By Nancy H, PharmD
April 8, 2024
7 minutes
As you age, fine lines and wrinkles start appearing on your face, hands, and other body parts. These are mostly noticeable on the face, especially around the mouth. The vertical lines formed around the mouth are called marionette lines which are commonly linked with aging, sun exposure, and unhealthy lifestyle.
As these lines come with natural physiological changes, is there a way to reduce them? Are you also wondering how to get rid of marionette lines? There are a number of options available. Let’s get into their details.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: What are Marionette Lines?
- Part 2: What Causes Marionette Lines?
- Part 3: How to Get Rid of Marionette Lines?
Part 1: What are Marionette Lines?
Marionette lines also known as the puppet lines or melomental folds are the vertical lines that extend from the mouth to the chin. Some factors such as aging cause sagging of the lower facial half making your chin look separate from the rest of the facial features.
These lines are usually common after the 40s but mild signs can also be observed in the 20s and 30s. Moreover, they are frequently present in conjunction with nasolabial folds that run from nose to mouth.
Part 2: What Causes Marionette Lines?
The vertical lines form as a result of sagging, loss of skin elasticity, thinning of facial skin, and volume of skin tissue. The following are the factors that contribute to these occurrences:
- Genetics: If your parents or grandparents have marionette lines, then you might also possibly develop these folds
- Sun Exposure: Continuous exposure to the UV rays of the sun leads to the premature breakdown of elastin and collagen. This leads to loss of skin elasticity and thus formation of marionette lines
- Lifestyle factors: Unhealthy practices such as smoking, unbalanced diet, alcohol abuse, inadequate exercise, and sleep deprivation result in premature aging. This speeds up the formation of marionette lines
- Aging: With age, skin loses its elasticity due to a decline in hyaluronic acid, elastin, and collagen production. As a result, your wrinkles become more visible and marionette lines start appearing
- Cosmetic Procedures: Cosmetic procedures such as dermal fillers when injected incorrectly can worsen the marionette lines
Part 3: How to Get Rid of Marionette Lines?
How to treat marionette lines? These lines can be reduced or treated with the help of professional treatments, exercises, and at-home remedies. Let’s discuss each one by one.
Professional Treatments
Full Face Lift or Rhytidectomy
A full facelift or rhytidectomy(half facial lift) can help improve the appearance of marionette lines. In a full facelift, the surgeon makes an incision around the hairline and below the chin for the repositioning of skin tissues and muscles. It can either be a cutaneous or endoscopic facelift.
On the other hand, half facial life also known as a mini facelift focuses on cheekbones and the chin to reduce marionette lines.
Thread Lifts
Thread lift is a temporary cosmetic procedure that can last for 1 to 2 years. In this procedure, local anesthesia is injected into the skin first. Then the skin is lifted using thin needles and threads. PDO threads are used for the treatment that naturally dissolves into your skin. Additionally, the procedure is quick and requires very little recovery time.
Non-surgical Treatment Options
There is also non-surgical treatment for marionette lines. The most common procedures done for this purpose include the following:
Dermal Fillers
For marionette lines, fillers are injected into the corner of your jaws to fill up the space beneath marionette lines. The dermal fillers when injected into the skin restore its volume making your skin look plump and healthy. There are different types of fillers including hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, lactic acid, and polymethylmethacrylate fillers. These fillers last for 6 months to one year depending upon the type used.
Neuromodulators
Neuromodulators such as botox injections can also be your solution to marionette lines. They relax the muscles around your lips and chin to reduce the appearance of melomental or nasolabial folds. They prevent your skin from constricting thus reducing the wrinkles from the face as well. However, these neuromodulators mostly work for mild to moderate marionette lines only.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
In the laser skin resurfacing procedure, concentrated laser light is directed onto the skin which removes the epidermis by vaporizing it. The light then goes into depth and hits the dermis. Then, it converts into heat and stimulates the production of collagen. Resultantly, the skin regains its elasticity, marionette lines reduce, and the face becomes healthy and glowing.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a minimally invasive procedure in which superficial puncturing of the skin is done to enhance the production of collagen. For this purpose, a derma roller with small needles is rolled over the skin that makes tiny holes in the areas it passes through. It shows excellent results for superficial marionette lines and can also prove useful against deep lines.
However, keep in mind that to attain long-lasting results, multiple treatment sessions are required.
Ultrasound Therapy
Lastly, ultrasound therapy or radiofrequency is also a non-invasive treatment option that can reduce the visibility of facial lines. The energy waves produced during the therapy target deep layers of the skin. The heat produced boosts the production of collagen thus making the skin firm and healthy.
Facial Exercises and Massage
Face yoga for marionette line reduction can also prove highly effective. You can try different exercises for this. Let’s learn some of the easier ones.
Jaw to Nose Massage
Place the two fingers of your hand particularly the index and middle finger in alignment with the lower jaw just to the temporal side of the chin. While holding the skin taut with these fingers, use the index finger of your other hand and move it in a vertical motion toward the lateral side of your nostrils. Then, move the finger back to the jaw and repeat the process for 60 seconds.
This reduces muscle tension, lifts up the muscles, and improves blood circulation. For better results, deeply inhale and exhale as you move the finger towards the nostrils.
V Massage
Make a V with the help of your index finger and middle finger. Move your hand in a horizontal direction in such a way that the index finger lies above the upper lip. The middle finger lies parallel to the space beneath the lower lip. Move the fingers across the mouth while keeping the lips pressed together. This relaxes the facial muscles and gives you a calming sensation.
O Shape Massage
O-shaped facial massage also firms your muscles and improves blood circulation. To do the massage, make an O shape with lips (similar to a pout). Then place the index fingers of your both hands parallel to the marionette lines and start massaging. The massage direction should be from the chin towards the mouth. Continue this activity for 5 minutes regularly to see effective results.
Pencil Technique
Hold a pencil horizontally in between your lips and purse them around your teeth. Now tilt your head backward so that your chin moves forward. Come back to the initial position and tilt the head up and towards the left side. Again come back to the primary position and tilt your head upwards and toward the right direction.
Repeat this thrice a day. Also, keep in mind that these exercises work slowly so you need to be patient throughout your journey of reducing the marionette lines.
Home Remedies and Skincare
Try Retinoid Creams
Retinoid creams infused with retinol or Retin-A work well against marionette lines by stimulating the production of collagen. This is necessary for skin firmness. Moreover, they also exfoliate the dead cells thus bringing the fresh skin cells out. This makes skin appear brighter and healthier.
Keep in mind that these creams can cause severe dryness so do not forget to moisturize the skin after using cream.
Use Essential Oils
How to get rid of marionette lines naturally? Use essential oils. These oils not only boost collagen production but also increase skin cell turnover, improve complexion, and protect skin against environmental damage. Some of the most useful oils for this purpose include rosemary oil, lemon oil, wild carrot oil, or clary sage oil. As these oils can cause skin irritation, so dilute them with jojoba, Vitamin E, or almond oil. Use twice daily for good results.
Improve Lifestyle
Your lifestyle can speed up the aging process and make marionette lines appear quicker than expected. Some of the lifestyle changes one can make to make skin healthy and fresh are to quit smoking, and excessive alcohol use, and reduce fatty food consumption.
Eat a balanced diet and incorporate vegetables, proteins, nuts, seeds, and whole grains in your diet. These contain antioxidants that are healthy for your skin. Also, save yourself from the sun to minimize skin damage.
Conclusion
Marionette lines are a common sign of aging. However, they can occur earlier than usual due to unhealthy lifestyles, lack of physical activity, and environmental damage to the skin. There are some surgical procedures like face lifts or thread lifts that can temporarily reduce their appearance.
Moreover, some minimally invasive procedures like skin resurfacing and neuromodulators can help with solving your issue. You can also try massages and other home remedies. To know what suits you best, you can consult a professional and find an effective treatment plan according to the possible cause.
