I am 28 years old with developing nasolabial folds. Is a facial lift too extreme or a smart move? (photos)

Nasolabial folds (aka: "smile lines" that run from the corner of the nose to the corner of the mouth bilateral) are a normal physical finding that is sometimes even present in babies and childrenAs we age, the nasolabial fold become more prominent starting in the 20s. Young patients in their 20s and 30s don't need a facelift to improve the nasolabial folds. Nasolabial folds very often could be improved /correected with non-surgical plastic surgery like facial fillers. Soft tissue fillers based in hyaluronic acid like Juvederm or own fat ( fat transfer) could be used to fill the nasolabial folds, this correcting them and giving a youthful appearance to the face. Soft tissue fillers usually last for 1 year, and can be in the office setting in a walking basis. Fat transfer to the nasolabial folds lasts several years but requires a small minimally invasive surgical procedure.Patients interested in a nasolabial fold treatment should make a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon specialized in cosmetic plastic surgery of the face
John Mesa MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
New York City (#NYC) & New Jersey (#NJ)

Thank you for your question.  At 28, yes, a facelift is a bit extreme.  There are several non-surgical treatments that may work well for you.  Dermal fillers could be the first option to address the nasal labial folds.  There is also a treatment called Ultherapy that may be a good option.  The fillers will fill in the lines and Ultherapy works by using ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen production to slightly tighten the skin as well as slow down the aging process.  Consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon is a good way to find out what you might be a candidate for as well as give you options..Best wishes.

While age should not be the primary
consideration when thinking about a facelift, skin quality is. At 28, you most
likely do not have the amount of skin sagging that would necessitate a full
surgical facelift procedure. While I understand wanting a longer lasting
procedure than fillers can provide, it would most likely not benefit you in the
long run to have a facelift now. There are fillers available today that can
last for up to a year or even two. I recommend visiting a board-certified
facial plastic surgeon for an in-person consultation to come up with the best
treatment plan for your individual case.

At your age you certainly do not need a facelift. The nasolabial fold is generated by facial expression. Even though it can be directly addressed at the time of a thorough facelift it will reemerge because of facial expression. Fillers do a nice job of camouflaging this facial feature.

A facelift is overkill.  Fillers will give you nice results and the procedure is easily done in the office.

Thank you for the question. Although a properly performed
facelift can soften the nasolabial folds (and in particular, a midface lift can
address the upper portion of a deep nasolabial fold), there are nonsurgical
options available as well. Soft tissue fillers (particularly the hyaluronic
acid fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Restylane Lyft) are excellent options
to soften the transition between cheek and upper lip, or the nasolabial fold. To
address the fine etched lines that are closer to the skin’s surface and sometimes
associated with the nasolabial fold, Belotero or Restylane Silk are great
options. Prior to any intervention, however, a proper physical exam is
necessary. I hope this information
helps, and I wish you the best of luck.

A little filler in the nasolabial fold is all you need to improve this.  A facelift would be too aggressive at this stage. 

Thank you for your question.  Based on your photos, I think the best option would be fillers to obscure the deep fold that bothers you.  I wouldn't recommend a facelift at this time.  Best to speak to a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss fillers.  All the best,

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photos.  Based on the photos and your concerns, I would recommend that you consider dermal fillers. There are longer lasting fillers (e.g. Sculptra) that can help you achieve the long lasting correction your are looking for.  You can also consider fat grafting if you are open to something more invasive.  

Hi.  Yes, a facelift would be much too extreme for your case.Fillers, or fat grafting to the area, would be a much more reasonable approach.  While I understand your frustration with the temporary nature of fillers, there is a good side - if you used something permanent, and then you don't like the result, you would be stuck with it.  Not so with the HA fillers we use today.

A facelift at this point would not be a good option.  You should consider fillers or fat grafting which can create a similar but longer lasting result.  Best regards