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As you age, you may notice that the beautiful smile that always lights up a room has changed, with deepening lines developing on either side of your mouth. While those lines indicate a life of smiling and laughter, they can also compromise your beautiful smile.
The team at Melanie Adams Dermatology in Columbia, Maryland, is here to help you keep that smile intact. Read on to find out how we can help.
Nasolabial folds, also called smile lines or laugh lines, are creases in your skin that extend from both sides of your nose to the corners of your mouth. They are common in both women and men and become more noticeable as you age.
When you’re younger, the folds may appear only when you laugh or smile and disappear when you relax your face. As you get older, they can become deep, permanent wrinkles.
You lose collagen and elastin in your skin with age. That affects your skin’s elasticity, resilience, and ability to hold its shape. Gravity pulls down your loose skin, resulting in smile lines.
Smoking, sun damage, and gaining or losing a lot of weight can also lead to smile lines.
Several treatments can reduce or eliminate smile lines. At Melanie Adams Dermatology, Dr. Adams and our team work with you to determine the best option based on your individual case and your goals.
Botox® injections can relax the muscle contractions near your mouth to soften the smile lines; you should see results in a few days. Treatment usually lasts about three months before you need another injection.
Dermal fillers such as Juvéderm are a popular choice for doing away with smile lines. As the name implies, they fill in the wrinkles to smooth out your skin, making it look more even and natural. Results usually last 6-12 months.
Other treatment options include surgery, which is much more invasive and expensive than nonsurgical methods, and over-the-counter creams, which can take months to show results.
Perhaps the best way to treat smile lines is to prevent them in the first place. Two lifestyle changes that have long-lasting preventive benefits are using sunscreen every day (yes, even on cloudy days) and staying hydrated.
When you’re ready for professional help with your smile lines, our team of talented providers can assess your situation and develop a customized treatment plan. Call Melanie Adams Dermatology to set up an appointment or book your visit online.
