Marionette Lines_ What Are They and How to Get Rid of Them
Chemical peels use an acidic solution to deeply exfoliate the skin and stimulate cell turnover, exposing a fresh, youthful complexion underneath. Gentler at-home chemical peels can be an, excellent method for softening shallow marionette lines, but for deep lines, you’re better off seeing the pros. A professional chemical peel solution contains a stronger concentration of acid and can remove skin cells not only from the epidermis but also from the lower layers of the skin for more dramatic results. Research has shown that chemical peeling can smooth wrinkles by increasing the thickness and structural elements that give the skin its strength and elasticity.
2. Topical Treatments
Serums and creams containing peptides, ceramides, vitamin C, vitamin E, and retinol are old standbys that really do improve the tone and texture of the skin, and even fight wrinkles. But the cool newer kid in town is the silicone patch. Silicone has been well-documented as a highly regenerative topical treatment for scars and other skin afflictions. But just as they can help scar tissue to heal, they also can rejuvenate wrinkled skin. SiO Beauty makes the perfect kit for marionette lines and beyond. The Eye & Smile Lift 4-pack comes with two patches to cover everything from the parentheses around the mouth to the jowls on the lower face, plus two more as a bonus, to iron out the smile lines around the eyes. What more do you need?
3. Injectables
Dermal fillers like Juvederm and toxins like Botox often get a bad rap when it comes to marionette lines. That’s because they really only help when it comes to mild or moderate lines. In the case of early-stage marionette lines, Botox can be injected into the depressor anguli oris (think of it as the frowning muscle) to keep you from making the kinds of expressions that can cement marionette lines into place. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm, on the other hand, can be injected below the corners of the mouth to lift the smile and fill out minor creases. Just beware that gravity is not on our side, and adding more and more filler to the chin area over time can result in a puffy, heavy-looking lower face without fixing the initial problem. Patients over the age of 50 who have deeper lines may actually consider surgery to pull the skin taut. Plastic Surgeon Dr. Dean Kane, MD advises that if you can “pinch more than an inch of skin along the jawline in front of the earlobe,” he recommends taking surgical measures to “redrape the underlying soft tissue descent and skin lift with skin excess removal.”
4. Laser Resurfacing
Whether a facelift is in the cards for you or not so much, you can explore laser resurfacing—in addition to or instead of more invasive procedures for your marionette lines. Laser resurfacing is a deep skin treatment that involves using fractional lasers (like CO2, Erbium, and radiofrequency) to refresh the damaged layers of the skin. The lasers work by emitting radiation that targets water molecules within the collagen layer, heating them to a point that they break down or turn to vapor. This triggers our skin’s repair mechanism to kick into high gear. The (science-backed) results: smooth skin and a youthful glow. But there’s always a catch, isn’t there? It’s worth noting that depending on the type of laser and energy output, you can expect some pain and varying amounts of downtime.
5. Thread Lift
If you want to fix a marionette, you might need some strings. The thread lift is more or less what it sounds like: imagine it like a puppeteer that literally pulls the jowls taut from the sides. More technically speaking, it’s a minimally-invasive alternative to the facelift in which a string of fiber studded with small cones is threaded below the skin surface. The cones take hold of the tissue from below, suspending the skin in a more lifted position. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, and it only requires a few days of downtime, during which you can expect some bruising and swelling. Because the threads are dissolvable, the results will last about six months.
Simple Ways to Prevent Marionette Lines from Forming
Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It’s never too early (or late, for that matter) to take control of your skin.
1. Good Skin Care
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