Nasolabial folds (smile lines)
The lines running from the nose to the corners of the mouth — smile lines, or nasolabial folds — deepen naturally with time. Here's what drives them, and the considered ways skin can be supported.
The nasolabial folds run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Everyone has them: they are a normal feature of facial anatomy, not a flaw, and they exist in every face that moves. What changes with age is their depth, as the cheek loses volume and support and the tissue settles lower, deepening the crease beneath. This is why treating the fold itself often looks wrong, while supporting the cheek above it looks natural. Sun exposure, smoking and rapid weight change all accelerate the underlying loss of firmness. Approaches vary from supporting skin quality to addressing volume and position, and are chosen for the face in front of us rather than for the fold in isolation. What suits you is assessed in person, at a complimentary consultation, where the aim is a face that still looks like yours.
The why behind it
Nasolabial folds are the creases that run from each side of the nose down toward the mouth. Everyone has them — they're part of normal facial anatomy — but they tend to deepen with age as collagen declines and the deep cheek fat that once supported the mid-face gradually descends.
Because a deeper fold is partly about lost support and volume, the honest picture is that skin-quality treatments can soften the look and improve the surrounding skin, while pronounced volume changes are a separate conversation, had privately in a consultation.
Non-surgical, skin-focused treatments are designed to support firmness and texture around the fold over a course, tailored to your face.
We assess yours in person and are candid about what's realistic — and where other options would suit you better.
Why skin loses firmness
From our mid-twenties, the skin's own collagen gradually declines — which is what eventually shows as softening and early laxity. Firming treatments are designed to support that natural collagen over a course.
Treatments that help
These are common starting points — the right combination for you is confirmed in a complimentary consultation and skin analysis.
Let's look at it together.
A complimentary, no-pressure consultation and skin analysis is the best way to understand your skin — and what, if anything, is worth doing.
Frequently asked questions
What causes nasolabial folds?
A combination of ageing collagen loss and the natural descent of the mid-face fat that once gave the cheeks support — so the fold deepens over time. Genetics and facial structure play a part too.
Are nasolabial folds normal?
Completely — everyone has them; they're part of normal facial anatomy. It's only when they deepen that people often want to soften their appearance.
Can they be softened without surgery?
Skin-quality and firming treatments can support the skin around the fold and soften its look over a course. More pronounced volume changes are discussed privately in a consultation.
Is there downtime?
The skin-focused treatments used are generally non-invasive with little to no downtime; we explain what to expect for your plan beforehand.
Will the results be permanent?
They're supported and maintained rather than permanent — ageing continues, so results are held with occasional maintenance and good skin habits.
How do I know what's right for me?
In a complimentary consultation we assess your skin and face honestly, and tailor an approach — with no pressure to proceed.
Understand it deeper
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