Will a Lip Lift help improve my deep Nasolabial Folds?

Question

I had a facelift a year ago . . . It improved my nasolabial folds "a little" but they really bother me. I've had laser resurfacing about 10 years ago and that helped a little as well, but I STILL HATE THEM ! ! ! Would lip lift help - My distance from nose to mouth is long. How about direct excision of the fold ? ? HELP ! ! !

Thomas A. Mustoe, MD, FACS · Answer

No, it will not.  Fillers or fat grafting or a deep plane approach to the midface will all give improvement.  However the best that can be done is to turn the clock back 10 years or so in terms of their depth.  When you smile you are always going to have deeper nasilabial fikds.  Conventional facelifts have modest effects only on the midface because the SMAS layer is not fully released and will not move very much during g surgery.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. Typically, a lip lift has little to no effect on the nasolabial folds. This can be a challenging area for surgeons to treat. While a facelift can help improve the appearance of deep creases, it’s not always the most effective solution for nasolabial folds. A mid face lift may be the right treatment for you, but it’s important to only seek treatment from an experienced board-certified facial plastic surgeon for this procedure. I recommend seeking a reputable surgeon who uses digital imaging to predict what you might look like after this type of facelift.

Richard G. Schwartz, MD · Answer

There are really only 2 goals for a lip lift:  To shorten the distance from the base of the nose to the vermilion border of the lip and to turn the vermilion border outward slightly.  A lip lift will correct these two aging changes of the upper lip--lengthening of the lip height and flattening of the vermilion border.  It will not affect your nasolabial folds.  If you haven't seen enough improvement with a facelift, you can consider filler injections for a temporary partial improvement or a direct excision of the folds.  The excision of skin and fat just behind the fold can help but also leaves a permanent scar within the depth of the fold, which is partly camouflaged.

Arnold Almonte, DO · Answer

Deep nasolabial folds are challenging for all plastic surgeons. Facelifts help, but in some very adherent folds, such as yours, the skin of the fold needs to be released and volume placed under the skin. Fat would be the best option. Direct excision is an alternative, but leaves a scar. Revisit your plastic surgeon and have a discussion. All the best.

Gregory S. Keller, MD, FACS · Answer

You have a fallen mid-face.  Your cheek fat pads have descended over your nasolabial folds.  Usually, neither a facelift or fillers help.  While excision is possible, a subperiosteal mid face lift should pick up the the cheek fat pads that are hanging over your nasolabial fold.  It should not make your cheek fat pads look too full, but will simply move the structures back to their more youthful position.  Usually this procedure can be performed endoscopically through a small incision behind your hairline.

Hagen Schumacher, PhD, FRCS(Plast), FEBOPRAS · Answer

Hello,
A lip lift would not improve the folds. There is the option to excise them directly. The cosmetic outcome depends on your scarring.

Brian K. Machida, MD, FACS · Answer

A lip lift may accentuate your folds. Direct excision will create a scar. Your only recourse is an deep plane lift designed to specifically address the area but ask about it. Some doctors do not dissect as extensively during their version of a deep plane. The zygomatic ligament needs complete release which some do not do so because it adds a degree of difficulty and risk to the surgery.

Scott C. Lindsay, DO · Answer

Thanks for your question! I don’t think a lip lift will help. If you try to excise that area, you will be left with a scar there which will still create a line. I would suggest fillers or fat grafting to that particular area. Good luck!

Piotr Osuch, MD · Answer

Hi there, No, lip lift will not improve it. LL will result in prominent upper lip, shorter philtrum, better teeth show, but not better nasolabial folds. This issue can be addressed by one of the following: fat grafting or HA injections or face lift.
Best regards, Piotr Osuch, MD, PhD