Nasolabial Folds and Marionette Lines: Treatment Options That Work

Have you started noticing deeper folds around your mouth or lines extending downward from the corners of your lips? You’re not alone.

These changes, known as nasolabial folds and marionette lines, are among the most common signs of facial aging. They can make you look tired, sad, or older than you feel. While many people think they’re simply wrinkles, they’re typically caused by a combination of volume loss, collagen depletion, skin laxity, and a loss of structural support in the cheeks and lower face.

Understanding what’s causing these changes is the first step toward choosing the right treatment.

Why These Lines Develop

Nasolabial folds run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Marionette lines extend downward from the corners of the mouth toward the chin.

As we age, facial fat shifts downward, collagen production decreases, and the skin loses elasticity. At the same time, volume loss in the cheeks and midface reduces support for the lower face, allowing folds and lines to become more noticeable.

Because several factors contribute to these folds and lines, the most effective treatment usually involves more than simply filling a crease.

The goal isn’t to make you look different. It’s to restore balance and create smoother, more youthful contours.

Dermal Fillers: Restoring Volume and Support

For many patients, dermal fillers are an excellent first step.

Rather than simply placing filler directly into a fold, we focus on restoring support in the cheeks and midface first. By replacing volume that has diminished over time, we can improve facial balance and reduce the appearance of folds around the mouth in a way that looks natural.

At Iteld Plastic Surgery, we use advanced filler collections including Juvéderm®, Restylane®, and the RHA® Collection. Each offers unique advantages, allowing us to customize treatment to your facial structure and desired outcome.

Depending on your needs, filler may be placed in the cheeks, around the mouth, or directly within the folds themselves. The goal isn’t to make you look different. It’s to restore balance and create smoother, more youthful contours.

Often Combined With Other Treatments

In many cases, the best results come from combining treatments to address multiple aspects of facial aging.

For some patients, BeautiFill® fat transfer is another option for restoring facial volume. This technology allows Dr. Iteld to gently harvest and transfer your own fat to areas that have lost support over time, helping restore youthful contours with a natural look and feel. In many cases, BeautiFill fat transfer can be performed in the office under local anesthesia.

Wrinkle relaxers such as Botox®, Dysport®, and Daxxify® help reduce muscle activity that contributes to downward pull around the mouth and jawline.

When skin laxity or collagen loss is also a concern, treatments such as Morpheus8 and QuantumRF can improve skin quality and support by stimulating collagen production and tightening tissue.

In other words, the best solution is a combination of treatments tailored to your unique needs rather than a single procedure.

Kimmy Vu, RN, our Aesthetic Nurse, is exceptionally skilled at creating these customized treatment plans. Working closely with Dr. Iteld, she helps patients determine the right combination of fillers, wrinkle relaxers, BeautiFill fat transfer, and collagen-building treatments to achieve refreshed, natural-looking results that never appear overdone.

When Surgery Provides the Best Solution

Fillers, BeautiFill® fat transfer, wrinkle relaxers, and skin-tightening treatments can produce excellent results for many patients. However, when significant tissue descent and skin laxity are present, surgery may provide the most effective and long-lasting correction.

In these situations, a facelift performed by Dr. Lawrence Iteld often offers the most comprehensive improvement. By repositioning deeper facial tissues and restoring youthful contours, surgery addresses the underlying causes of nasolabial folds and marionette lines rather than temporarily filling them.

Dr. Iteld focuses on natural-looking facial rejuvenation that restores balance without creating a pulled or artificial appearance. In some cases, surgery may be combined with fillers, wrinkle relaxers, or skin-tightening treatments to further refine results.

Choosing the Right Treatment

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for facial rejuvenation around the mouth and lower face. Some patients achieve excellent results with fillers alone. Others benefit from combining fillers with wrinkle relaxers, BeautiFill fat transfer, Morpheus8, or QuantumRF. For patients with more significant facial laxity, surgery may provide the best correction.

During your consultation, we’ll evaluate your facial structure, skin quality, volume loss, and degree of facial aging to develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.

Whether you’re noticing early signs of aging or deeper folds that have developed over time, today’s advanced treatment options allow us to create a customized plan that restores a smoother, more youthful appearance while preserving the natural character that makes your face uniquely yours.

Ready to Explore Your Options?

Whether you’re interested in fillers, wrinkle relaxers, BeautiFill fat transfer, skin-tightening treatments, or facial surgery, our team can help you determine the best approach for your goals.

Please contact one of our patient coordinators at [email protected], call 312.757.45 05, or use our contact form to schedule a consultation.

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