Marionette lines are facial wrinkles that occur with natural aging. The lines run vertically between the mouth and chin, which can also create sagging in the lower half of your face.
Marionette lines get their name from marionette string puppets, which are known for having split jaws so puppeteers can help them talk. The skin around your mouth is particularly prone to wrinkling because it’s thinner compared with the rest of your face.
These types of wrinkles tend to develop by your 40s, but you may start seeing signs of them in your 20s and 30s.
Like other types of facial wrinkles, marionette lines are caused by natural collagen losses that occur with age. Collagen itself is a protein that naturally plumps up your skin. Gravity also plays a role in sagging skin around the chin, making marionette lines more noticeable.
As early as your 20s, your skin starts losing elasticity as well as hydration, which increases your risk for fine lines and wrinkles. Long-term sun exposure, stress, and poor nutrition may also contribute to facial wrinkles by prematurely breaking down collagen and elastin.
There are no medical treatments besides surgery (face lift) that’ll remove wrinkles permanently, but certain options like dermal fillers and Botox can help.
Unlike Botox, fillers don’t relax muscles. Instead, they help plump your skin with hyaluronic acid. This is designed to mimic the effects of collagen and elastin to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
Dermal fillers may also help address sagginess caused by marionette lines, but beware.. they might inadvertently worsen these effects if too much is used. This picture was taken immediately after the procedure. Pain is minimal, no numbing required. Investment: $500/syringe.
Other options for preventing these lines include: Botox, chemical peels, serums (vit C,E, niacinamide, retinol) and microneedling💉