The fullness above the Nasolabial folds is the result of the progressive sagging of the cheeks encountering the tightly adherent skin of the upper lip. As a result, there is a progressively growing deepening of the fold and a pile-up overhanging it which proceeds to sag lower sideways causing the jowling.
The solutions to the deepening folds and the pile up above it fall into one of 2 broad classes of procedures, those which :
- Lift the cheek back where it belongs (Vertical Mid-face lift, Cheek Lift, Modified MACS Lift etc)
- Remove the pile-up (cut away the fullness leaving a permanent scar parallel to the fold) - not a good solution
- Filling in the fold (Fat, Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse, dermal grafts etc).
Lifting the cheek IS the solution. If you do not wish to take on the cost of these procedures, you should consider filling in of the fold.
Dr. Peter Aldea