Nasolabial Creases

Nasolabial folds are the skin areas that separates the cheeks from the upper lip. Nasolabial folds are often referred to as laugh lines or smile lines, but the real reason behind these deep lines is aging, not facial movements. As your body ages, your skin will thin and slacken because it is not producing the same proteins as it did when you were younger. With that in mind, there are three main ways to reduce the appearance of nasolabial folds.

Surgery provides the longest lasting results, and is an effective form of treatment to remove nasolabial folds. The most common surgical procedures to combat sagging nasolabial folds are:

• Nasolabial fold excision: This procedure completely removes the nasolabial folds and sutures the cheeks and upper lip together without the fold.
• Mid-facelift: As the skin ages, the fatty pockets of skin that outline the cheek bones will fall and sag, creating deep nasolabial folds and, in some cases, puffy, droopy eyes as well. In a mid-facelift, the sagging skin is brought back up over the cheekbones.
• Cheek implants: These implants are designed to offer more face contouring. The procedure is designed to reduce nasolabial folds by giving more definition to the face.