Does A Corner Of The Mouth Lift Leave Any Scars?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I live overseas and am interested to fly over and get the corner of mouth procedure as shown on your website. I have had many small surgeries so I am not at all apprehensive and understand more or less what will happen. The only request I have is will there be a scar?

A: While a corner of the mouth lift is a fairly simple procedure, it is important to understand that there may be a small outward scar from the corner of the mouth in most patients. In many cases I try and keep the scar to stay along the vermilion-cutaneous border (lip-skin border) particularly in younger patients. In looking at your pictures you will note that the downturned corner of the mouth is also associated with an upper lip vermilion (pink part of the lip) that completely tails off before it ever reaches the corner of the mouth. This is actually very common and indicates that it may need to be part of the solution as well. Thus the most effective corner of the mouth lift in your case is one where the skin removed also involves a vermilion advancement that encompasses the outer 1/3 of the upper lip border.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis,Indiana