Lower Facelift to Improve Mouth Shape and Slight Sagging?

Question

I have a down-turned mouth and very slight sagging around my lower face. Would a lower facelift improve my mouth shape and remove slight sagging? I think I'm quite young to be considering this (I'm 36), but my mouth is starting to worry me.

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

A facelift is not designed to change the shape of the mouth (nor should it be). A stretched mouth appearance is a poor aesthetic result which can lead to some functional issues. The downturned mouth is typically best approached by a combination of Botox and facial fillers and occasionally a localized surgical procedure. A patient in their 30's is unlikely to be a candidate for a facelift.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD · Answer

A lower facelift does not
significantly enhance the overall shape of the commissures of the mouth. It is
improved, but not totally corrected. One must correct this by doing a “Lift & Fill” facelift,
along with augmenting the areas with fat injections and resurfacing with laser
if the lines are deep.

Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello,

	You are definitely young by your own admission.  Often times at this age, nonsurgical options are first offered to try and help with a downturn of the mouth, such as Botox or fillers.  With early jowling and good skin, very focused liposuction can help.  Unfortunately you have not included any pictures of your face from the front in repose, so it is difficult to really tell you much more.  A skilled, board-certified facial plastic surgery specialist can give you a good set of options to help address your concerns.

	Good luck,

	Dr. Shah

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Without photos it is only a guess as to what you need at this time. Some patients your age can be treated with fillers, etc. while others need a good facelift. See an experienced facelift surgeon who turns down some patients for surgery and will give you an honest opinion.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

It is hard to give you specific advice with procedures, it is best to see pictures or examine you. However, a lower facelift can be very powerful to work on the jowls and lines around the mouth. At your age, you are on the younger end of the spectrum. Good luck with your procedure.

Sam Jejurikar, MD · Answer

Dear Sam,
A facelift certainly can improve the sagging of your jowls and the corners of your mouth, but as you have already noted, 36 is on the young side to undergo this procedure.  There are less invasive options which may provide you with considerable benefit.  For your mouth, Botox can be used to help raise the corners, thereby improving overall shape.  A variety of injectable fillers can also be used to support the mouth, thereby bringing about considerable improvement.  Fillers can also be used to blunt sagging of the jowls, giving a better contour to your jawline.
Hope this helps.  Best of luck.

Robert W. Kessler, MD, FACS · Answer

The corners of the mouth can be improved with a deep plane facelift. At age 36 you are a bit young.
There are nonsurgical options for you such as botox placed in the depressor muscles of the lip along with fillers to the area which will make very nice improvements. These measures are temporary and so they will need to be repeated over time.
In addition to the facelift, there are minor surgical procedures which can be done around the mouth to help this area without addressing the entire face. Such as a lip lift.
The right choice will depend on your presentation and the desired correction you hope to achieve. I would encourage you to seek out a board certified plastic surgeon with a significant experience in facial aesthetics to help you with this important decision.

Mark A. Schusterman, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Sam007 - considering your age and the issues that concern you I would definitely try fillers first. A facelift will not address the corners of your mouth and fillers do a wonderful job for that problem.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

No, a facelift will not change the shape of the mouth. In order to straighten out the mouth, the facial muscles would have to be tightened so tight you’d look like you just came out of a wind tunnel. The muscles of the mouth will overcome any stretching and pulling from in front and behind the ears.

Deason Dunagan, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

I would recommend an evaluation with a plastic surgeon who can take your unique anatomy into consideration. You might, in fact, be a candidate for surgery sooner than most people. However, another viable option might be either Botox or a combo of Botox and fillers with hyaluronic acid (the so-called liquid facelift).

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