How Long Does A Corner of The Mouth Lift Last?

Q: Dr. Eppley, you are the first surgeon that has listed this on their site. I have been looking for a solution for my downturned mouth for years now and finally I have found it! My mouth has been troubling me for several years now and I keep having to sleep extra and drink extra coffee all the time so I dont feel tired so that my lips dont droop and mine have quite a severe droop. I just have a question and that is how long does the corner of mouth lift last for(how many years) before it starts to downturn again?

A: The downturning of the corner of the mouth is a result of either a natural shape of the mouth corners or skin pushing down on the corners of the mouth. This may be from a normal anatomic shape to one’s mouth or from aging as the descent of midfacial tissues pushes down around the mouth. Depending upon one’s age, it may be one or the other or often a combination of both factors. The corner of the mouth lift is the single most effective method for changing the mouth corners that I know. While there are some non-surgical options as well (Botox, injectabale fillers), its excision of skin makes it relatively long-lasting. The question of how long-lasting is an interesting one and that would depend on numnerous factors such as one’s age, the cause of the downturning and how the rest of the face is aging. For some patients it is a permanent change, for others its effects may last years but not necessarily permanent. I would need to see some pictures of your mouth/face to answer that question better for you.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana