EnglishBe careful! Smile line fillers might be aging you – here’s what to do instead
对不起，此内容只适用于English。 For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.
The fix that can backfire.
Smile lines, also known as nasolabial folds, are one of the most common reasons patients walk into aesthetic clinics.
Most request filler injections directly into the fold – thinking it’s the fastest way to erase those lines.
But here’s the truth: directly filling smile lines can sometimes make you look older, not younger.
Let’s break down why, and what modern aesthetic doctors do differently today.
Why smile line fillers can age you
When filler is placed straight into the fold, it adds forward volume instead of lift.
That means the face looks puffier from the front, even though the fold seems reduced at rest.
Over time, this approach can:
- Widen the lower face
- Create unnatural bulging beside the nose
- Deepen shadows when you smile
- Exaggerate sagging as filler weight settles
“Adding volume in the wrong plane drags the face downward. The key is to lift, not stuff.” – Dr Low Chai Ling
The real cause of smile lines
Smile lines aren’t just surface creases. They’re a structural issue caused by:
- Volume loss in the cheeks and midface
- Skin laxity from collagen depletion
- Downward gravitational pull over time
That’s why filling the fold directly rarely fixes the root cause – it simply camouflages the symptom.
What to do instead: pull from the edges
Today’s aesthetic philosophy focuses on lifting from the sides rather than pushing from the centre.
By restoring support in the temples, cheeks, and jawline, doctors create natural upward tension that smooths the fold – without heaviness or distortion.
This “outside-in” strategy refreshes the whole midface and keeps expressions soft and authentic.
Treatments that actually work for smile lines
1. Dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid or collagen stimulators)
Best for: Immediate softening of moderate to deep folds.
How it works: Restores lost midface volume and support from underneath, lifting the fold indirectly. Collagen-stimulating injectables rebuild firmness for longer-term structure.
Results: Instant improvement; lasts 12–24 months depending on formulation.
2. Youth Preserve / Youth Preserve Structura hybrid
Best for: Early to moderate smile lines with dehydration or mild laxity.
How it works: Combines deep hydration with subdermal bio-remodelling to tighten and restore elasticity.
Benefits: Softer folds, smoother texture, and a dewy glow.
Results: Noticeable radiance after 1–2 sessions; collagen renewal continues for months.
3. Ultherapy Prime (precision ultrasound lifting)
Best for: Midface sagging, early jowls, deepening folds from tissue descent.
How it works: Focused ultrasound energy contracts the SMAS and deep dermis to lift the cheek pad upward.
Benefits: Non-surgical lift, firmer contours, gradual tightening.
Results: Build over 2–3 months; last up to 18 months.
4. EternaLift (RF microneedling)
Best for: Sagging skin and lower-face laxity.
How it works: Combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to firm skin and remodel collagen – giving thread-like lift without threads.
Benefits: Defines jawline, smooths folds, tightens over several sessions.
Results: Visible improvement from week 4; full lift by 3–6 months.
5. Laser collagen remodelling
Best for: Fine creases and texture around the nasolabial area.
How it works: Fractional laser energy renews dermal collagen, brightening and refining skin.
Benefits: Improves elasticity, smoothness, and glow.
Doctor’s signature protocol
For natural, youthful correction:
- Lift: Ultherapy Prime + EternaLift (RF tightening)
- Rebuild: Youth Preserve / Structura Hybrid (collagen + hydration)
- Define: Filler touch-up (for contour precision)
- Refine: SmartX laser (for surface renewal)
This multi-layered plan restores lift, density, and luminosity – the three pillars of ageless beauty.
Final words: lift from the sides, don’t fill the folds
“Sometimes doing less, but smarter gives the most natural result.
It’s not about removing every line. It’s about putting things back where they belong.” – Dr Low Chai Ling
