Would losing weight help lessen nasal folds? Will fixing my maxillary alveolar ridge help? (Photos)

Question

As the title says; would losing weight help get rid of the sharp angle of my nasal folds? If not, from what I've researched, fixing my maxillary alveolar ridge seems to be the most ideal fix, as that would also slightly push out my philtrum. Anyways, I would love to have expert opinion. As a side question, what other cosmetic procedures/surgeries would have the highest ROI for my face? Very curious, let me know.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your photo — it helps to see your facial structure more clearly.

Looking at your midface, your nasolabial folds are partly influenced by bone support in the maxilla as well as soft tissue and fat distribution. In most cases:

Weight loss alone is unlikely to soften these folds. In fact, reducing facial fat can sometimes make folds look more pronounced, not less. The sharpness you’re noticing is more structural than just “extra fat.”

Maxillary projection (enhancing the upper jaw or alveolar ridge) can have a significant impact. By pushing the midface slightly forward, it supports the overlying soft tissue, reduces the depth of the folds, and can subtly improve the philtrum and upper lip projection.

For other high-impact cosmetic approaches that often give the best “ROI”:

Midface/cheek volumization (fillers or fat grafting) — lifts the cheeks and indirectly softens nasolabial folds.

Jawline definition (fillers or implants) — frames the face and balances the mid-to-lower facial proportions.

Philtrum and upper lip enhancement — can complement midface changes and improve the overall harmony.

Skin resurfacing or tightening — improves texture and elasticity, helping the skin drape more smoothly over the underlying structure.

Looking at your photo, the folds are mostly structural, so focusing on midface support and volumization will likely give the most noticeable, natural improvement. Surface treatments alone (like creams or minor fillers only at the fold) would likely have limited effect.

If you want, I can create a step-by-step visual map of which areas, if addressed, would give the most impact for softening your nasolabial folds and enhancing overall facial balance. This can make it much easier to understand what changes would give noticeable results.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

It has long been known that extra weight acts almost like a Venetian Mask to cover up natural aging changes in the tissues deeper beneath the skin. Weight loss uncovers the natural aging process that inexorably continues below. This is why when people loss signficant amounts of weight over a relatively short period of time, we often hear the comment, "My God, he's aged so much!"  It's not the aging, it's the relatively dramatic weight loss that has simply uncovered what has been going on naturally below the surface. This phenomenon has become so much more common these days with the advent of medications like Ozempic, that the phenomenon has come to be called "the Ozempic face." 
Happily, this is a fairly easy problem to remedy with properly injected robust HA fillers to provide volume and lift to the cheeks (thereby improving the flattening of the cheeks, but providing the secondary benefit of diminishing the smile lines).
 It is important that the filler be injected in such a way as to preserve and enhance a masculine appearance.In experienced hands, treatment should take no more than fifteen to twenty minutes, with typically immediate results, and engender little to no significant downtime. If necessary, a second HA filler can be directly injected into the smile folds to elevate and smooth them. However, this is often not even needed.
You would be wise to consult with an experieinced, board certified cosmetic dermatologist filler injector expert and best of luck.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

On the contrary, significant weight loss can cause nasolabial folds to deepen.  Fillers are a great tool used to help soften the look of the nasolabial folds.  The treatment is done in the office with some improvement seen immediately.  The results generally last about a year or more. We always recommend using medical grade skin care products like Transform MD and wearing sunscreen every day to keep skin youthful and healthy.

Would losing weight help lessen nasal folds? Will fixing my maxillary alveolar ridge help? (Photos)

Answers (3)

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