A common concern many people have about the appearance of their face is “resting b*tch face” (RBF). Essentially, many people think that they look like they are grumpy or angry when their face is in a neutral or relaxed position. This can make people think you’re an angry person, not want to approach you, or approach you with their own negative emotions. As with pretty much any concern people have about their appearance, plastic surgeons have developed a fix, called lift edge filler.
While this procedure might work to help some people achieve a more attractive appearance, there might be a better approach. Instead of addressing the problem at a superficial level, you can treat the deeper problem with a nonsurgical facelift.
What Is Lift Edge Filler?
Lift edge filler is a type of partial lip augmentation designed to help you achieve a more smiley appearance. In this procedure, a doctor will inject your lips with hyaluronic acid filler (the most common type of filler used these days), focusing primarily on the corners of your mouth. This elevates the corner of the mouth, imitating the first stages of the commissure smile (the most common style of smile).
The result is that your face, instead of looking dour or angry when your resting will actually have a slightly smiling appearance at all times. That way, you avoid the problem of RBF. The procedure seems to have started in South Korea, probably the most plastic-surgery crazy country in the world, but it’s starting to become popular in the US.
Are Your Teeth the Source of the Problem?
However, before you decide to get lift edge filler, you might take some time to consider what is really causing your RBF. For many people, it’s actually your teeth that are the problem.
When we’re young, our lips, cheeks, and skin all develop together in a balanced way. This creates a neutral expression, possibly even one that is perceived as subtly smiling.
However, over time our teeth can get worn down, which collapses the distance defined by the teeth. The reduction of space essentially brings the lower jaw up to meet the upper jaw. Because tissues in the center of the face are well-anchored to the lower jaw, this compresses the lips, giving an appearance of thin lips, which we associate with age. In addition, the tissues on the sides of the mouth, such as the fat pads in the cheeks, are not as well supported, so they sag down. As they sag down, they pull the corners of the mouth down, too, leading to a grumpy or angry expression.
Why Smile Rejuvenation Might Be Better for You
So if you are looking to address your RBF, you might consider lift edge filler, but if your teeth are really the problem, smile rejuvenation might be better for you because it:
- Addresses the source of the problem
- Restores your facial proportion
- Gives longer-lasting results
- Improves the appearance of your smile at the same time
If worn teeth are the reason why the corners of your mouth tend to be downturned, it’s best to address the source of the problem, rather than trying a superficial fix. In part, that’s because addressing the source helps restore your face to its youthful proportions rather than distorting them to achieve a certain effect. There’s always a risk that distorting your proportions can look unnatural or just not like you.
Hyaluronic acid fillers are longer-lasting than older types of fillers, but they are still temporary solutions. In a dynamic area like your lips, the filler might last as long as six months, but not a year. Smile rejuvenation results will likely last ten years or more.
And, of course, why just try to put a smile on your lips, when you can have a more beautiful smile with your teeth, too? Smile rejuvenation helps your smile to look younger and more attractive, which can give you the confidence to smile more often, too.
Consider Smile Rejuvenation in Rochester, MI
If you are trying to achieve an appearance that looks generally happier and more open, a nonsurgical facelift might be able to help. To learn how this procedure might be able to restore your youthful appearance, please call (248) 656-2020 today for an appointment with a Rochester, MI cosmetic dentist at Doolin-Haddad Advanced Dentistry.
