This was in my recent May 2023 Aesthetic Surgery Journal. They were looking at the area near the mouth, what they call the “perioral mound” (which to me looks like the heavy marionette / jowls near the corner of the mouth). The question was could a teeny tiny liposuction there help fix it?
The study “Efficacy and Safety of Perioral Mound Region Liposuction- A Novel Concept to Improve Perioral Mound Fullness” looked at cadavers to evaluate the soft tissue structure. Then 37 patients with fullness there went through liposuction and were reviewed.
Findings:
- The cadaver showed fat in that region in the subcutaneous layer (right under the skin)
- Median fat removed was 2.0cc
- The fat thickness significantly decreased from 5mm to 0.7mm
- All patients were satisfied. No complications.
My thoughts?
2cc of fat seems like nothing, but a tiny change in a critical spot makes a difference. This fullness is traditionally difficult to fix, and I don’t like it when people try to pull a facelift too tight to address this area (then you get the pulled, swoosh look).
The photos are subtle, but real. The results more impressive for those with more fat. The patients in the study were younger (mid 30s) and not overweight. Where you get your fat pockets is genetic.
I think this is a great technique and one I will add where appropriate. NOTE: This is not going for the deep buccal fat. This is a superficial thing.