Nasolabial folds: more than just a line on your face

My grandmother had the deepest nasolabial folds I had ever seen. I once asked her: “Oma, hoe voel je je erbij?” Ze glimlachte en zei: “Meisje, aan de ene kant herinneren ze me eraan dat ik heb gelééfd. Aan de andere kant dat ik ouder word.”

En dat is precies de paradox: die lijnen naast je mond zijn een teken van lachen, praten, liefhebben, maar soms ook een reminder dat de jaren voorbijvliegen.

How do nasolabial folds actually develop?

The nasolabial fold is an anatomical feature that everyone has. It is the line that is visible from birth, but becomes deeper with age. As we get older, the support of the skin and underlying tissue changes. This makes the folds increasingly visible.

The deepening of the wrinkle is the result of multiple processes in the skin and face:

• Skin – reduction in collagen and elastin makes the skin thinner and less elastic.
• Fat compartments – these shrink and sag, causing a loss of volume.
• Spieren – spieren zoals de DAO trekken continu aan de mondhoeken.
• Bone structure – bone loss in the jaw and maxilla causes the support to literally disappear.

The result? Those recognizable lines that suddenly become much more prominent than you would like.

Why you should never treat the crease alone

A recent study (September 2025) shows once again that simply “filling” the crease produces unnatural results. This quickly leads to a heavy, unnatural face and a loss of harmony. The correct approach is holistic:

• From top to bottom: first restore the cheekbones and temples, then move lower down the face.
• From lateral to medial: start at the sides and then slowly work toward the center.

This way, you support the natural architecture of the face. The funny thing is: often the wrinkles become softer without a single drop of filler being injected into the line.

Two examples from practice

• 38 years old, busy young mother with mainly superficial wrinkles.
  She had superficial wrinkles that made her look more tired. With a subtle treatment (small amounts injected directly into the wrinkle superficially), she regained her fresh appearance. No one said, “Hey, fillers!” Just, “You look rested.”
• 65 years old, in addition to deep wrinkles, also volume loss and sagging skin.
  In addition to deep wrinkles, she also suffered from volume loss and sagging skin. The focus here was on restoring the upper and sides of the face: cheekbones, piriform fossae, and corners of the mouth. A total of 3.5 ml was distributed. By following the correct sequence—first lift, then detail—balance and softness were achieved.

More than a wrinkle

Nasolabial folds are not only a sign of aging, but also of the life you have led. The next time you look at nasolabial folds, don't just see aging. See the stories: love, laughter, nights spent staying up too late. It's so much more than just a line.

Still, it's understandable that you want to soften them if they make you look tired or older than you feel. In that case, choose an approach that looks at the harmony of your entire face and not just the crease.

Would you like to know which treatment is best suited to your situation?

Schedule a no-obligation consultation at SkinSurgery Clinics and discover how we can help you look fresh and radiant again in a natural way. At SkinSurgery Clinics, we combine medical expertise with an aesthetic eye. Our goal is not to erase lines, but to restore balance and harmony to the face.

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