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No Laughing Matter: How to Avoid and Treat Laugh Lines

You shouldn’t be punished for being happy. Here’s how to treat laugh lines and prevent future ones from forming (spoiler: you can definitely still smile).

Laugh lines take the joy out of laughter, and nobody wants that! Arising from a variety of factors — usually some combination of natural aging, genetics, and excessive sun exposure — these small creases develop alongside the outer corners of the mouth and eyes. As their name suggests, laugh lines (medically known as nasolabial folds) are especially prominent when you’re laughing or smiling.

If you’ve noticed these pesky creases deepening, don’t fret. Take heed of both our preventative tips and cosmetic treatments, and you’ll be fresh-faced and smiling well into old age.

Natural Tricks

Never leave the house without sunscreen. Consistent sun protection has been proven to dramatically slow the aging process and the appearance of laugh lines.

Moisturizing is also essential to beating laugh lines. Without this moisture, the skin will become dry and cracked and the skin cells will deteriorate, leading to the appearance of fine lines. Moisturize at least twice daily, paying special attention to the sensitive areas around your eyes and mouth. If you are looking for an extra boost, opt for a product that contains collagen or hyaluronic acid.

Smoking, drinking through a straw, and pursing your lips can weaken the collagen and elastin beneath your skin’s surface. Limit these activities to avoid unwanted indentations around your mouth.

Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures

Chemical peels and micro-needling are minimally invasive procedures that can eradicate laugh lines, wrinkles, rough skin texture, and hyperpigmentation. Each treatment lasts for an hour or less and produces results within a week.

Chemical peels involve a solution applied to your face that causes the superficial or middle layers of your skin to peel. This process extracts dead skin cells while exfoliating the skin. Patients can determine the ideal intensity of their chemical peels by discussing their skin goals with a dermatologist.

Another option is micro-needling, which involves puncturing tiny holes in the skin with thin needles. By inducing these micro-injuries, this procedure triggers the skin to overcompensate and produce more collagen and elastin to heal them. Both procedures are highly effective and ideal for someone who wants to remove laugh lines without surgery.

Dermal fillers constitute a slightly more aggressive approach to laugh lines. These gel-like injections combat laugh lines by filling in wrinkles, creating a youthful appearance by adding volume to the soft tissue under the skin. Fillers are also hydrophilic, which means they pull in and retain water that enhances your youthful glow. You will experience immediate results with little-to-no recovery time from a filler injection, although most doctors recommend having the procedure every four to six months to maintain optimal results.

With so many treatments to choose from, we recommend consulting a licensed dermatologist to discuss the best course of action for your laugh lines.