How does a soof lift help to lift the corners of mouth?

The SOOF is an acronym fro the sub-orbicularis oculi fat pad, or fatty area sitting underneath your eyelid closure muscle in the upper cheek.  In the majority of lower eyelid procedures I perform, a SOOF lift is utilized to raise the cheek.  However, it is very rare to actually lift the corners of the mouth with this procedure which is more typical of a sub-periostal midface lift or a SMAS based facelift. I have included a picture of one of patients where a SOOF lift was utilized. 

I do not think a midface lift or SOOF lift will do anything specifically to the corner of the mouth. If it does I think it will look un-natural. It should help to improve the area at the junction of the lower eyelid and cheek. It will help better balance the effect of a facelift which typically pulls to the side.

It may or may not help. It really depends on the anatomy and skin property of the individual. However, there is a more direct way to help alleviate down turning mouth corners. It is less invasive and less costly. Consider a lip lift with extended excisions at the base of the nostrils to pull the corners of the mouth up. This maneuver will typically make a subtle improvement but just enough to make it esthetically pleasing to the patient. You may consider having the lip lift done on the same day if a soof is ineffective. Best wishes,

The removal of the Bichats pads is usually performed with patients with
chubby cheeks in an effort to give definition to the mid face. (If you want to envision this, you can mimic the postoperative result by sucking on a straw; it is similar to that.)  The repositioning of the suborbicularius-oculi fat pad, or any other fatty structure for that matter, can lead to subtle problems of symmetry and ptosis (sagging) for complex technical reasons.
 Without having the privilege of examining you, it seems that a simple
vertical lift, making sure to lift the SMAS as well (for longterm support), is
exacting, effective, and would give you the natural appearance you desire.

Hello milliemils9 - Thanks for your question. I recently performed a very effective SOOF lift so can let you in on the power of this particular procedure. SOOF stands for "sub-orbicularis oculi fat". A SOOF lift is performed typically using a subciliary lower eyelid incision just below the eyelash margin. Skin is lifted to expose the orbicularis oculi muscle. A lateral incision is made in the muscle to get below the muscle. Then dissecting inferiorly, you can access the SOOF. When you pull on the SOOF, it is connected to the nasolabial fold. A vertical lift of the tissue lifts and tightens the lateral cheek, smoothing out the nasolabial fold. This can be performed with permanent suture. Your surgeon then tightens the orbicularis muscle, deals with the lower eyelid fat pads, and conservatively removes excess skin. The whole effect is to elevate the cheek mass and get a younger looking eyelid. I hope this helps. Dr. Shah

A SOOF lift is one of the approaches I use to address the lower lid/ cheek junction.  As we age, the lower lid lengthens, and bags under the eyes become more prominent.  It can soften the nasolabial fold somewhat , but no significant change at the oral commissure in my experience.

Thanks for your question. The SOOF is a small fat pad that lives beneath the muscle that encircles your eye. When it descends during the aging process, you'll get a hollowed orbital rim- the "tear trough deformity." A SOOF lift pulls the fat up and anchors it to the orbital rim to correct the tear trough. It may also serve to slightly lift the entire mid face (and therefore the corner of the mouth), but that would not be the primary goal. The Malar fat pad lives inferior to that and just beneath the skin. Lifting the Malar fat pad would be a more involved lifting procedure. With both of these it's a fine line between looking good and looking "done." The SOOF lift would be a more conservative procedure.And just one additional point: If all you want is the corners of your mouth lifted a bit, a small amount of Botox in the right spot can accomplish that. It's not permanent of course, but it's another option.