Smiling is great, but those smiles can leave marks—known as nasolabial folds or ‘smile lines.’ While they’re a natural part of aging, other factors can contribute too. This article covers ways to reduce these lines with both non-surgical and surgical treatments.
Enjoy learning how to keep your skin fresh and still savor those smiles!
What Are Nasolabial Folds (Smile Lines)?
Nasolabial folds, often referred to as “smile lines” or “laugh lines,” are the lines or creases that run from the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth on each side of the face. They are a natural part of our facial anatomy and become more pronounced with expressions like smiling or laughing.
What is the difference between nasolabial folds vs marionette lines?
Nasolabial folds, or smile lines, run from your nose to the corners of your mouth, while marionette lines extend from the corners of your mouth to your chin. Nasolabial folds appear earlier, often in your late twenties or early thirties, whereas marionette lines show up later. Their visibility can be influenced by genetics, sun exposure, and overall skin health.
What causes laugh lines?
Facial fat pads also begin to diminish and move as we age, meaning that surrounding skin begins to sink and sag, causing laugh lines to become more prominent .
- Repeated facial expressions: Muscles around the eyes contract with many emotions, including laughter, surprise, and shock. As these move, they pull on the surrounding skin, and over time, this repeated pulling can lead to fine lines forming.
- Prolonged sun exposure: UV rays can accelerate the breakdown of skin proteins and speed up ageing.
- Genetics: our facial anatomy and skin type can often be predetermined by our genes.
- Environmental and lifestyle factors: smoking, pollution, diet, blue light exposure, stress, and hydration levels can all influence our overall skin health.
Can laugh lines be prevented?
Preventing common skin concerns like laugh lines can be tricky. However, Jules Beauty Bar recommends that following an effective skincare routine will always benefit skin health. Using medical-grade skincare products is key. At Jules Beauty Bar, we champion the Skinbetter Science | Shop Award-Winning Professional Skincare.
Treatment for laugh lines
- Anti-wrinkle injections temporarily immobilize facial muscles to prevent them from pulling on the skin, reducing sagging. Using an ultra-fine needle, the toxin is injected into muscles that cause laugh lines, relaxing them and smoothing the skin while maintaining natural facial movement.
Learn more about how anti-wrinkle injections work. (https://www.healthandaesthetics.co.uk/treatment/wrinkle-relaxing-injections/)
- Polynucleotides treatment is a regenerative therapy that targets skin cells to promote healthier skin. Growing in popularity in aesthetic medicine, it repairs and regenerates skin cells, boosting collagen and elastin production, improving hydration, and reducing inflammation.
Learn more about polynucleotide treatments. (https://www.healthandaesthetics.co.uk/treatment/polynucleotide/)
- AgeJET is an advanced plasma treatment that improves skin health by targeting deeper layers, unlike traditional methods. It protects the skin’s surface while new skin develops, usually visible in about 10 days.
Learn more about AgeJET (https://www.healthandaesthetics.co.uk/treatment/agejet/#:~:text=AgeJET%20is%20an%20FDA%2Dapproved,stimulate%20tissues%20in%20targeted%20areas.)
- Dermal fillers can help to reinstall volume into areas which have lost fat and volume in the ageing process. If your laugh lines have resulted from a lack of volume higher up in the face, a small amount of a dermal filler can help to reinstall plumpness in these regions, lifting the skin around the laugh lines. https://www.healthandaesthetics.co.uk/treatment/dermal-fillers-surrey/
- Microneedling is another popular and innovative procedure to consider for treating laugh lines. Regular sessions can significantly reduce the depth of smile lines and even prevent their formation altogether.
Nasolabial folds, or smile lines, form with age due to lost collagen and elastin. Prevent them with sunscreen and a healthy lifestyle. Treatments like dermal fillers and laser resurfacing can reduce their appearance. Embrace or treat these lines—they each tell a part of your story.
