This operation eliminates or significantly decreases the prominence of the crease that commonly runs down the cheek from beside the nose to just outside the corner of the mouth, detracting from an otherwise pleasant appearance.
Often there is skin and/or fatty tissue overhang that needs reduction. Other times the problem is simply a deep crease. In many cases we combine nasolabial fold resection with facelift. Occasionally we do the operation one side at a time, making earlier return to a person’s life-routine possible without suspicion of a “cosmetic” operation.
Length of surgery: 30 minutes to 1 hour.
What to expect : Local anesthesia, usually with sedation. Pain is not a factor. Stitches out in 3-4 days. Glued on gauze strips for another 2-3 days. After 1 week make-up or skin colored paper tape or another week or so.
Recovery: Return to work after 1 week. Expect a visibly detectable scar from the 3rd through the 8th week – sometimes longer, especially in Asians and people with oily skin. This problematic period of thickened tightened scar can be reduced or eliminated if you follow the exercises and recommended medicated tape applications prescribed for the early weeks after surgery. By 3 to 6 months scar is usually hard to discern. Sometimes it takes a year or more.
For shallow creases, we prefer injection of fat or other injectable fillers. We carefully compare skin characteristics and the likelihood of undesirable scarring with the severity of the deformity before recommending nasolabial resection for facial improvements. We have huge experience with this operation stretching over 30+ years. Not only does this operation minimize nasolabial deformity, it also helps remedy turned down corners of the mouth and reduces cheek skin laxity – sometimes taking the place of facelift. Before and after pictures show the benefit of the operation.
