Maintaining a youthful look for years to come often comes with a lot of help from the right injectables, fillers, skincare products, and more. One of the dead giveaways of your actual age is smile lines, a common concern. These mild to more moderate folds (technically known as nasolabial folds) begin at the sides of the nose and extend downward to the mouth. They form a combination of sun exposure, fat and collagen loss, and overall age-related changes. Nevertheless, treating the area with dermal fillers for smile lines helps soften these bothersome folds more effectively than other treatments.
What are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are FDA-approved injectable products that add volume to an otherwise volume-deficient area. In the case of dermal fillers for smile lines, hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are often used to help soften the look of these lines and folds by attracting water to the area for a plumping effect. Overall, all dermal fillers work towards reestablishing volume in the mid-face and lower face to create a more holistically balanced appearance and camouflage the common signs of aging.
The Types of Dermal Fillers Used for Smile Lines
Several different dermal fillers can improve the look of smile lines and folds, and the best filler choice for you depends on the degree of volume loss and the natural thickness of your skin. At MD Aesthetics, we offer Juvéderm, a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler, for treating smile lines. This popular dermal filler is a synthetic version of the hyaluronic acid naturally found in the body, helping to add volume to the midface and improving the look of wrinkles, lines, and folds in the area.
Benefits of Using Dermal Fillers for Smile Lines
Using dermal fillers for smile lines offers several benefits that our patients appreciate. Some of the more appreciated benefits of the treatment include:
- Restored volume
- A skin-smoothing effect
- A rejuvenated appearance overall
- Collagen stimulation
- A quick and easy nonsurgical treatment with immediately visible results
- Can be reversed if necessary
Procedure Details and What to Expect
The first step in your dermal filler for smile line treatment is a consultation where you will discuss your aesthetic goals. A consultation is also the ideal time to ask questions about the treatment and discuss what to expect regarding results and maintenance sessions in the future.
From there, the injection sites are first cleaned and then numbed so that the entire treatment is comfortable. The filler is then injected under the skin, and there’s an immediate volumizing effect, helping smooth away smile lines.
The treatment is quick and easy, lasting about 20 minutes with minimal pain. You’ll see a significant smoothness to the smile lines, lasting as long as two years, depending on how fast your body breaks down the dermal filler.
Results and Recovery
The nice thing about dermal fillers for smile lines is that the results are instant, and there’s no downtime or recovery. While the injection site may be minimally swollen and bruised for a few days post-treatment, those effects are easily concealed with makeup and will subside after a few days, leaving you with a smooth and youthful appearance. Still, it’s a good idea to schedule your appointment before any significant events so that if any bruising or swelling occurs, there is time for it to resolve.
The results will last from six to 18 months or longer, depending on how much filler is injected, the specific filler used, and how quickly your body breaks down the filler. Annual maintenance sessions are recommended to keep your smile lines at bay.
Common Frequently Asked Questions
Dermal fillers are highly effective for smoothing out the look of smile lines. By adding volume to the area, the lines disappear and blend into the surrounding skin. Just a little filler usually does the trick in reducing the appearance of smile lines.
The most popular choice for treating smile lines is hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers like those from Juvéderm. These soft and flexible fillers attract water to the area, creating a volumizing effect under the skin.
Everyone is different, but typically, the results of using dermal fillers to treat smile lines last anywhere from six months to 18 months. Some people can get up to two years out of their injections.
Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers are safe and generally well tolerated. However, like all elective cosmetic procedures, there are minimal risks and side effects to take note of, which include minor bruising, redness, swelling, possible post-injection tenderness, filler migration, and asymmetries. Unlike other fillers and injectables, hyaluronic acid fillers are the only dissolvable types should an issue arise.
Dermal fillers for smile lines work well for most people who experience aging in this area of the face if they are in good health and do not have excessively saggy skin. We always recommend a consultation to determine if you are a candidate for this treatment.
