Is it common to still need filler in your nasolabial folds after SMAS or Deep Plane Facelift?

Hi TriciaMc,
I would love to see your photos to be able to better answer your question but suffice it to say that a face lift alone does not address every issue in the face. We now know that an aging face also loses soft tissue in many dimensions and therefore it is important to administer fat grafting during the face lift to help replenish these areas. Please also remember that that not all face lift are created equal and just as you have wondered, deep plane face lifts are able to better address the nasolabial folds as long as the SMAS is also lifted as part of the procedure. We use a multi-planar, multi-vector approach in my face lift technique that address all the major areas of the face and incorporates fat grafting to help with the soft tissue replenishment of the face.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Nasolabial folds tend to be relatively strong in some people with more activity in the muscles around the mouth. The nasolabial folds are not usually fully corrected by any form of facelift intervention, although they can be softened by treatments, either with a SMAS facelift or a deep plane facelift.

In general, injectable fillers can complement the impact of the facelift surgery and soften the nasolabial folds. The alternative is represented by subcision, which also attenuates the visibility of the nasolabial folds, or fat transfer done in moderation.

No surgery will stop the aging process, especially if you deal with much stress, have poor eating and sleep habits, smoke, or change weight. However, folds are one of the things that can come back fairly soon. Try fillers to fill the folds or fat transfer. Many surgeons do add fat transfers to the lifts for better long term results.