Facial Voluminization and the Mouth Lift Effect

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve been researching aesthetic plastic surgery for quite some time now since I, like many others, would like to improve my appearance. 

But I haven’t been able to find an answer to one question, no matter where I looked. 

And the question is: If someone with volume loss in their face due to aging, or someone with a lack of facial volume simply due to genetics, even in their early 20s, were to have the volume restored/introduced through fillers or implants, would that raise the position of the lips, that is, would it lift the entire mouth vertically towards the nose?

Because this is exactly what happens when I pinch my skin and stretch it outwards, mimicking the volume that I lack. 

Currently, when I rest my mouth slightly open, I can see no upper teeth.

But if I do the same and repeat the little stretching action I described earlier, I can now see my upper teeth. 

My bite is balanced and I don’t have gum show, but nevertheless my upper lip, or entire midface including cheeks for that matter, droops.

I would very much appreciate your opinion on this, as an experienced surgeon with admirable work. 

Thank you in advance.

A: All I can say is that I am not sure that your facial pinch/stretch test really replicates what adding facial volume will do. I have never seen any facial voluminization procedure that lifts the lips up towards the nose and subsequently exposes more teeth..

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana