Many female patients today seek rejuvenation procedures which involve making the mouth area look better or less aged. As women age, some will lose lip volume, develope upper and lower lip wrinkles, and have the corners of the mouth draw down. This often creates a sad, mad, or unhappy appearance to the lip area.

The use of any of the injectable fillers can be done to not only increase the size of the lips and puff out some of the fine wrinkles, but can be used to temporarily lift the corners of the mouth as well. While injectable filler treatments are not permanent, they are quick and easy to do.

The corner of the mouth lift is a surgical option that has lasting effects. It is an old procedure that has been around for many decades. The corner of the mouth lift should be more popular than it is given that it is a minor procedure that can be performed alone in the office or as part of many other facial rejuvenation procedures. The downhanging mouth corner can be raised by taking a very small triangle of skin from just above the overhanging area which provides an immediate leveling of the corner of the mouth. It is a very powerful procedure for such a small removal of skin and one must be careful not to overdo it by raising the corner of the mouth too far up and having too long of a scar. It does create a very small scar at the corner of the mouth but it is nearly indetectable if done right.

The delicate corner of the mouth lift must be done so that the corners are raised to a near level position and the resultant scar to do so is kept very small and well placed. Many facelift patients mistakenly think that the facelift will pull up the corner which is a misunderstanding. That is why some facelift patients with 'frowns' needs a concurrent corner of the mouth lift procedure.

Women really love this procedure and are delighted that something so simple can make such a difference. When done in the office under local anesthesia, other rejuvenating lip procedures can be done simultaneously. Grooves that extend from the downturned corners of the mouth, otherwise known as 'marionette lines', will also need treated by some of filling material whether it be fat, injectable fillers, or implants. For those patients with chronic irritation due to salivary overflow (a condition known as angular cheilitis), a corner of the mouth may even be curative as it rearranges the angulation of the 'spout' and creating a more competent lip dam effect.