Will my “smiling face” shape and appearance change after a mid and lower face/neck lift?

Question

I'm unhappy with my resting face (nasoblial folds, jowls & marionette lines); however, I’m quite happy with my smiling face shape & appearance (e.g. I look younger when I smile, as the apples of my cheeks are lifted & look fuller - I also like the shape of my smiling face). Will my “smiling face” shape & appearance change after a facelift? And if yes, what can be done to prevent this? I don’t want to improve my resting face only to then be unhappy with my smiling face.

Dilip D. Madnani, MD, FACS · Answer

Great question and appropriate concern!. We all look bettwe when we smile as we are producing facelift results by lifting our lower face and filling our cheeks!. 
Yes you are right, we do this also surgically during a facelift and no, it will not make it look artificial after surgery. 
Most facelift candidates, when they smile, they look better, however, they also have extra folds of skin on the cheeks, basically, these extra folds are improved after a facelift, so the overall smiling face appearance is more youthful than before the facelift. 
Hope this helps!

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

It's difficult to say without the benefit of a formal evaluation. This is my expertise and a huge portion of my practice. Asymmetry is normal and expected. See an expert who does facial shaping with surgical and non surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Since a facelift procedure can address fallen tissue, facial lines, pre-jowl formation, and hollowness in the mid-face, it is more likely you will appreciate your resting face as much as your current smiling face following the procedure.

During a neck lift procedure, the skin of the neck and throat is targeted to improve skin laxity and remove excess submental fat under the chin, if necessary. The goal of either approach is to provide natural, long-lasting results that bring harmony to your appearance along with your other facial features. I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon who will acknowledge your concerns and suggest the best approach in helping you achieve your aesthetic goals.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

Much more information is needed, such as your age, and a full set of facial and neck photographs from all angles to make a determination about how best to proceed. In our practice, the goals of a lower face and neck lift are to tighten loose facial and neck skin, tighten loose facial and neck muscles, remove fat deposits in the neck located above and below the platysma muscle along with a platysma-plasty, and lift the jowls.

Will my “smiling face” shape and appearance change after a mid and lower face/neck lift?

Answers (4)

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