Smile lines, also called nasolabial folds, are the creases that run from the sides of your nose down to the corners of your mouth. While they’re a natural part of facial expression and aging, deepening smile lines can make you look older or more tired than you feel. If you’ve noticed these lines becoming more pronounced and wish they were less noticeable, you’re not alone.
At Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, we help patients soften smile lines with treatments that restore a youthful, refreshed appearance without erasing the character that makes you, you.
What Causes Smile Lines?
Smile lines develop as a result of several age-related changes happening simultaneously in your face.
Volume Loss in the Cheeks
As we age, we lose fat in the midface and cheeks. This causes the skin to descend, creating folds and deepening the lines around the nose and mouth. Think of it like deflating a balloon: when volume is lost, wrinkles and folds appear.
Collagen and Elastin Breakdown
Collagen and elastin are the proteins that keep skin firm and elastic. As we age, our bodies produce less of these proteins, and sun exposure, smoking, and other lifestyle factors accelerate their breakdown. Without adequate collagen support, skin becomes thinner and less able to bounce back, making smile lines more visible.
Repeated Facial Expressions
Every time you smile, laugh, or talk, the muscles around your mouth contract, creating temporary creases. Over time, combined with loss of skin elasticity, these dynamic lines become static, meaning they’re visible even when your face is at rest.
Sun Damage
UV exposure is one of the leading causes of premature aging. It breaks down collagen, damages elastin, and accelerates the formation of wrinkles and folds, including smile lines.
Genetics and Bone Structure
Some people are simply more prone to developing pronounced nasolabial folds due to their facial anatomy and genetic predisposition.
Professional Treatments to Reduce Smile Lines
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are one of the most effective treatments for smile lines. They can be strategically placed to restore lost volume, support the skin, and smooth the appearance of nasolabial folds.
There are two main approaches to treating smile lines with fillers:
- Direct injection into the folds: Filler is placed directly into the nasolabial folds to fill and smooth the creases. This provides immediate improvement and is ideal for moderate to deep lines.
- Midface volumization: By restoring volume to the cheeks and midface, we can create a lifting effect that reduces the appearance of smile lines from above. This approach addresses the root cause (volume loss) rather than just the symptom (the fold itself).
Many patients achieve the best results with a combination of both techniques. Results typically last 9-18 months, depending on the product used and individual factors.
Biostimulators
Biostimulators work differently from traditional dermal fillers. Rather than simply filling in lines and wrinkles, these injectable treatments stimulate your body’s own collagen production, gradually restoring volume and improving skin quality from within.
A series of treatments is typically recommended, with results that continue to improve over several months as new collagen develops.
Wrinkle Relaxers
While wrinkle relaxers are better known for treating forehead lines and crow’s feet, they can play a supporting role in managing smile lines. By relaxing certain muscles around the mouth that pull downward, wrinkle relaxers can reduce the depth of nasolabial folds and prevent them from worsening.
Wrinkle relaxers are often combined with dermal fillers for comprehensive rejuvenation of the lower face.
RF Microneedling & Traditional Microneedling
RF Microneedling combines traditional microneedling with radiofrequency energy to stimulate collagen production and tighten the skin. This treatment improves skin texture, firmness, and elasticity, which can help soften the appearance of smile lines over time.
Traditional microneedling, which uses fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries in the skin without radiofrequency energy, also stimulates collagen and elastin production. While it may require more sessions to achieve similar results, traditional microneedling is an effective option for improving skin texture and reducing the appearance of fine lines around the mouth.
Both RF and traditional microneedling are ideal for patients with mild to moderate lines who want to improve overall skin quality and achieve gradual, natural-looking results. A series of treatments is typically recommended for optimal improvement.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser treatments work by creating controlled micro-injuries in the skin, stimulating collagen remodeling and cell turnover. This can improve skin texture, reduce fine lines, and provide a subtle tightening effect around the mouth and nasolabial folds.
- Fraxel: This fractional laser treats a percentage of the skin at a time, leaving surrounding tissue intact for faster healing. Fraxel stimulates deep collagen remodeling and is excellent for improving skin texture, fine lines, and overall skin quality around smile lines.
- Clear + Brilliant: A gentler fractional laser that provides subtle improvement with minimal downtime. It’s ideal for maintaining skin quality, preventing early signs of aging, and supporting other treatments for smile lines.
- CO2 Fraxel: The most aggressive option, CO2 fractional laser provides dramatic improvement in skin texture, laxity, and deeper lines. It requires more downtime but offers the most significant resurfacing results for moderate to severe smile lines.
Combination Treatments
Many patients achieve the best results by combining treatments. For example, dermal fillers can restore lost volume while RF Microneedling improves skin quality and texture. Your provider will create a customized plan based on your unique facial anatomy and goals.
At-home Skincare for Smile Lines
While professional treatments provide the most dramatic improvement, a good skincare routine can support your results and help prevent smile lines from worsening.
- Retinoids: Prescription tretinoin or over-the-counter retinol stimulate collagen production and increase cell turnover, helping to smooth fine lines and improve skin texture. Apply at night, avoiding the immediate area around the mouth if it becomes too irritated.
- Growth factors: TNS Advanced+ Serum is considered the #1 anti-aging growth factor treatment to reverse signs of aging. With the most proven clinical data in skin rejuvenation, it supports skin repair, stimulates collagen production, and improves overall skin quality to help soften smile lines over time.
- Sunscreen: Daily use of a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is one of the most important things you can do to prevent smile lines from deepening. UV protection prevents collagen breakdown and protects against premature aging.
- Antioxidants: Vitamin C serums and other antioxidants help protect the skin from environmental damage and support collagen production. Apply them in the morning before sunscreen for maximum benefit.
- Moisturizers with peptides and hyaluronic acid: Hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid plump the skin and improve its appearance, while peptides support collagen synthesis. Look for moisturizers specifically formulated for mature or aging skin.
Restore a Youthful, Refreshed Appearance at Cascade Eye & Skin Centers
If smile lines are making you feel self-conscious or older than you’d like, we’re here to help. At Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, our experienced aesthetic providers specialize in natural-looking treatments that soften smile lines and restore balance to your face.
Serving patients throughout the South Sound, including Auburn, Bonney Lake, Gig Harbor, Puyallup, Sunrise, and University Place, we’re committed to helping you look and feel your best at every age.
Schedule a consultation today and discover how we can help you achieve a smoother, more youthful appearance.
