Cheek fillers to reduce smile lines

Lines and wrinkles are one of the most common complaints in relation to ageing.These are often caused by facial expressions and movements, like smiling or laughing, and as such they can become more prominent over time. But dermal fillers can be a very effective solution to particular lines that form around the mouth, especially for smile lines. But what are smile lines and how can cheek fillers help?

What are smile lines?

Smile lines are also known as laughter lines or laugh lines and these are small fine lines that appear around the corners of the mouth, or around the eyes. Initially, these lines will be more prominent when you smile or laugh, hence the name. However, as a natural part of the ageing process, these lines will become more obvious even when you aren’t smiling or laughing.

What causes smile lines?

Smile lines form due to the repeated movement of all the muscles involved in smiling or laughing, especially in the cheeks and mouth.As the skin loses collagen and elastin due to ageing, the skin loses elasticity, which means that it no longer tolerates repeated facial movements, and instead remains in place, emphasising and deepening the fine lines. This is also exacerbated by the natural thinning of the skin tissue and the loss of collagen.

Smile lines can also be caused by a range of environmental factors including smoking and overexposure to UV light.

How can cheek fillers be used to reduce smile lines?

Cheek fillers can be a very effective solution to smile lines for a number of reasons, including:

Adding volume – fine lines and wrinkles caused by smiling and facial movements can often be resolved simply by replacing the lost skin volume and elasticity. Dermal fillers are injections of hyaluronic acid which can add moisture and volume back to your skin while also nourishing the collagen and elastin. This results in skin that is plumber, healthier and younger looking. For smile lines, very small amounts of dermal filler can be injected to level off the lines and smooth these to the same level as the skin. In addition, dermal filler can also be injected into key places within the cheeks to replace lost volume overall.

A versatile response to laughter lines – laughter lines or smile lines can affect different areas of the face including creating prominent lines from the nose to the mouth, as well as lines from the corner of the mouth downwards. Small lines around the eyes can also be caused. The overall result is that your face can appear tired or unhappy, when this is not the case. Cheek fillers offer a versatile response to the full range of smile lines. As a result, working with a professional team to identify the most effective injection sites and strategy for your facial structure can help ensure the best possible results.

For more information or advice about our range of treatments, including cheek fillers, get in touch with Preston’s leading aesthetic practitioners here at The Skin and Wellbeing Clinic.