Can A Corner Of Mouth Lift Be Combined With An Upper Lip Lift?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have some practical questions regarding mouth corner lifting?; 

-Can a corner lift be combined with a lip lift to achieve lifting of the entire span of the upper lip? 

-Can you use a corner lift on a person who has a congenitally long upper lip or only on people who have saggy mouth corners due to aging?

-Which is the best technique/-s? 

Direct excision (Corner lift with muscle)? DAO release (surgical/botox)? Mucosa resection? Plication of upper muscles (Zygomaticus major, Levator anguli oris) (During full face lift)?

A: In answer to your mouth corner lift questions:

1) A corner of the mouth lift can be combined with an upper lip vermilion lift, this is commonly done.

2) Corner of the mouth lifts can be done for downturned mouth corners  to make them level or in horizontally oriented mouth corners for more of an uplifted look or to complete a more even vermilion line from one mouth corner to the other.

3) The technique that I use and developed is the pennant technique which combines skin removal and orbicularis wedge muscle resection and lifting. There is no role for mucosal resection or zygomaticus/levator muscle plication.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana