What Causes a Long Philtrum & How to Make it Look Shorter

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Expert makeup and styling tips to shorten a long philtrum

Co-authored by Yuka Arora and Devin McSween

Last Updated: July 9, 2025 Fact Checked

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• What is a long philtrum?
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• How to Tell You Have One
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• Makeup Tips
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• Styling Tips
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• Cosmetic Treatments
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• Causes
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• Are they attractive?
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• Philtrum Function
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• Final Takeaways
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

The philtrum is the groove that extends from the base of your nose to the top of your upper lip. Some people have longer philtrums than others, which just means that their philtrum extends further than the average philtrum. If you think you have a long philtrum and want to learn more, keep reading! We’ll go over what it is, how to tell if you have it, and where it comes from. If this is something you want to change, we also spoke with expert makeup artists and facial hair specialists to learn how to make your philtrum appear shorter, as well as cosmetic procedures that can help.

What does it mean to have a long philtrum?

A long philtrum, which is the groove between your nose and upper lip, has a greater distance between the nose and lips than the average philtrum. This is typically over 12 mm (0.47 in) on women and over 15 mm (0.59 in) on men. Ways to shorten it include overlining the lips, wearing your hair up, or getting lip filler.

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Section 1 of 9:

What is a long philtrum?

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1. 
   It is a longer than average distance between your nose and upper lip. The philtrum is the groove between the base of your nose and the top of your upper lip. On women, the average philtrum is about 12 mm (0.47 in) long, and on men, it’s around 15 mm (0.59 in) long. So, a long philtrum is usually over 12 mm (0.47 in) long on women and over 15 mm (0.59 in) long on men.

   • Celebrity examples: Elizabeth Olsen, Zoe Saldaña, Kate Mara, Halsey, Winter (Aespa), Anya Taylor-Joy, Thandiwe Newton, Elle Fanning, Vanessa Hudgens, Colin Ferrell, Michael Jackson, Chris Evans
   • Long philtrums can sometimes give someone a more mature and aged appearance. So, some people might want to shorten their philtrum. We’ll go over makeup and styling tips to help shorten a long philtrum, as well some cosmetic procedures that can help in the sections below.
   • Know that there’s nothing wrong with having a long philtrum, though! Long philtrums are a beautiful feature that adds to someone’s uniqueness. They’re not “better” or “worse” than a short or average-length philtrum.
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Section 2 of 9:

How to Tell If You Have a Long Philtrum

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1. 
   Measure the length of your philtrum and compare it to your chin length. An average-length philtrum is generally about half the length of your chin. Use a measuring tape to measure the length of your philtrum from the base of your nose to the top of your upper lip. Then, measure the length of your chin from the base of your bottom lip to the tip of your chin.

   • You likely have a long philtrum if:
     • The length of your philtrum is more than half the length of your chin (greater than a 1:2 ratio).
     • The length of your philtrum is over 12 mm (0.47 in) if you’re a woman and over 15 mm (0.59 in) long if you’re a man.
   • You might find that you have an average-length philtrum or a short philtrum.
     • Average-length philtrum: About half the length of your chin, or 12 mm (0.47 in) if you’re a woman and 15 mm (0.59 in)
     • Short philtrum: Less than half the length of your chin (less than a 1:2 ratio), or under 12 mm (0.47 in) if you’re a woman and under 15 mm (0.59 in) long if you’re a man.

Section 3 of 9:

Makeup Tips for a Long Philtrum

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   Overline your lips to make your philtrum appear shorter. Making your lips look fuller and plumper is a great way to reduce the appearance of your philtrum. Makeup artist Yuka Arora suggests using a lip liner to slightly overline the center of your upper lip, towards the Cupid's bow, and the center of your bottom lip. Then, trace the rest of your lips along the natural lip line. Fill in your lips with the liner or a lipstick in a similar shade, and then top them off with some lip gloss to add even more volume.

   • As an alternative to lining your Cupid’s bow, licensed aesthetician Daniel Vann suggests taking your lip liner directly across your Cupid’s bow and filling in the little “V” shape. He says this can make your upper lip appear fuller and more visible.
   • To keep your lips plump and full naturally, Vann recommends keeping your lips moisturized with lip balm and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated.
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   Contour your lips to make them fuller and your philtrum less apparent. According to Arora, contouring creates shadows that can make your lips look bigger. Using a contour a few shades darker than your skin tone, brush a small amount of product just above your Cupid’s bow and below your bottom lip. Then, blend out the contour with a fluffy brush so it doesn’t look harsh or obvious.

   • After you contour, Arora suggests placing a light concealer or shimmery highlight on top of your Cupid’s bow to make it pop, which can also help your lips appear bigger and more plump.
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   Define your lower lash line to draw the eye upwards. Adding more definition to your eyes can put more focus on them than on your philtrum. It can also make your eyes appear more vertically tall, which balances out a longer philtrum. Simply coat a small brush with a medium brown eyeshadow and sweep it just under your lower lash line, taking it from the outer corner of your eye to about the middle of your eye.

   • Accentuating the pads of fat underneath your eyes with the aegyo sal makeup style can also help draw the eye up and away from your longer philtrum.
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   Brighten up your under eyes with concealer to draw the eye up. Concealing any darkness under your eyes can draw attention away from your lower face and longer philtrum and, as a plus, make your eyes look bigger and brighter. Take a liquid concealer 1 to 2 shades lighter than your skin tone and apply a few small dots along the bone under your eye and the inner corner of your eye. Then, blend out the concealer with a flat brush or a damp beauty sponge.

   • To help ensure the concealer lasts all day, apply a bit of setting powder on top once the concealer is mostly dry.
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   Draw your brows with a higher arch to increase the height of your eyes. Another quick way to make your longer philtrum appear more proportional is to make your eyes appear vertically taller. To do this, simply use an eyebrow pencil to make short, quick strokes along the arch of your brow to draw it up higher. Then, fill in the rest of your brows and comb them with a spoolie brush to make them look softer and more natural, says makeup artist and hair stylist Alicia D'Angelo.

   • Master beauty consultant and celebrity makeup artist JoAnn Solomon suggests brushing your eyebrows upward with eyebrow gel to help them appear a bit higher, too.
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   Apply blush closer to your eyes to draw the eye upward. Placing your blush higher up on your cheeks and along your cheekbones can draw attention to your midface rather than your lower face, which helps reduce the appearance of a longer philtrum. Grab your favorite cream, liquid, or powder blush and place a bit on the apples of your cheeks. Then, sweep it along your cheekbones to help lift your face.

   • Pout pro makeup artist Alana Schober agrees that a higher blush placement along your cheekbones helps to “bring your face up a little bit more” and gives you a snatched look.
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Section 4 of 9:

Styling Tips for a Long Philtrum

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   Wear your hair in an up-do, or opt for a short pixie cut. Keeping your hair up adds more volume to the upper half of your face, drawing the eye up and helping your longer philtrum appear more proportional. For instance, wear your hair in a voluminous ponytail, messy bun, chic French twist, or half-up half-down style. If you’re looking for a new cut, consider getting a layered pixie cut.

   • Bangs can also add more volume to the top of your head, drawing the eye away from your philtrum. Curtain bangs, side-swept bangs, wispy bangs, and blunt bangs are all great choices.
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   Grow out your mustache. If you’re able to grow facial hair, a mustache can hide your philtrum and upper lip area, helping it to appear less long and prominent. Just allow your mustache to grow out. Then, facial hair specialist Marlon Rivas recommends using a trimmer to cut a neat line above your upper lip to keep the hair off your lips.

   • Style your mustache any way you like. If you prefer it short, Rivas suggests using a guard on your shaver to trim down your mustache. If you want to shape the ends, he recommends using mustache wax.
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   Get your septum pierced. A septum piercing goes through the wall between your nostrils, with the jewelry extending out of your nostrils and above your upper lip area. This can help add length to your nose and make your philtrum look shorter.

   • To help shorten your philtrum even more, choose decorative jewelry, like a hoop or circular barbell.
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Section 5 of 9:

Cosmetic Procedures to Get Rid of a Long Philtrum

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   Lip filler Lip fillers add volume to your lips, and when added to the upper lip, can shorten the length of your philtrum. During the procedure, a board-certified physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse will numb your lips. Then, they’ll inject the filler along your Cupid’s bow, edges of your lips, and corners of your lips.

   • Lip fillers are temporary and usually last for 12 to 18 months.
   • Your lips may appear swollen or bruised after getting injected, which can take 1 to 7 days to go away.
   • Most lip fillers are made out of hyaluronic acid, which can be dissolved if you don’t like the look of your lips.
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   Lip flip A lip flip uses Botox injections (or another neurotoxin injection, like Dysport) to make your lips look fuller, which can also make your philtrum appear shorter. During the procedure, a licensed physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse injects Botox along the edges and corners of your lips. This relaxes the muscles in your lips and “flips” your lip upward, making it appear fuller.

   • A lip flip is temporary, and usually lasts for 2 to 5 months.
   • You may experience swelling, numbness, and slight pain, which usually go away after 1 to 2 days.
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   Lip lift A lip lift is a surgical procedure that reduces the length of your philtrum and pulls your lips upward, helping them to appear more full. During the procedure, a plastic surgeon makes an incision at the base of your nose and removes excess skin. Then, they lift up your lips and close the incision.

   • Lip lifts are a permanent way to shorten your philtrum.
   • Lip lifts are usually done under local anesthesia, so you’re kept awake during the procedure.
   • It typically takes 6 to 8 weeks to recover from the surgery. During this time, you may experience bruising and swelling.
   • This procedure does leave a scar where the surgeon makes the incision, though the scar typically fades to a faint line.
   • It can take up to 4 months to see your final results.
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Section 6 of 9:

What causes a long philtrum?

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   A long philtrum is typically determined by your genetics. Whether you have a long, short, or average-length philtrum usually comes down to your DNA. If your parents or relatives have a longer philtrum, chances are you do, too.

   • Other potential causes include:
     • Aging: As you age, you lose facial fat and collagen. This can cause you to lose volume around your mouth and for your skin to sag downwards, making your philtrum appear longer.
     • Cosmetic procedures: Cosmetic procedures that change the shape of your nose and mouth, like a rhinoplasty (nose job), can sometimes make your philtrum appear longer.
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   Long philtrums can be a shared feature in some medical conditions. People with certain medical conditions and genetic syndromes often share physical features. A long philtrum can be one such feature and is common in people who have Williams Syndrome, Sotos Syndrome, Noonan Syndrome, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

   • Since most of these conditions are genetic syndromes, they’re typically diagnosed after birth or early in childhood.
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Section 7 of 9:

Are long philtrums attractive?

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1. 
   Yes, lots of people consider long philtrums an attractive feature. To many people, a long philtrum gives a person a sophisticated and alluring, mature look that adds to their unique beauty. They’re just as attractive as average-length and short philtrums. So, it’s important to remember that there’s not a philtrum length that’s “better” or “worse” to have than another. Your philtrum is just one small puzzle piece that makes up your beautiful, unique face.

   • Beauty is less about having specific features and more about how your features are proportioned and work together. For instance, look at gorgeous actresses like Hedy Lamarr and Natalie Wood: their longer philtrums are proportional to their other features.
   • Remember that beauty is entirely subjective, not objective. What someone considers attractive is unique to them.
   • While many people think long philtrums are attractive, it’s okay if it’s something you want to change about yourself, especially if a long philtrum is affecting your confidence or self-image.

Section 8 of 9:

What’s the function of a philtrum?

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1. 
   The philtrum helps you move your upper lip. The extra skin above your upper lip, or the philtrum, is thought to help you move and stretch your upper lip; it doesn’t have much more function besides that in humans. It’s formed in the womb when the skin on the left and right sides of the face merge together above the upper lip.
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Section 9 of 9:

Final Takeaways

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1. Having a long philtrum is completely normal. In most cases, philtrum length is determined by genetics, so it’s normal to have a long, short, or average-length philtrum. While short philtrums may be trendy, many people also find longer philtrums attractive. Don’t feel like you have to hide or change your philtrum if you don’t want to.

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