Smile Lines Treatment Norwich
For the purpose of this article, smile lines are the lines the patient meant in the message – the nasolabial folds.
What are smile lines?
We had an email from a patient the other day asking about a ‘smile line treatment’.
After a conversation at the surgery we realised that the patient’s question could relate to different parts of the face. Yes, various lines appear on the face when we smile,but your specific smile may show different lines to someone else. The eyes around the eyes may show when you smile, but these are known as crow’s feet. Your nose may scrunch up when you smile but the lines that form are known as bunny lines. It turned out that this lady meant the lines that go from the edge of the nose to the mouth, also known as the nasolabial folds.
We thought it might be an idea to write an article around smile lines. For the purpose of this article, smile lines are the lines the patient meant in the message – the nasolabial folds.
- Doctor and Nurse Led Clinic
- Non-surgical Treatment
- Norwich Laser Clinic
What causes smile lines?
These lines can be caused by a variety of factors, including ageing, sun damage, smoking, and repetitive facial movements such as smiling or frowning. The term ‘ageing’ in this case refers to the lessening of the elasticity of the skin. Most of the time this is caused by a reduction in collagen and elastin within the skin. Other causes associated with the natural ageing process include fat loss in the facial area and the slight and gradual facial bone loss.
It is likely that a combination of the above factors will conspire to contribute to your smile lines.
What non-surgical treatments are available for smile lines?
There are a variety of treatment options open to you for the reduction of the appearance of smile lines.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are often suggested as the first option for the treatment of smile lines. The fillers are injected in the area around the lower cheeks to soften the deep creases and restore lost volume. It needs to be noted however that this is a temporary solution and the usual timeframe for fillers to last is approximately 6-12 months.
Depending on the extent of the smile lines microneedling could be a viable option.
Microneedling is also known as collagen induction therapy. The idea is that it will stimulate collagen to target the root cause of the smile lines.
We use the Pixel RF device here at the doctors laser clinic. The treatment is the next step up from conventional microneedling as it includes the added element of radiofrequency energy as well as the collagen stimulating microneedling. In case you wish to know more about the differences between the 2 treatments we have a blog here giving further details on how they compare.
Laser Resurfacing
Laser resurfacing is not the usual choice for the treatment of smile lines, but certain lasers will make a small difference. Laser skin resurfacing for lines can work but mostly just for the finer, rather than deeper creases. Sometimes a patient will have a laser treatment for another skin condition and will see a reduction in lines as a result.
If you have any questions related to smile lines, or indeed, any other skin complaint please do not hesitate to get in touch, we will be more than happy to advise you.
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Doctors and Nurses
All of our team have a special interest in skin and are happy to discuss your problem with you. We use only the best equipment on the market.
book an smile lines treatment appointment
All treatments start with an initial consultation with one of our team. During your consultation we learn about your areas of concern and treatment goals.
