Treatment of Nasolabial Folds

Nasolabial folds are folds of skin that span from the base of the nose to the side of the mouth and separate the lip from the cheek. Because they crease when a person smiles, speaks, or laughs, they are also sometimes called laugh lines, or smile lines. They become more pronounced with age, but many young people have quite prominent ones. 

There are many potential causes for the development of nasolabial folds. Aside from the normal expression of emotion, nasolabial folds can be exaggerated by other factors that put stress on the skin. These may include sun and wind damage, exposure to pollution, dryness of the skin, and excessive weight gain and loss. Some of it is just gravity; the cheeks descend as we age. There is also a genetic component to the development of nasolabial folds. If a person’s parents or grandparents had them, there is a higher chance of the development of nasolabial folds.

Some people find that nasolabial folds give character to the face, while others fear it makes them look old and worn. While these folds generally do not pose any functional problem for sufferers, they can be detrimental to the self esteem.

Prevention of Nasolabial Folds

Maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, and protecting the skin with moisturizers and sunscreens is very helpful in preventing the development of nasolabial folds. People who are concerned about developing them should refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol excessively and maintain a balanced diet with a complete range of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and protein. It has also been suggested that people who sleep on their face or on their sides are more likely to develop nasolabial folds and other fine lines and wrinkles.

Potent retinol creams can also be very helpful in keeping the skin strong and plump. Some at-home chemical peels that use alpha hydroxyl acids are good for keeping dry, flaky skin at bay, which would otherwise highlight problem areas on the skin.

Facelift

For patients whose cheeks droop quite heavily to create prominent nasolabial folds, a facelift can improve, if not, completely eliminate their appearance. A facelift involves the removal of excess skin from the face, and it also lifts and tightens the remaining tissues. This means that nasolabial lines are significantly smoothed. This technique can be enhanced by the addition of cheek implants that add volume to the face and reduce the sagging that occurs with aging.

Dermal Fillers

There are also many temporary dermal fillers such as Juvederm®, Perlane®, and Restylane® that can be used for those patients who wish to avoid surgery. These temporary options tend to last six to 12 months. Dermal fillers can be injected into the nasolabial folds to add volumn and fill in the lines, resulting in a smooth and wrinkle-free appearance.

If you are concerned about the appearance of nasolabial folds, contact Crawford Plastic Surgery today. Dr. Marcus Crawford and Dr. Steven Bailey can perform a physical examination and provide you with the treatment recommendations such as facelift or dermal filler injections.