Can The Fat Pockets Around My Mouth Be Removed?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have pockets of fat around my mouth that have been there since I was a kid. I’m 24 now and I have been self conscious about them for years. Could you help me? I read about Perioral Mound Microliposuction -could you perform this on me?

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending those pictures. You do have some subcutaneous fat collections around the mouth area for which microcannula liposuction is one treatment option for it. Other non-surgical treatment options are Kybella injections and radiofrequency skin tightening treatments (e.g., Exilis, Ulthera) whose side effects are fat loss. (which in your case is their benefit) No matter which treatment approach is done it is not an easy problem to improve. Having done lots of perioral liposuction surgeries improvements are always seen but some patients (about 50%) may need a second procedure to maximize the result to improve any asymmetries or further reduction that is needed.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana