I'm 36 but Would a Mid-facelift Improve my Long Face and Nasolabial Folds? (photo) Doctor Answers, Tips
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I'm 36 but Would a Mid-facelift Improve my Long Face and Nasolabial Folds? (photo)

I have noticed nasolabial folds since I was 32 and it is worse on the left side of my face. Since then, I had 2 vials of juvederm ultra injected into my cheekbones and the left nasolabial fold and now, 6 months later, it is already bothering me again. Even right after the procedure, it did not see to do that much. I would like something more permanent and something that would show more improvement, but have been told to wait till I'm older by 2 surgeons. Would a cheek lift solve my problem?

26 Doctor Answers | Asked by coffeeluver in New York
+2

Endoscopic midfacelift with endotine fixation

There are several points that bear emphasis in answering your question. First, if you look closely enough, you will see that everyone's nasolabial folds are asymmetric, i.e., that one side is always deeper than the other. The second point is that the nasolabial fold is a natural attribute of the human face. Even babies have nasolabial folds, and they are pretty young, so the goal is not to eradicate the nasolabial fold, for that would make your face look strangely abnormal.... more
+1

Nasolabial folds at 36

Your best bet would be use of fillers, perhaps a permanent one such as ArteFill. Surgical lifts are not the best way to treat nasolabial folds in a 36 year old
+1

Long Midface and Deep Nasolabial Grooves

It would be helpful to see your lower eyelids and the contour of your upper cheeks. If the midface is long augmenting the upper cheeks with an implant, Fat, or Radiesse is helpful. If you truly have sagging of the cheeks, which I don't see, a cheek lift is beneficial. Another choice is to simply fill the nasolabial grooves with your fat or a filler like Radiesse, which I think is your best alternative at present.

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+1

Excellent candidate for a mid-face/cheek lift

You are an excellent candidate for a mid-face/cheek lift. This procedure, with its small, well-hidden incisions, is specifically designed to reposition the mid-face/cheek soft tissue to a higher position--often back to the position where it originally was before the early effects of gravity. Not only does this recreate the youthful appearance of volumization in the cheek area, but it also corrects the deep nasolabial folds that you are concerned about. Not only is this... more
+1

Midface lifts are thought to do that. but in my opinion there are other better options

For nasolabial folds and a long face, fillers would be one option. Volumizing would be the best thing that I would suggest for improving the midface. Traditional procedures tend to change the way you look and they tend to not return your face into the position it once used to be. The aging process is due, in large part, to a volume loss. The tissues in the face then retract inward and downward. Traditional procedures tended to pull back this tissue keeping it inward but upward... more
+1

Facial rejuvination options for younger patients

It is difficult to do a thorough anaylsis of your face with a single picture. My initial impression is that you are attractive with minimal signs of aging. I don't think that surgery would give you much improvement at this point. Other options include fillers such as Radiesse or Juvederm. The advantages are that you can undergo treatment with these products with essentially no down time and they can provide a nice result for the nasolabial fold and the cheeks. The cons to... more
+1

Midface lift for nasolabial folds?

I don't think you need a midface lift. I am a big fan of midface lifts. When performed well they help to balance out the face and restore a youthful relationship between the lower eyelid and cheek.. The work best in patients with volume loss in the mid-cheek are and skin that "moves" easily. You might get a little more improvement with micro-liposuction of the actual fold itself if you feel that it is too full and heavy. It's hard to tell from your photos. more
+1

Improving long face and nasolabial folds in a 36 year old

A midfacelift will not address nasolabial folds nor shorten a long face. The nasolabial folds can be addressed with injectable fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm, though results are temporary. A long-term solution is to harvest fascia graft at the time of a facelift and inserted into the labial folds for permanent augmentation. Flat cheeks are best addressed with cheek implants and not a midfacelift.
+1

Facelift at age 32?

What we want to improve is your specific facial esthetics; your age is just a number. And we like fast-recovery facelifts in young patients because there provide long-lasting facial "house-keeping" before things are "falling apart". But when I assess your photo, I would likely recommend non-invasive treatments (such as Ultherapy and injectables) or conservative facial fat grafting. To have some nasolabial creases is normal; they can be softened with... more
+1

Mid-facelift and nasolabial folds

I would recommend a fat transfer in your situation not a midfacelift or cheek lift. You would notice a mild amount of improvement only and traditional lift techniques offer modest improvement of the nasolabial folds in young patients at best. A vertical facelift will help a little but just won't really give you the bang for your buck like you would expect. Filler and patience would be my best counsel. If you continue to get opinions to wait on surgery from... more
+1

Mid facelift improve long face and nasolabial folds

A midface lift helps to improve the look of a "long face" by redistributing and lifting cheek volume from lower on the cheek bone to a higher position. Sagging or drooping of the cheek does begin in the late 20s so it is not uncommon for someone in their 30s to be troubled by this phenomenon. An endoscopic midface lift (performed with cameras and incisions hidden behind the hairline) is a facelift that I frequently perform on younger patients but typically I... more
+1

Face Lift surgery for Younger patient

Hi coffeeluver, Thank you for your question and photo. Based on the information provided, I agree with the other plastic surgeons and specialists. First, everyone has nasolabial folds, even the children. However, the nasolabial folds may deepen and change with age. Generally, the best treatments for smile lines are office injections with a facial fillers. Many options are available such as Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra, or Radiesse to name some. Another option to consider at this... more
+1

Deep nasolabial fold treatment

The question is whether they can ever be fully corrected. Not all features of "aging", like the Nasolabial folds" are only present as one gets older...some, are present at birth...Deep Nasolabial folds, low brows, full upper lids are not just signs of aging, they are facial features that are present at birth. If you've had these since you were a child, then you will get improvement with a number of treatments, ranging from fillers to a lift, but not... more
+1

Midfacelift or cheeklift for cheek appearance

In my experience, a cheeklift is most useful for tightening the skin below the eye without changing eye shape. It is not intended to do the "heavy lifting"; that is more for the facelift procedure. Facial plastic surgery is a highly artistic field, and it is nice with questions such as yours to have a formal consultation. Things like the lower eyelid appearance, the lip-nose distance, the jawline, etc. all contribute to the harmony and beauty of the face... more
+1

Nasolabial depressions and their treatment.

No midface lift! No facelift now! You can fill the depressions with your own tissue which is permanent except you will continue to age.
+1

Mid face or lower lift

Although your photo is limited it appears that you are unlikely to achieve the improvement in your nasolabial folds that you are looking for with any surgical lift at this time. I would give fillers another chance with radiesse or sculptra or else recommend fat grfting for you.
+1

Long face, nasolabial folds can be improved with lite lift , sculptra

Your photo makes it a little difficult to see your cheeks. The upper face , midface or cheeck region can be improved by our Lite Lift or modified verticle facelift.. A more traditional cheek lift can help and more permanent fillers in the cheek such as sculptra or fat may help.. many factors contribute to a true long face which is another issue
+1

Nasolabial folds treated with fillers, lifts and/or implants

For the most value, I would say you should save the $2000-3000 you could spend for temporary fillers each year and have a good face lift when you are over 40. You look like the type that might age prematurely and benefit from an early face lift. Alternatively, in the meantime, implants of various materials can be tunneled under the depths of the folds and give long standing results. This is beginning to be a lost technique as injectable fillers are so popular because of their... more
+1

Midface Lift at 36?

The issues you present are quite common and you are at an age where you might begin to notice these changes. Every face is asymmetric and Juvederm only should last for 6 months so you are right in seeing changes at about that time. The solution would likely be fat grafting to the face, cheeks and nasolabial folds. The mid-face lift can change your appearance and fat grafting has become a much better operation. See a board certified plastic surgeon as you would need an in-person... more
+1

Cheek and jowl lifting with fat transfer

I would STRONGLY advise you to stay away from Radiesse, Artefill and sculptura. I do not use these products because of the advancement of facial aging that they may cause and the risk of horrible long term complications. I think your dissatisfaction with Juvederm is indeed the result of treating the wrong areas with too little volume. I commonly treat early signs of aging and place 6-10 syringes in faces in their 20s with excellent results. As this gets quite expensive I... more
+1

Mid facelift corrects flat cheeks and lifts corners of the mouth.

Hi. I think the mid facelift done through the mouth is a great operation, but I would not recommend it for you. It is hard to tell exactly from your picture because you are smiling, but for nasolabial folds, skilfully done fillers is the way to go. We recommend Juvederm Ultra Plus XC, which is smooth and long lasting.
+1

Sculptra for cheeks

You should definitely look into Sculptra. I've been doing it for over a year and have had really good results with it. It is a collagen stimulant rather than a filler and it lasts 2 years or more. It is used to "re-volumize" the midface, helping to pull the nasolabial folds out without having to fill the folds themselves as much. I've been using to fill the area under the eyes (the tear troughs) as well with good results. more
+1

Asymmetry of the Folds and Face

I completely understand your concern as it is hard to have an issue that bothers you and feel that there is not a particularly good solution for it. With only a single front photo of your face, I can only comment on a few potential issues. Typically, when the nasolabial folds are asymmetric, there is an underlying asymmetry in the midface. Specifically, 1 cheek bone will be higher or more projecting then the other. This results in a redraping difference, where the cheek fat... more
+1

EEarly facelift

I agree with your consulting surgeons that, although you may have lost volume in the face and now are aware of nasolabial folds, you are not ready for facelift surgeon. Proper injection of fillers by a skilled plastiic surgeon should produce an improvement. If two vials were used but were divided between the two cheeks and the nasolabial areas, you may need more filler in the area which concerns you most.
+1

Minilift

I have done a lot of low thirties minilifts with great success. However your picture shhows that you are very pretty but does not give me a feel for what surgery could do. Is almos necessary to touch your face with a gentel pull to see if anything can be gained. In the meantime you might want to try Radiesse in you nl folds
+1

You will do well with the proper injectable.

Fortunately you are very attractive and may be OK with no treatment. However if you want to tweak your look, you will do best with either Radiesse or ArteFill for your naso-labial folds. I do not like Juvederm for the Nasolabial folds especially in a face as youthful as yours. Both Radiesse and ArteFill are stiffer and tend to stay in the fold better than Juvederm. Your picture shows the cheeks to be in good proportion and I suspect that doing the n-l folds may be... more
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