, but for those who feel self conscious about it, there is a simple, non surgical option.

A very small amount of anti-wrinkle treatment placed at the base of the nose, into the muscle that elevates the upper lip, gently relaxes that muscle so the lip does not travel quite so high. The muscle involved has a long name, the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, but the principle is easy: soften the pull and the lip settles at a more balanced height when you smile, so less gum shows.

A light touch is everything

This is a treatment where precision matters far more than quantity. The doses used are tiny, often just a couple of units on each side, because the goal is to reduce the lift by a few millimetres, not to freeze the upper lip. Placed correctly by someone who understands the anatomy, it looks entirely natural and your smile keeps its warmth. Placed too heavily or in the wrong spot, it can flatten the upper lip or affect speech, which is exactly why this is not a treatment to hand to inexperienced hands.

Because it works on muscle activity rather than volume, the effect builds over several days and typically becomes noticeable within about a week. Results last in the region of three to four months, and many people find that with repeated treatments the muscle gradually learns to relax, so the effect can hold a little longer over time. It also pairs neatly with lip filler when both shape and lip position are contributing to the concern.

Tip three: keep the eyes free to express

The third tip is the one most people do not expect, and it says a lot about how I think. A genuine smile is not just a movement of the mouth. It reaches the eyes. The gentle creasing at the outer corners, the slight lift of the cheeks, the way the whole face lights up: that is what makes a smile read as real and confident rather than posed.

My advice is to keep anti-wrinkle treatment around the eyes deliberately light. When the muscles around the eyes are relaxed too aggressively, you lose that natural crinkle and the smile can start to feel flat, as though the expression stops at the mouth. By keeping this area soft rather than frozen, the character of the smile comes through the entire face. You still soften fine lines, but you keep the movement that makes you look like you.

This is a good example of a wider philosophy in aesthetics: treatments should support your natural expression, not replace it. The aim is for people to notice you look well and rested, not to notice that you have had something done. Getting there means treating conservatively, reviewing how things settle, and building up slowly rather than doing too much in one go.

How these treatments work together

What makes my approach useful is that I am not looking at any one feature in isolation. A patient who wants a more confident smile might benefit from a little contouring filler to define the lip, a few units to ease a high lip line, and a restrained hand around the eyes so their expression stays intact. Another patient might only need one of the three. The assessment comes first, and the plan follows from what your face is actually doing.

That is why a consultation matters so much for this kind of work. It is only by watching how your lips move, how high the upper lip lifts, and how your whole face animates when you smile that I can decide what, if anything, will help. Sometimes the honest answer is that very little is needed, and I will tell you that too.

Common questions about lip and smile treatments

Will lip filler look obvious?

Not if it is done in proportion. The overfilled look that gives lip filler a bad name comes from adding too much volume without respecting the natural shape of the face. A measured amount, focused on contour and balance rather than sheer size, looks like a well rested version of your own lips. If you prefer subtle, say so at your consultation, and start conservatively. You can always add a little more later.

Is treating a gummy smile safe?

Anti-wrinkle injections for a gummy smile have a long track record when performed by a trained medical practitioner who understands the facial muscles involved. The doses are small and the effect is temporary, which means any adjustment can be made at your next appointment. As with any injectable, the key is having it done by someone who assesses you properly first and knows exactly where to place the product.

How long before I see the final result?

Lip filler gives an immediate change in shape, but you should judge the true result at around two weeks once swelling has fully settled. Anti-wrinkle treatment for the lip position or the eyes works more gradually, usually becoming apparent within a week and reaching its full effect by around two weeks. It is always worth booking any treatment a fortnight ahead of an important occasion.

Can I combine lip filler with treatment for a gummy smile?

Yes, and the two often complement each other. If your lips lack definition and your upper lip also lifts high when you smile, addressing both at once tends to give a more harmonious result than treating either alone. I will advise on the order and timing at your consultation.

How much downtime should I plan for?

For anti-wrinkle treatment, most people carry on with their day straight away, avoiding heavy exercise and lying flat for a few hours. Lip filler involves a little more, as swelling and the occasional bruise are common in the first couple of days. Many people are comfortable being seen socially within two to three days, but plan around a fortnight if you want to look your absolute best for a specific event.

Ready to talk about your smile?

If any of these three tips struck a chord, the next step is a proper conversation rather than a rushed decision. At Wellface, our doctors take the time to look at how your lips and face move, listen to what you would like to change, and recommend only what will genuinely help, whether that is lip contouring, a light touch to soften a gummy smile, or simply reassurance that you need less than you thought.

You can book a consultation with me or one of our doctors at our clinics in Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon. Come with your questions, and I will help you find the balanced, natural looking result that lets your confident smile shine through.