Nasolabial folds: why they appear and how to get rid of them

Why nasolabial folds appear

The nasolabial fold runs from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth. Everyone has one, and in young people it mostly shows when they smile. Over the years, the fold deepens and becomes visible even when the face is relaxed.

Age is the most common reason. The middle of the face, around the cheeks and cheekbones, gradually loses volume, and the soft tissue of the cheeks drops slightly and hangs over the fold. At the same time, the skin loses collagen and becomes less firm.

Facial expressions add to it: every time you smile or talk, the skin there folds. Sun speeds things up, because UV light breaks down collagen, and skin that often tans without protection loses firmness sooner. After sudden weight loss, the face loses some of its fat, so the folds can deepen too. Facial structure matters as well, which is why people of the same age can have very different folds.

Nasolabial folds are a normal part of the face. People see a cosmetic doctor about them when the folds bother them.

Can you get rid of nasolabial folds at home

Home care won’t fill a fold that has already formed: creams, facial massage and face exercises don’t restore the volume the face has lost with age. Good care still helps the skin stay firm for longer:

• apply SPF every day, even in autumn and winter;
• moisturize your skin, especially during the heating season, when indoor air is dry;
• if you plan to lose weight, do it gradually, without crash diets.

How a cosmetic doctor treats nasolabial folds

At the consultation, the doctor looks at your face at rest and when you smile, assesses your skin and the volume of your cheeks and cheekbones, asks about illnesses and medication, and checks for contraindications. That determines which method the doctor suggests and whether you need any correction at all.

A deep fold is most often corrected with dermal fillers. These are gel-like products that fill the fold and add volume. They’re made with hyaluronic acid, collagen or calcium hydroxylapatite, and the body absorbs them over time. At Viva Clinic, we use Hyalual Alexa products, among others, and the doctor chooses the product and amount for your skin. The procedure is done under local anesthesia and takes 30–50 minutes.

Sometimes the doctor injects filler into the cheekbone area and corrects the fold itself only slightly or leaves it alone. When the cheeks have lost volume, restoring it supports the tissue, and the fold may become shallower. That’s why the doctor assesses the whole face before deciding where to inject.

Biorevitalization doesn’t fill the fold; it works on skin quality. The doctor injects a fluid hyaluronic acid product that hydrates the skin from within. It’s recommended when the skin is dehydrated, has lost firmness and has fine lines. The page on biorevitalization at Viva Clinic explains how the procedure works.

Devices can also support skin tone. Device-based cosmetology offers RF lifting, which warms the deeper layers of the skin and stimulates collagen production, and muscle stimulation, in which weak electrical pulses make the facial muscles contract. These treatments are usually done as a course. A cosmetologist decides on the number of sessions, and device-based methods can be combined with other treatments.

Who shouldn’t have filler injections

Filler injections aren’t done:

• during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• with active herpes or inflammatory skin conditions on the face;
• with acute infections;
• with blood clotting disorders or while taking anticoagulants;
• with an allergy to any component of the product.

The list for biorevitalization is similar, plus a flare-up of a chronic illness. RF lifting and muscle stimulation have their own restrictions, so tell the cosmetologist if you’re pregnant or have a pacemaker or metal implants in the treatment area. Your doctor checks the full list of contraindications at the consultation.

Tell your doctor about every medication you take. Stopping anticoagulants (blood thinners) 2–3 days before the procedure is usually recommended, but don’t stop them on your own: this has to be agreed with the doctor who prescribed them. If you have inflamed spots on your face, they’re treated first, and injections are planned later.

What happens after fillers and when to see a doctor urgently

For a few days, you may notice small marks at the injection sites, slight redness, swelling or small bruises. These reactions are temporary. To help your skin recover:

• avoid makeup for a few hours;
• limit physical activity for a week;
• skip the sauna, bathhouse and very hot baths or showers for a few days;
• avoid sunbathing and tanning beds for 7 days;
• put off dental work that may make your gums bleed for 3–4 weeks.

Call the doctor who did the procedure right away if you have severe pain that keeps getting worse, or the skin in the injection area turns white, blue or blotchy. This can be a sign of a blood flow problem, and help is needed as quickly as possible, so if you can’t reach the doctor, call an ambulance on 103. Call 103 straight away if your vision suddenly worsens, your eye hurts, you see double or your eyelid droops, or if your face, tongue or throat swells and breathing becomes difficult.

Contact a doctor the same day if the swelling gets worse after a few days, the skin becomes hot and red, or you notice pus or a fever.

The consultation and procedures take place at the Viva Clinic aesthetic medicine center at 16b/3 Kuzovkova St in Slavuta. You can book by phone, on Viber or Telegram.