Do you have marionette lines that you don’t know how to get rid of? These wrinkles often appear around the age of 40 but can begin presenting as early as 20 and 30. Marionette lines can also make you appear annoyed when you don’t feel that way. These stubborn wrinkles can feel frustrating, but there are many potential solutions to get rid of them.
First, it’s important to know what marionette lines are and how they’re caused so you can better understand the solutions.
What Are Marionette Lines?
Aptly named after the marionette string puppets, which are puppets with split jaws, marionette lines are wrinkles that run vertically between your mouth and chin. The skin around your mouth is more prone to signs of aging because it’s thinner compared to other areas of the face, such as the cheeks.
Marionette lines are deep and often cause cosmetic problems, whether it’s simply a pouty expression or trouble applying natural makeup. These wrinkles can also cause sagging in the lower part of the face as the wrinkles continue to extend downward.
What Causes Marionette Lines?
While marionette lines are often associated with aging, many other causes can lead to these wrinkles. Below are the most common reasons you may be experiencing lines between your mouth and chin.
Repetitive Facial Expressions
Marionette lines are often referred to as laugh lines. After years of laughing, smiling, and making certain facial expressions, lines naturally form where your skin creases. These lines soon become permanent as the repetitive facial expressions continue.
This cause is inevitable as smiling, laughing, and making facial expressions are just a part of life.
Smoking
Smoking causes wrinkles, because when you smoke, you’re pulling oxygen out of your skin. This process of removing oxygen can cause your skin to shrivel, weakening your skin and allowing marionette lines to form.
Dehydration
Good hydration is a key factor in any good skincare routine. Without proper hydration, your skin becomes dry, sensitive, and tight. This causes your skin to be more prone to lines and wrinkles.
Genetics
If you don’t smoke and are diligent with your hydration, you may still be experiencing marionette lines. If your parents had marionette lines at an early age, the likelihood that you will also get marionette lines becomes highly probable, no matter how healthy you are.
These marionette lines, no matter the cause, can be treated by several different approaches. These include natural, non-surgical, and surgical treatments.
Natural Treatment for Marionette Lines
If you are looking for a way to remedy your marionette lines at home, there are a few natural treatments you can try.
Skincare
There are many facial serums and creams that can help improve the texture of your skin. Peptides, ceramides, vitamin C, vitamin E, retinol, and silicone are often found in these creams and help regenerate the skin. Skincare can help with wrinkles, but this solution is topical.
Marionette lines are often deep within the top layer of skin and may not be completely resolved with this treatment. It should also be noted that skincare treatments are not permanent and will need to be continued for as long as you want to see the results.
Skin Diet
Anti-inflammatory foods can help to reduce the appearance of marionette lines. Try eating more fruits, vegetables, fish, and unprocessed grains. These foods are high in antioxidants which can help make your skin strong and more resistant to wrinkles.
Reduced Sun Exposure
Sun exposure without any protection can damage your skin. This increases your risk for marionette lines and other wrinkles. By wearing sunscreen and avoiding direct sunlight during the late morning and early afternoon, you can help protect your skin from further wrinkles and allow your skin time to heal.
Non-Surgical Treatment For Marionette Lines
If you’ve tried all the natural remedies and you’re looking for a non-invasive cosmetic treatment, you can try treating your marionette lines with non-surgical solutions. Below are the three most common non-surgical treatments that help remove marionette lines.
BOTOX
This injection relaxes the muscles in the face, which causes your skin to appear smoother. BOTOX is a popular choice for treating marionette lines because it helps reduce the overall appearance of wrinkles and provides a more youthful appearance.
BOTOX isn’t a permanent solution. You’ll need 10-30 treatments a month to upkeep your smooth, youthful appearance.
Restylane
Restylane is a clear gel with the active ingredient of hyaluronic acid. It is commonly referred to as a dermal filler which helps to plump your skin and reduce the sight of wrinkles almost immediately. Like BOTOX, Restylane is also temporary, which means you will need multiple treatments to keep your skin looking smooth and wrinkle-free.
Juvederm
Juvederm is another type of injectable filler that helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. There are several types of this non-surgical treatment including Juvederm Voluma XC, Juvederm XC, and Juvederm Ultra XC. Overall, each of these will help add volume and fill out wrinkles in your skin to help reduce the appearance of marionette lines.
Juvederm is not permanent, so you’ll need to have multiple treatments to keep benefiting from its effects.
Surgery For Marionette Lines
If you want a marionette line treatment that has permanent results, you may try a surgical solution. The best marionette line surgery is a facelift.
Facelift
Also known as a rhytidectomy, facelift is a surgical treatment that lifts and tightens the face. By lifting and tightening the skin, this plastic surgery treatment can permanently improve the signs of wrinkles, folds, and sagging skin.
Procedure
There are many types of facelifts, each targeting a different area of the face or performing the procedure differently. Marionette lines can be treated with a lower facelift which targets the bottom third of the face.
In a traditional facelift, your plastic surgeon will make incisions near the hairline and under the chin. They will reposition both the skin and the muscles to reduce the appearance of marionette lines. You can also choose from an endoscopic or cutaneous facelift for your procedure.
Results
The results from a facelift are permanent, so you will not need any further cosmetic treatments to remove your marionette lines. A facelift results in smooth, younger-looking skin that is free of wrinkles.
You can start seeing your permanent facelift results as soon as one month and final results at around six months following your procedure.
Cost
The costs of a facelift will depend on the type of facelift, type of procedure, and the plastic surgeon performing the cosmetic treatment. However, a typical facelift in Tampa costs around $8,000-$9,000. For a more accurate estimate of what your facelift will cost, schedule a free consultation with double-board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Dominic Castellano.
Recovery
The standard recovery time following a facelift is 2-4 weeks. There will be some swelling and bruising, but it will continue to subside as your recovery progresses. It’s best to rest during your first week. Avoid strenuous activities and keep your head elevated.
If you want a permanent solution to get rid of your marionette lines, facelift is the cosmetic solution for you. For more specifics on the procedure, costs, and recovery, schedule a free consultation with Dr. Dominic today.
