Cheek fat sagging to corners of mouth - what are my options? (photos)

Question

I am 28 years old. The fat from my upper cheeks has moved downward to the corners of my mouth. OR the fat from my cheeks disappeared and the fat at the corner of my mouth is more apparent. Either way the shape of my face looks saggy. I have multiple filler in my upper cheeks and they still seem hollow on the sides and too full by the mouth. When I pull the skin back it looks much better. Is a facelift is the most effective option? Fillers don’t seem to help.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. At this point, you are definitely too young for a facelift - they don’t last forever, and necessary revisions down the road may be difficult. There are a variety of less invasive procedures that could provide the results you desire - PDO thread lifts can address sagging in the lower face, as can nonsurgical laser treatments and strategically placed dermal fillers. I recommend that you schedule an in-person consultation with a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who can examine you and determine what course of treatment would offer you the best results. Best of luck!

Yannis Alexandrides, MD, FACS · Answer

In this case, you can consider a few more non-surgical approaches to address your concerns. This can be Threading or Radiofrequency treatments in order to tighten the skin. However, I would also recommend filler injections to the chin area, extending from the corners of the mouth to the sides, or alternatively more powerful would be a Chin Implant surgery.

Farhan Taghizadeh, MD · Answer

Hello, and thanks for your question!

You are younger than I would recommend for a facelift, as they only last about 10 years.  This means you'd have to have multiple lifts, and with each revision the outcome is less certain.  Have you investigated PDO Thread lifting?  This is a way to build collagen in certain areas while pulling the skin back.  Also Sculptra is a nice option for collagen building in a natural way that lasts longer than fillers.

Threads can get you the lift that you are looking for; they generally last about 2 years.

Thanks, hope this is helpful!

Dr. Taghizadeh

Brian K. Machida, MD, FACS · Answer

Unlike what you might think, fat does not move from one place to another. With weight loss, muscles in the area become more prominent. Swelling around the corners of your mouth represent a muscle contour made more obvious by the weight loss. At some point, it can be pulled with a deep plane lift.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Yes a mini Face/Neck lift with SMAS plication might work for you. But you MUST seek only IN PERSON opinions from boarded PSs.

Cheek fat sagging to corners of mouth - what are my options? (photos)

Answers (5)