Laugh Lines

What Are Laugh Lines?

Laugh lines, also called smile lines or nasolabial folds, are the curved folds that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, like a pair of parentheses. Everyone has some fold there, even children, because it is where the cheek meets the lip area. With age the fold usually looks deeper, mainly because the face loses volume and firmness, not only because you smile. Hydration, plumping and firming peptides, and daily sun protection can soften how laugh lines look.

Why Laugh Lines Look Deeper With Age

• Volume shifts. The face is not one even layer of fat. Rohrich and Pessa (2007) dissected 30 half-faces and found that facial fat sits in separate compartments, with the nasolabial fold as its own distinct unit; they concluded that facial aging is partly driven by how these compartments change over time. As the cheek compartments lose fullness and sit lower, the fold beside the mouth looks deeper.
• Less firmness. Collagen and elastin decline with age and with sun exposure, so skin drapes over the fold instead of springing back.
• Dryness. Dehydrated skin looks thinner and creased, which makes every fold more visible. Drying products, such as strong blemish products, can make this worse.
• Sun and smoking. Both speed up the loss of firmness. In a 4.5-year trial of 903 adults, people who used sunscreen daily showed no detectable increase in skin aging on the backs of the hands (Hughes and colleagues, 2013).

Laugh lines or marionette lines?

Laugh lines run from the nose to the mouth corners. Marionette lines run downward from the mouth corners toward the chin and often come with a softer jawline. Fine vertical lines on the upper lip are a separate concern; see our lip lines guide.

The At-Home Routine for the Look of Laugh Lines

Morning

1. Hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, pressed into the fold area while the skin is slightly damp.
2. Peptide serum along the fold and the cheek above it, since the cheek's support shapes the fold.
3. Moisturizer to seal in water.
4. Broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, on the whole face.

Evening

1. Peptide serum again; the supplier studies below used twice-daily application.
2. Retinol two or three nights a week if your skin tolerates it, for overall firmness and texture.
3. Richer cream overnight if your skin is dry.

Ingredients That Help the Look of Laugh Lines

Adipofill-in (volumizing amino acid)

Adipofill-in is L-ornithine encapsulated in a delivery system, designed for the look of lost facial fullness. In Lucas Meyer's split-face study, 20 women aged 40 to 60 with visible nasolabial folds applied a 2% cream twice daily for 2 months; profilometry measured reductions of up to 37.6% in fold depth and up to 27.5% in roughness, and 80% of the women said their skin looked plumper (supplier data).

Matrixyl Synthe'6 and firming peptides

Firming peptides support the look of fuller, smoother skin. In Sederma's two-month study of women aged 42 to 70, a 2% Matrixyl Synthe'6 cream applied twice daily measurably reduced wrinkle volume and the surface of deep wrinkles compared with placebo (supplier data).

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid gives the fastest visible change because it holds water in the upper skin. In a 60-day randomized study of 76 women aged 30 to 60, 0.1% hyaluronic acid creams improved hydration and elasticity compared with a vehicle cream, and lower molecular weights were associated with a reduction in the look of wrinkle depth (Pavicic and colleagues, 2011).

Retinol

Retinol supports the look of firmer, smoother skin over months. In a randomized, double-blind study, 0.4% retinol applied up to three times a week for 24 weeks improved fine wrinkling more than a plain lotion (Kafi and colleagues, 2007).

Realistic Timelines and Expectations

• Within hours: hydration softens the creasing along the fold.
• 1 to 2 months: the volumizing and firming peptide studies above measured changes at 30 and 60 days.
• 3 to 6 months: retinol and sun protection build gradually.

Be realistic: a deep fold comes from the shape of the face itself, so topicals soften it rather than flatten it. Injectable fillers add volume in one appointment; topicals are slower, needle-free, and many people use them to keep results looking fresh between appointments. For a balanced comparison, read the truth about wrinkle fillers.

How to Choose a Product for Laugh Lines

• Look for volume plus firmness. A serum that combines a volumizing ingredient such as Adipofill-in with firming peptides covers both causes.
• Cover the cheek, not just the line. Apply along the fold and up over the cheek.
• Pair with hydration. A hyaluronic acid layer gives the quick plumping while peptides work over weeks.
• Sensitive skin: patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours and start with the lowest recommended rate.

Products in This Collection

• Ageless Advanced Age-Defying Serum: our pick for laugh lines, with Adipofill-in for the look of lost fullness plus Matrixyl Synthe'6, Syn-Ake, Syn-Coll, and Snap-8.
• Wrinkle Eraser Supercharged Peptide Serum: 11 peptides, including Argireline, Snap-8, Matrixyl 3000, and the firming peptides Pepha-Tight and Relistase, for the look of lines around the mouth and across the face.

DIY formulators can find Adipofill-in as the Dermafill Wrinkle Filler booster. The Dermafill product page usage rate is 1 to 3%. At the top of that range, add 27 drops to 1 fluid ounce of a water-based serum, gel, cream, or lotion (9 drops = 1%), stirring it in below 40°C (104°F). Keep Dermafill in the refrigerator after opening. If your skin is sensitive, patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours and start at 1% (9 drops per ounce).

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes laugh lines?

Laugh lines are a natural fold where the cheek meets the mouth area. They look deeper with age as the cheeks lose fullness and sit lower, skin loses collagen and elasticity, and sun exposure adds up. Smiling shows them, but it is not the main reason they deepen.

At what age do laugh lines appear?

Most people have a soft fold at any age. It usually starts to look deeper in the 30s and 40s as volume and firmness decline. Sun exposure, smoking, and weight changes can make it show sooner.

Can laugh lines be reduced without fillers?

Yes, their look can be softened. Hydration plumps the area within hours, and in supplier studies volumizing and firming peptides measurably reduced fold depth over one to two months. Topicals will not match the instant volume of a filler, but they need no needles.

Can a hyaluronic acid serum plump laugh lines?

Yes, for a temporary softening. Hyaluronic acid holds water in the upper skin, so creasing along the fold looks smoother within hours. It cannot replace lost cheek volume, so pair it with peptides for longer-term support.

What is the best ingredient for laugh lines?

A combination works best: a volumizing ingredient such as Adipofill-in, firming peptides such as Matrixyl Synthe'6, and hyaluronic acid for quick plumping. Retinol and daily sunscreen support the look of firmer skin over time.

Are laugh lines a sign of aging?

A soft fold is simply part of facial anatomy, and many people find laugh lines attractive because they show expression. A fold that looks deeper at rest is a typical sign of volume loss with age.

Sources

• Rohrich RJ, Pessa JE. The fat compartments of the face: anatomy and clinical implications for cosmetic surgery. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2007;119(7):2219-2227. UT Southwestern record
• Pavicic T, Gauglitz GG, Lersch P, et al. Efficacy of cream-based novel formulations of hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights in anti-wrinkle treatment. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2011;10(9):990-1000. PubMed 22052267
• Kafi R, Kwak HS, Schumacher WE, et al. Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). Archives of Dermatology. 2007;143(5):606-612. doi:10.1001/archderm.143.5.606
• Hughes MCB, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013;158(11):781-790. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002
• Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, Adipofill'in brochure (supplier data).
• Sederma, Matrixyl Synthe'6 technical document (supplier data).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.