One of the most obvious places to show ageing is the mouth area, as lines form all around the mouth as we get older. There are several types of lines, and as the moth is a focal point on your face, attention is instantly drawn to it.

Dermal fillers are fantastic for helping erase the lines around the mouth area. Dr. Lisa Fay at Cosmetic Doctor uses a variety of dermal fillers to help eradicate the signs of ageing around the mouth, in the most subtle and natural-looking of ways.

Ageing of the Skin around the Mouth

Lines around the mouth are not just ageing, but lend the person a kind of dour, cross expression like a cranky old lady. That’s even more ageing!

There are many different lines that happen in this region and it’s best to evaluate each type to determine the most effective dermal filler to use.

Marionette Lines

Vertical folds that start at the corners of your mouth and drop down to your jawline, looking like the mouth on an old-fashioned wooden puppet, are given the name ‘marionette lines’ as a result.

The corner of your mouth, where the upper and lower lips meet, is called the oral commissure. This area tends to sag over time, which further contributes to the formation of lines, as well as a stern appearance.

Oral commissure lines are almost always treated with advanced dermal fillers.
If the folds are very deep, a bulking filler can help push up the folds. In some cases Dr. Fay may use botox to help alleviate the oral commissure lines; the placement will vary by patient.

Placing some botox in the depressor anguli oris muscle (which extends from the chin to around the corners of the mouth) lifts the corners of the mouth, eliminating the depression. Each patient is unique, and requires an individualised approach.

Parentheses Lines

Lines that arc around the sides of the mouth like a little set of brackets or parentheses are often an extension of nasolabial folds.

They’re usually fairly shallow, and treated in much the same way as marionette lines, with advanced dermal fillers placed along the line to help fill and lift the area.

Lipstick Lines

Lines that etch vertically from the upper or lower lips are sometimes called smoker’s lines-but most people get them for reasons other than smoking. They are the result of loss of volume around the mouth, as well as repetitive bunching of tissue from muscular activity. These lines cause lipstick to bleed into them, hence the name lipstick lines.

Dr. Fay will treat these lines with advanced dermal fillers, and maybe combine them with some botox. It really depends on how deep your lines are, and the extent of the puckering. Botox is used to help to relax the line to eliminate the etching that has occurred, as well as extending the life of the dermal filler used.

For deep lines a soft, smooth dermal filler is used to help fill them in. Adding a little volume to the lips will also help, as it elongate the lip itself and eliminates puckering.

Book your appointment with Cosmetic Doctor on 01 685 3100 or see www.cosmeticdoctor.ie for photos and more information.