Nasolabial Folds

Nasolabial Folds, which are also called Smile Lines or Laugh Lines, are the lines that run from both sides of the nose and down towards the outer corners of the mouth.

Severe Nasolabial Folds can also continue from the outer corners of the mouth and down towards the chin.

Nasolabial Folds are mainly caused by smiling and laughing.

When you smile and laugh, muscles in your cheeks pull up the skin above each side of the mouth to form the characteristic smiley facial expression.

This causes the skin to fold, and when this is done repeatedly, the skin will create fine lines where the fold happens, even when you are no longer smiling.

As we get older, the number of times we smile and laugh add up, and as a natural result, these Nasolabial Folds will often form.

In addition, as we age, we tend to slowly loose collagen and elastin in our skin. As a result of this, the skin looses its elasticity and plumpness.

Sunlight can also contribute to the formation of these wrinkles. Because when sunlight hits the skin, it slowly breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin. When collages and elastin are lost, the skin slowly loose strength and vitality.

Smoking, substance abuse and pollution can similarly be a contributor to Nasolabial Folds, as toxic chemicals can damage to the skin cells and can also interfere with skin regeneration.

In addition, an unhealthy lifestyle (poor diet, little exercise, stress, little sleep, etc.) can contribute to wrinkle formation, as it can make the skin less resilient and less elastic. 

The best treatment for Nasolabial Folds is normally a dermal filler. Nasolabial Folds are typically relatively severe or large folds of skin.

Therefore, even if one stopped further formation of the Nasolabial Folds with Botox, they would typically not go away. Also, one would normally not want to partially or fully loose the ability to smile.

A dermal filler will add volume to the local area and push out and stretch the skin around the Nasolabial Folds. As a result, the skin in this area should stretch more and the Nasolabial Folds will be reduced.

If the Nasolabial Folds are severe, plastic surgery is also an option.