Marionette Lines_ What Are They and How to Get Rid of Them

Goes without saying, right? Beauty and drug stores can definitely overwhelm with outlandish product claims being thrown left and right, but if you zero in on a few clutch anti-aging ingredients for your creams, masks, and serums, you’ll be well on your way to erasing those marionette lines. Niacinamide, vitamin C, peptides, and hyaluronic acid are just a handful of science-approved wrinkle fighters that can rebuild and restore elasticity to the skin.

2. Sleeping Right

Sleep helps us fight illness and disease, keeps our brains operating at an optimal level, and balances our hormones, among other crucial functions. But did you know that sleep is also vital for skin health? Poor sleep quality is associated with premature aging and decreased function of the skin barrier—so make sure you’re prioritizing those Zs! And while we’re on the subject, try to sleep on your back as much as possible. Stomach- and side-sleepers are more prone to wrinkles, especially on the lower face (read: marionette lines) due to pressure and gravity.

3. Staying Away from the Sun

It’s old news by now, and yet some people still can’t seem to shake the sunshine. The fact of the matter is that UV exposure contributes to a structural breakdown of the skin, which can result in the formation of marionette lines and just about every other wrinkle, too. Make sure to wear a broad-spectrum 30 SPF (or more) sunscreen every single day, and avoid the sun at peak UV hours.

4. Skin Food

We focus on skincare as an outside force—and that makes sense because, well, our skin faces the outside world. But how much are you caring for your skin from the inside? We’re talking about skin food. Eating antioxidant-rich foods like berries, leafy greens, nuts, sweet potatoes, and carrots can help keep your skin strong, vibrant, and resistant to wrinkles.

5. Curbing Weight Fluctuations

Loose skin is a common side effect of extreme weight loss, but the belly and arms are not the only body parts affected. The face can also experience sagging and folds due to a loss of fat, and the lower face gets the brunt of it, as the skin gathers at the bottom. If you experience serious swings in weight loss and weight gain, know that the impact on your skin over time can be significant.

The Wrap Up

Nobody likes to be made a puppet. But let’s face it, marionette lines happen to the best of us. They’re a product of many different internal and external factors—but even though they’re a natural and expected part of the aging process, they can still be delayed and even reversed. A facelift (or simply a lower facelift) is the surest way to tighten the jowls, and if you’re a candidate for a facelift, know that the procedure is much less invasive than it used to be. But if you’re not up to going under the knife just yet, corrective treatments ranging from fillers to thread lifts can diminish the appearance of marionette lines by addressing the underlying causes: collagen depletion and loss of elasticity. There are also simple, everyday wrinkle filler treatments that are less invasive that target wrinkles with skin-plumping peptides and potent blend of ingredients that reduce the appearance of fine lines while providing hydration to volume deficient areas.