2026-06-04
Mid-Face Lifting and Targeted Wrinkle Improvement: Which Lifting Method is Right for Me?
We explain in detail the principles of mid-face lifting and suitable improvement methods for areas of concern such as the jawline, perioral area, and nasolabial folds. Discover the core principles of achieving harmonious and natural changes through customized approaches for each cause (lifting, fillers, Botox, etc.) rather than simply pulling the skin.
Facial aging does not occur in just one area. For various concerns ranging from the jawline, perioral area (around the mouth), and nasolabial folds to the mid-face (central part of the face), satisfactory results can be achieved when selecting a lifting method suited to the anatomical characteristics of each area. Today, we will summarize the principles of lifting by area, including mid-face lifting, which patients frequently ask about.
1. Sagging Jawline: Why We Must Pull Up, Not Down
Koreans often have relatively small chins, making them quite sensitive to a sagging jawline. When the perioral area and the line under the chin sag, it is easy to think that simply pulling along the jawline toward the back of the ears will solve the problem.
However, the sagging of the jawline is actually the result of upper skin and tissue gradually accumulating and descending due to gravity. Therefore, repositioning the tissue upward in the opposite direction of gravity is the fundamental principle of lifting. Even though the concern is the jawline, placing the incision site at the top is a design that considers the overall balance of the face and effective elevation.
2. Three Approaches to Resolving Perioral Concerns
The treatment for wrinkles around the mouth, known as Marionette lines, varies completely depending on the cause. Rather than a single procedure, it is important to identify the complex underlying causes.
- Sagging: Directly pulls up the sagging skin through lifting surgery or procedures.
- Hollowness: If volume is lacking, three-dimensionality is restored through fat grafting, fillers, or implants.
- Movement: If excessive muscle movement is the cause, improvement can be expected by combining Botox treatments.
In particular, if you have a protruding mouth or a weak chin, wrinkles may appear deeper due to structural issues, making an accurate diagnosis by experienced medical staff essential.
3. Nasolabial Fold Improvement: Customized Solutions by Shape
Nasolabial folds are broadly divided into two types. Whether a standalone lifting procedure is sufficient depends on the type.
- Sagging Nasolabial Folds: This occurs when the upper cheek fat overlaps, lengthening the wrinkle. Pulling the overlapping skin upward through lifting provides good improvement effects.
- Structurally Deep Nasolabial Folds: The starting point next to the nose (nasolabial groove) itself is deeply indented. In this case, lifting alone has limitations, so it must be accompanied by a process of filling the base using paranasal implants (noble surgery), fillers, or fat grafting.
4. Effects and Visual Changes of Mid-Face Lifting (Rhytidectomy)
Many people expect a 'mid-face lift' to reduce the absolute length of their face, but it is not actually a surgery that shortens the bone length. However, you can achieve a visually sufficient shortening effect.
A mid-face lift primarily involves pulling up and fixing the sagging anterior cheek tissue through a lower blepharoplasty (lower eyelid) incision. At this time, volume is created in the previously flat front cheeks, making the face more three-dimensional, and the gaze is drawn upward, allowing for an aesthetic improvement where the mid-face appears shorter.
If you have a long nose or a long philtrum, it is more effective to adjust the overall proportions by combining hump nose correction or philtrum reduction surgery.
Each part of the face is independent yet organically connected. Since the area you are concerned about may differ from the area that actually needs correction, we recommend consulting with a specialist with extensive clinical experience to establish the most suitable plan for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I lift a sagging jawline to improve it?
You should lift the tissue by repositioning it upwards, against the direction of gravity. Sagging of the jawline is a result of the upper skin and tissue descending due to gravity, so lifting it upwards, considering the overall balance of the face, is the basic principle of lifting.
Can marionette lines around the mouth be solved with lifting alone?
No, complex treatments may be needed depending on the cause. If sagging is the cause, lifting is appropriate, but if there is a lack of volume, fat grafting or fillers, or if muscle movement is the problem, Botox should be combined for effective improvement.
Can deep nasolabial folds also be improved with lifting?
It depends on the type of wrinkle. Sagging nasolabial folds caused by overlapping cheek fat respond well to lifting, but structural wrinkles where the starting point next to the nose is deeply indented require noble implants, fillers, or fat grafting in conjunction with lifting to fill them.
Does a mid-face lift actually shorten the length of the face?
The actual length of the bone does not decrease, but a visually shorter effect can be achieved. By incising the lower eyelid and pulling up and fixing the sagging anterior cheek tissue, the anterior cheek gains volume and the gaze is drawn upwards, making the mid-face appear shorter.