If you want to treat nasolabial folds with cosmetic medicine, you have several options. Under the supervision of a doctor, detailed explanations of treatments such as hyaluronic acid injection, thread lift, hyphen, high frequency, cut face lift, and mailer fat removal. We will also introduce prevention and self-care methods.
Table of contents
- What are nasolabial folds?
- Causes of nasolabial folds
- Types of nasolabial folds
- Cosmetic medical treatment that can treat laugh lines and wrinkles
- How to prevent nasolabial folds and self-care
- It is important to take good care of your smile lines on a daily basis.
What are nasolabial folds?
Nasolabial folds are one of the typical types of wrinkles, and refer to the lines that extend from both ends of the nose to both ends of the mouth. Everyone has nasolabial folds, but the degree of conspicuity varies from person to person, and in general, they gradually deepen with age.
Smile lines are wrinkles that affect the impression of the face. Nasolabial folds make you look older, so many people worry about them.
Nasolabial fold care methods include facial muscle training, massage, and skin care using basic cosmetics that are effective against sagging and wrinkles.
However, it is difficult to greatly improve smile lines with this kind of self-care, and if you want to treat smile lines, you can consider the option of undergoing cosmetic medical treatment.
Causes of nasolabial folds
First of all, let’s check the cause of nasolabial folds. There is not just one cause for nasolabial folds or deepening, but several causes are related as follows.
- Weakening of the ligament (ligament) lining under the cheekbone
- Weakness of facial muscles
- dry skin
- Sagging cheeks and lips associated with aging
- Decrease in collagen and elastin
- clenched teeth
- Wrong skin care such as rubbing the skin and exfoliating too much
- ultraviolet rays
Types of nasolabial folds
There are several types of nasolabial folds. Mainly there are 4 types:
- Sagging skin type
- muscle type
- bone dimple
- mixed type
From here, we will explain each type of nasolabial fold in detail.
Sagging skin type
The sagging skin type is a type in which nasolabial folds are conspicuous due to a decrease in subcutaneous fat on the cheeks and a decrease in firmness and elasticity of the skin due to aging.
This type is caused by sagging skin, so nasolabial folds are not noticeable when you lie on your back, but stand out when you stand up.
muscle type
The muscle type is a type that has conspicuous nasolabial folds due to overdeveloped facial muscles. Although the nasolabial fold does not change much when lying on one’s back, it is characterized by deepening when smiling.
bone dimple
As the bones atrophy with age, the nasolabial folds become more visible. The dimpled bone type is said to be common in Asians, and is influenced by the shape of the bone they were born with.
It’s a little less noticeable when you lie on your back, but this type looks more like a groove than a line. Above the nasolabial fold, the area around the nostrils looks hollow.
mixed type
There are also mixed types of nasolabial folds that have a mixture of causes, such as sagging skin and dimpled bones.
Cosmetic medical treatment that can treat laugh lines and wrinkles
There are several types of cosmetic medicine treatments that can treat nasolabial folds and wrinkles.
Since the condition of nasolabial folds varies from person to person, it is a good idea to receive counseling from a cosmetic dermatologist or beauty clinic, and have them suggest the best treatment for your symptoms, worries, and wishes.
hyaluronic acid injection
Hyaluronic acid injection, which uses a syringe to inject a hyaluronic acid preparation, is a typical example of smile line treatment by aesthetic medicine .
One gram of hyaluronic acid can hold 2-6 liters of water, and is a naturally occurring ingredient in the human body. Hyaluronic acid decreases at once from the late 40s, causing a decrease in skin firmness and elasticity.
In the hyaluronic acid injection procedure, a syringe is used to inject a hyaluronic acid preparation into wrinkle-prone areas, such as the grooves of the nasolabial fold, to fill the grooves from the inside and increase the volume.
Since it is injected directly into the dermis, it is characterized by its immediate effect, and you can feel the effect immediately after treatment. However, hyaluronic acid is degraded over time and absorbed by the body, so it does not provide a semi-permanent effect.
Botox injection (botulinum toxin injection) is also known as a wrinkle treatment, but it is said that it cannot be expected to be effective for wrinkles such as nasolabial folds caused by sagging skin.
thread lift (thread lift)
A thread lift (thread lift) is a non-cutting face lift treatment that lifts sagging skin using medical material threads.
A special thread with a cog (thorn) or conical biocone is inserted under the skin to lift the skin to treat nasolabial folds, wrinkles, and sagging.
Threads used for thread lifts can be broadly divided into two types: soluble threads (absorbent) and insoluble threads (non-absorbable). In the case of soluble threads, the effect diminishes as they are absorbed into the body. I will continue.
HIFU
HIFU, the official name of which is “High Intensity Focused Ultrasound,” is a treatment method that irradiates ultrasonic energy to the target area.
Human skin has a layered structure, and when the part called the “SMAS layer (SMAS fascia)” between the subcutaneous tissue and facial muscles loosens, it can no longer support the skin, causing sagging and wrinkles.
HYFU delivers heat energy to the SMAS layer without incision to tighten the skin, treat sagging and lift up. It is one of the laser treatments with less downtime.
Radio frequency (RF)
Treatment that uses high-frequency (RF/radio wave) treatment equipment to irradiate high-frequency energy inside the skin may also be performed to improve smile lines, sagging, wrinkles, open pores, and skin firmness.
In high-frequency treatment, high-frequency energy is irradiated to the dermis layer of the skin to add heat denaturation to the deep part, which promotes collagen production and tightens the skin from the inside.
cut face lift
If the skin has a lot of sagging, you may not be able to expect a sufficient effect from hyaluronic acid injection or laser treatments such as hyphen and high frequency.
In a cut face lift, the skin is incised, part is peeled off, and the SMAS fascia underneath the skin is lifted up. At this time, the loose skin remains, so the excess is excised and sutured.
The effect tends to be greater, but the downtime is longer due to surgery such as skin incision and excision.
mailer fat remover
Mailer fat is the subcutaneous fat that exists from the cheekbones to the nasolabial fold. Some people are born with a lot of mailer fat, and the nasolabial folds can be conspicuous.
In addition, since mailer fat droops with age, it also causes nasolabial folds to appear deeper.
In Mehler fat removal, a device called “cannula” dedicated to liposuction is used to remove excess Mehler fat. Since the cannula is inserted from the inside of the mouth, there are no scars.
others
Beauty clinics offer different treatments depending on the clinic.
In addition to the above treatments, there are also clinics that perform nasolabial fold treatment by placenta injection, growth factor injection, PRP skin regeneration therapy, etc.
How to prevent nasolabial folds and self-care
From here, we will introduce prevention and self-care methods for nasolabial folds.
Once the nasolabial folds have deepened, it becomes difficult to improve them with self-care and skin care, so it is recommended that you take preventive care.
Ligament loosening
One of the causes of nasolabial folds is the stiffness of the ligament (ligaments) that line up under the cheekbones. Due to the effects of aging, ligament loses its elasticity and hardens, weakening the ability to support the skin, leading to sagging skin and nasolabial folds.
“Ligament loosening” is a massage that loosens hardened ligaments and makes them supple. You can approach the nasolabial fold with a simple massage of just 2 minutes a day.
The method of loosening the ligament is simple, just push diagonally upward with your thumb from A to B in the image above. Let’s press for 3 seconds per place.
Moisturizing through skin care
Collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid decrease with age, and when the firmness and elasticity of the skin decline, the nasolabial folds become deeper and more noticeable.
To keep your skin firm and elastic, it is important to take care of your skin in an age-appropriate way . As you age, your skin tends to become dry, so use basic skin care products that contain ingredients necessary for anti-aging care and keep your skin well moisturized.
To prevent wrinkles such as nasolabial folds, after replenishing the skin with plenty of lotion and beauty essence, it is important to cover the skin tightly with a cream containing oil to prevent moisture from escaping.
In addition, there is a correct order for skin care, and it is basic to use moisturizing items first and then use oily items. The order may change depending on the product, so be sure to check the package when you buy new cosmetics.
UV protection
Damage to the skin caused by UV rays can cause fine lines to stand out.
UV rays have three wavelengths: UVA, UVB, and UVC. About 90% of UV rays are UVA rays, which reach the dermis, which is the deep layer of the skin, and degenerate collagen and elastin, which are essential for skin firmness and elasticity.
In addition, UV rays are the enemy of the skin, causing spots and dryness. Protect your skin from UV rays all year round, not just in the summer when the sun is strong.
It is important to take good care of your smile lines on a daily basis.
Conspicuity varies from person to person, but everyone has smile lines. It is also a part that becomes more noticeable as you age, and it can be said that it is a natural change that accompanies aging.
However, UV rays and wrong skin care can cause smile lines to get worse. In order to keep your skin firm and elastic for your age, let’s take care of it in the right way.
If you are still worried about your smile lines, or if looking in the mirror is depressing, there is an option to undergo cosmetic treatment at a beauty clinic.
There are several types of treatments to improve smile lines, and the appropriate treatment differs depending on the symptoms and wishes, so it is important to consult with your doctor and choose the treatment that suits you.
