Nasolabial Fold Correction

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am seeking nasolabial fold correction. I wanted to see if you can help me. I have atrociously bad nasolabial folds by my mouth. I am young so I don’t know why, maybe weight loss. I wanted to ask your expert opinion. Do you think I have midface deficiency causing this or is it just that my cheeks have sagged a little bit? I need to know if I should do jaw surgery to correct an upper jaw deficiency or just have a facelifting skin procedure . I appreciating your opinion. Here my pictures.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures, Nasolabial folds remain a difficult challenge to treat on any permanent basis. I see no evidence in your face of a midface deficiency nor would upper jaw surgery ever be an effective treatment for nasolabial folds. They are not typically perceived to be a bone-based mid facial problem. They are a soft tissue problem not caused by a bone deficiency. Conversely a facelift of any form never effectively treats nasolabial folds in any sustained fashion. The best approach for nasolabial folds correction remains release with injectable therapy whether that be synthetic filler, fat or even implants.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana