What is the Best Facial Procedure to Address the Drooping Corners of the Mouth? (photo)

     The drooping corners of the mouth, the jowls, and the marionette lines can all be addressed with SMAS facelift.

A person’s age is best guessed by the appearance of their face. If you feel that your face does not reflect how young you feel inside, you may be a candidate for a facelift.During your #consultation, your skin texture and elasticity, as well as your underlying skin structure and your facial bone structure will be evaluated. Based on this evaluation, your board certified plastic surgeons will create a custom surgical plan, detailing specific techniques and recommendations to meet your goals. In doing so, he or she should be sure to have a full understanding of what results you expect.If you are not a #candidate, your surgeon can make other suggestions to address your concerns and objectives.Patients who desire facial rejuvenation that is affordable, quick, and effective should consider the Lite-lift™. Like the Life-Style™ facelift, this is a modified facelift that can be performed in the office with a local anesthetic and improve signs of aging around the neck, jawbone and lower face. These procedures are not "Thread-lifts" or "String-lifts". We do not use the "barbed" sutures employed in these other lifting operations. The Lite-lift™ uses longer lasting techniques that are discussed below. Because the incisions are limited, there is less bruising, swelling and healing time for most patients. Many patients can be back to work in one to two weeks looking rested and more youthful.The best candidates for #LiteLift are patients 35-60 years old with early changes of the lower face and the neck. Older patients who cannot or do not wish to have a longer operation or general anesthetic can be improved with a Lite Lift™. Lite Lift™ surgery is individualized for each patient. The best candidates for Lite Lift™ surgery have a face and neck line beginning to sag, but whose skin has elasticity and whose bone structure is well defined and do not smoke.

The best surgical procedure that specifically addresses the far lateral mouth area is a "direct corner-of-the-mouth lift". This involves the excision of a triangular segment of skin on the upper corner of each side of the mouth. The only down side of this procedure is that there will be a scar that extends out from the corners of the mouth for about a half an inch in most cases (although this should be a very thin scar, and in line with normal mouth creases found in the area). However, this is a very effective procedure and is relatively minor and inexpensive compared to the next best surgery: The facelift.A well-performed facelift should also lift this fold that results from the jowl and the relative depression/crease that forms in front of the jowl that creates the illusion that the mouth is frowning more. The facelift will make a mouth appear as if it is smiling more since it will smooth out and decrease the relative depth of this pre-jowl/pre-cheek area. If the "after" photos of facelift patients appear to be more pleasant or smiling more, then that is the most likely reason why it appears this way (the surgeon should not be ASKING for a smile in the "after" photos).

Thanks for your question.

We perform facelift procedures frequently in our San Francisco area office.  Usually a combination of short scar mid-facelift and possible fat grafting would make the most substantial change.

Skin laxity and dropping of facial fat pads is likely contributing to the overall look and these issues can be well addressed with a facelift.

I hope this helps

Thanks for your question and photo. This is a difficult area for complete correction to be sure. I think that the best correction would be a combination of both a midface lift and facelift. You need vertical correction and the combination will work together to reinforce the correction. I do not think that simple quick lift types of procedures will help, or give you a balanced correction. Take your time in finding your surgeon.

There are two general approaches to this area.  A facelift with focus on that area would be one way to deal with the face, jowls and corners of the mouth.


Another way is direct surgery on the corner of the mouth.  This may require a visit with a plastic surgeon comfortable with this technique.  If not properly planned, the scar in that area can be more visible. 




Best Wishes!!