Best Treatments for Laugh Lines

Laugh lines are the facial creases that appear around the eyes and mouth as a result of frequent smiling or laughing. Also known as nasolabial folds and crow’s feet, those creases and wrinkles can make you look older than you feel.

Fortunately, there are a number of options for treating laugh lines today, allowing you to choose the procedure that best meets your needs and desired results.

Explaining laugh lines

Laugh lines develop in the outer corners of the eyes due to squinting when you smile or laugh. Also known as crow’s feet, these lines first appear and then disappear as your facial expressions change. Gradually, these lines will become permanently etched into the face, which is when patients frequently look to cosmetic treatments to reduce their appearance.

Other laugh lines, known as nasolabial folds, extend from the corners of the nose to the corners of the mouth. They develop as a result of frequent smiling and, like crow’s feet, can eventually become a permanent fixture on your face. Nasolabial folds can also become quite deep, making them more challenging to treat than other types of facial wrinkles.

Non-surgical injectables

Both crow’s feet and nasolabial folds can be effectively reduced using injectable treatments. Botox injections are frequently recommended for crow’s feet, because they relax the muscles around the eye that lead to the formation of these wrinkles. Botox injections take just a few minutes to complete and require no downtime afterward. Results of Botox are evident soon after treatment and continue for 3-4 months.

Dermal fillers like Juvederm and Radiesse are generally the top choice in treating nasolabial folds. These injectables work underneath the skin’s surface, providing support to the underlying skin structure to smooth away facial creases from the inside out. Dermal fillers are another minimally-invasive “lunch hour” procedure, involve no downtime and typically last many months before a touch-up treatment is required.

Surgical treatments

Patients that are not good candidates for non-surgical treatments or are looking for more permanent solutions to their laugh lines can also consider surgical alternatives. Both facelifts and eyelid surgery can be used to firm and smooth the skin around the eyes, including loose skin that leads to the appearance of fine lines around the outer and lower portion of the eye.

Nasolabial folds can be effectively addressed with a mini facelift that concentrates on lifting and firming skin in the lower portion of the face. In addition to smoothing away nasolabial folds, this procedure will reduce the appearance of other facial wrinkles while restoring youthful definition to the jawline.

Both full facelifts and mini facelifts are performed using general anesthesia and require a recovery period afterward. Mini lifts are usually done on an outpatient basis and involve a recuperation period of a 7-10 days. Full facelifts may be performed as an outpatient procedure, although some patients may require an overnight in the hospital. Recovery from a full facelift usually takes 2-3 weeks. Results of both procedures can be quite dramatic and last up to 10 years for many patients.

Laugh line treatment in NYC

With many good choices in treating laugh lines, how do you know which is right for you? As a leading plastic surgeon in New York City, Dr. B. Aviva Preminger takes the time to talk to clients about specific concerns to determine one of the best plan for facial rejuvenation.

To schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Preminger, contact her Manhattan office today at 212.706.1900.