Marionettes are string puppets that are controlled from above. It’s cool that they have cute (or creepy, depending on how you feel about puppets) lines on their face where the puppeteer controls the mouth to mimic speech. But for us, adult humans, these lines are often frowned upon because, well, they make us look like we’re always frowning. This is where marionette lines get their name. As we age, we may develop these lines running from the corner of our lips down our chin, much like the string puppets, except not as cute.
Marionette lines are usually the first things we start to notice on our face besides crow’s feet. They occur around the mouth where the skin is thinner, making it more wrinkle-prone. You may spot them alongside other facial wrinkles such as frown lines, commissure lines, crows feet, and forehead lines. While these are inevitable due to age, they can be slowed down and are even treatable.
Causes of Marionette Lines
Naturally, as we age, our skin starts to lose collagen, a protein the body produces to keep our skin plump. However, marionette lines may develop faster due to other factors, including genetics, poor nutrition, stress, poor hydration, and prolonged exposure to the sun.
Injectables for Treatment of Marionette Lines
Getting injectables is a viable way to treat marionette lines. It may be through the use of botulinum toxin or dermal fillers. There are a few different ways to treat these lines so doing some research and chatting with your provider in advance will help you decide what will yield the best results.
Botulinum toxin is an injectable that you get around the face and mouth, and it’s used to treat many facial wrinkles, including marionette lines. Pinch exclusively uses Xeomin®. If you and your prodiver have selected it to treat marionette lines, it’s administered just below the skin around the mouth where the lines are prominent. It takes just about 20 minutes, and the treatment works by relaxing the muscles in this area of the mouth, smoothing out the wrinkles. You may need to get this treatment every 3-6 months depending on your wrinkles and your provider’s recommendation. Xeomin is an effective, well-recommended botulinum toxin neuromodulator with effects visible within the week, and it can last up to six months.
The most popular treatment for marionette lines, however, is dermal fillers. Pinch uses Belotero® which is very effective for treating marionette lines, especially in the early stages of wrinkling when you still have a good amount of skin elasticity.
This treatment works by filling the wrinkled part of the skin with hyaluronic acid, which has an immediate effect, or poly-L-lactic, which works over time. This treatment gives your skin a plump, smooth fill, removing the sagginess and mimicking the effect of collagen. Belotero is an effective dermal filler that can last for up to six months, with some of the products staying up to a year.
Other Treatments for Marionette Lines
Other treatments for marionette lines may include the use of chemical peels which reduce facial wrinkles and age spots, micro-needling to generate collagen to fill marionette lines, retinoids, hyaluronic acid, serums (peptides and Vitamins a, B3, C, and E.) Facelift surgery may be a permanent solution for marionette lines; however, this is only recommended if other treatments do not work. Laser resurfacing is also an effective treatment option.
Lifestyle Habits to Slow Down and Prevent Marionette Lines
Most treatment options, although viable, need to be repeated over time. However, good lifestyle habits can help slow down marionette lines, so you’ll need the treatment procedures less often. To slow down marionette lines and other face wrinkle symptoms, and to have healthy skin, consider eating healthy, skin-friendly food, especially anti-inflammatory meals such as fruits and vegetables.
You should also drink more water, use sunscreen (with SPF of at least 30) to reduce exposure to sunlight and practice daily skincare (moisturize, wash, use anti-aging serums, etc.).
It’s important to consult a doctor when deciding on a treatment, especially if it’s surgical.
The good news is, Pinch makes it easy and affordable to get started with injectables. Schedule an appointment today.
