Say Goodbye to Nasolabial Folds, Give Way to Charming Smile

These lines are formed from your nose to just below the corner of your mouth  on smiling, and with ageing it only gets pronounced. Getting rid of it, however, is easy with the help of dermal fillers, writes Dr Anju Methil, Dermatologist, Skin and Shape, Mumbai

A sweet smile is the way to somebody’s heart. You had that perfect smile that left an indelible imprint on those you met. However, with the passage of time that smile has
lost its sheen, and what you are now left with is – permanent nasolabial folds.

The nasolabial folds, commonly known as smile lines, are nice only if they are formed when you smile, not frame your mouth even when you do not. They play a spoilsport, and ruin your look.

A slight fold around the mouth area, starting from the side of the nose to the corners of mouth, is the first sign of ageing on the facial area. As the ageing progresses, these folds get pronounced. Even if you have the perfect set of teeth, the framework can spoil it all. So for that lasting impression you need lips and area around your mouth to look as beautiful.

Though these lines are seen on the skin, they are formed due to bone resorption on ageing, shifting and reduction of fat under the skin, and skin consistently getting dry. Apart from all these, skin gives in to gravity in addition. But now medical science has advanced so much that a gel similar to the most natural component of your body is used to ease these lines off without any down time and without any tell tale signs.

As we age, our skin loses its flexibility and elasticity and starts sagging. Over the years, the creases and folds that form on our face each time we laugh or frown also start becoming more permanent. However, in some relatively younger people too, these folds may become prominent after their skin loses its elasticity and starts sagging.

For women, looking good is one of the priorities. Any depressing change starts weighing on them. Removal of such folds can bring back the confidence and it is also now easy to doing away with them with dermal fillers. However, there are other options available as well.

Treating nasolabial folds
•Non-surgical intervention: A simple dermal filler session can do wonders and help you get rid of the stubborn ‘dark bracket’. Just one session of Restylane with your dermatologist can bring you back your desired look.

Restylane is a family of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers that are administered in the skin to add more volume to it, to fill up sagging skin and restore youthful contours.

It produces instant results by adding fullness to the skin to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, including the lines from your nose to the corners of your mouth, the area just below the nose and above the upper lip; the corners of the mouth.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that is responsible for giving the skin its elasticity. A hydrophilic substance, it also promotes water absorption and gives the skin much needed hydration as it retains water and moisture.

With age, the natural reserves of hyaluronic acid start depleting, and slowly give the skin an ageing look. How much of the filler will be required to treat you depends on how much prominent and well founded the lines are. The impact of a session lasts up to six months.

Also, collagen stimulators (that stimulates formation of proteins underneath the skin) and permanent fillers are also used to contain the appearance of the folds.

•Surgical intervention: Those who do not wish to go under the scalpel, non-surgical treatments are best suited for them. While surgery is the best option to remove nasolabial folds, the procedure is painful, expensive and the downtime for recovery is long.

Also, surgical procedures are fraught with risks. Mid-facelifts, cheek implants and nasolabial folds excision are some surgical methods to get rid of the drooping and sagging skin that causes deep nasolabial folds.

Preventing nasolabial folds
•Facial exercises: Doing facial exercises can help prevent the folds around nose and mouth. Yoga exercises targeting the problematic area can be very helpful. Consulting a yoga consultant can be of huge help.

•Use moisturizers: Make sure to moisturize the area regularly so that it does not get dry.

•Use Sunscreen: Always wear sunblock cream high on SPF. However, a dermatologist can suggest a sunscreen according to your skin type.

•Avoid dust/pollution: Too much exposure to harsh weather or dust and pollution speed up the ageing process. So, it is advisable to avoid such conditions as much as possible or take preventive measures before stepping outside.

•Take care of diet: A healthy diet, including a lot of fibrous fruits and vegetables, is a way for toned skin. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants which are a must for healthy skin.