Can A Corner of The Mouth Lift Be Done To Make Permanent Lip Curls?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like to get a corner of the mouth lift. I am a 43 year old Asian female with no fold. I have a neutral corner of mouth, but I just want to have a happier mouth when I’m not smiling.

A: The corner of the mouth lift is traditionally done for aging in which the corners of the mouth are turned down. By removing a triangle of skin from just above the mouth corners, the lateral commissure point is moved upward. While it does produce a small scar (usually about 7mms in length) that tails away from the corner of the mouth, it creates a very noticeable change in the location of the mouth corners.

In the neutral or non-downturned mouth corner, such a lift creates upturned mouth corners also known as a ‘lip curl’. Such a mouth shape has become popular in Korea and Japan as a sign of a beautiful mouth shape. While imparting an upturned mouth is the opposite of what is desired in the Caucasian aging mouth, this is a modern day use of an older plastic surgery procedure for a more contemporary application.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana