Nasolabial Fold Lifting: Which Lifting Device Is Right for Me?

According to research conducted by a pharmaceutical company, each 1 cm increase in nasolabial folds can make a person look 6 years older. The nasolabial folds that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth have an important effect on first impressions and can make others perceive you as older than you actually are.

The area where nasolabial folds form has a thin subcutaneous fat layer and is tightly attached to the muscles, so it can wrinkle easily through everyday facial movements such as smiling, talking, and chewing food. Because these movements happen frequently, nasolabial folds often worsen due to facial expressions and habits.

Why do nasolabial folds form?

Then why do nasolabial folds, the main culprit behind an older-looking impression, occur? There are several causes, but if we choose the three 대표적인 causes, they are as follows.

1. Natural aging process

As we age, our skin naturally changes as well. Over time, the amounts of collagen and elastin that make up the skin decrease, and as a result, the skin can no longer maintain its elasticity as well as before. This creates an environment where wrinkles can easily form.

2. Reduced function of nearby muscles

Nasolabial folds refer to wrinkles in the sunken area between the nostril and the corner of the mouth. Therefore, they can also occur when the function of the levator labii alaeque nasi muscle, which supports this area, declines, or when the zygomatic muscles located beside the nose sag. In particular, since this decline in function can become more noticeable with age, it can actually be seen as an extension of aging.

3. UV exposure

The next cause also relates to skin aging. Ultraviolet rays accelerate skin aging and can lead to the need for nasolabial fold lifting. In addition, habitual facial expressions, smoking, nutritional imbalance, and dehydration also act as factors that promote wrinkles.

Can nasolabial folds be prevented?

Now that we have looked at the causes of nasolabial folds, if we pay attention to those causes, prevention may also be possible. Next, let’s look at ways to prevent them.

1. Proper sleeping posture

Nasolabial folds occur when the boundary between the mouth area and the cheeks folds. If you sleep on your side, your cheek is pressed against the mattress while you sleep, which can deepen the wrinkles. Therefore, developing the habit of sleeping on your back, facing the ceiling, can help prevent them.

2. Nutrition and moisturizing around the mouth

The area around the mouth often becomes dry, so it is important to provide sufficient moisture and nourishment to prevent wrinkles.

Drink water often to replenish moisture in the body, and apply moisturizing cream, nourishing cream, or essence carefully around the mouth. When applying cosmetics, gently massage in circular motions so that the product absorbs better and blood flow improves, which is also very helpful for skin elasticity.

3. Quit smoking

When smoking, you use the muscles around the mouth a lot. Because of this behavior, wrinkles can form. In addition, smoking can do more than just increase muscle use; it can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the skin and accelerate aging.

What is nasolabial fold lifting?

We have just looked at the causes and prevention methods for nasolabial folds. However, the main cause—aging—cannot be completely prevented, and wrinkles that have already formed will not disappear with prevention alone.

Therefore, a tailored approach is needed for already existing symptoms. One such method is the “nasolabial fold lifting” introduced today. It is a method that tightens the skin to soften wrinkles, and after the procedure, you can expect improved facial elasticity and a younger-looking appearance. Unlike surgery, it places less physical burden on the body, so it can be performed in a relatively short time, and the recovery period is also fairly quick, making it a method that office workers often consider without much burden.

Nasolabial fold lifting: what options are there?

1. New Thermage CPT

New Thermage CPT is a lifting device that can manage everything from fine lines to the overall facial line through collagen regeneration. Once performed, elasticity can improve for up to 6 months, which greatly helps improve nasolabial folds. The biggest drawback of the existing Thermage—pain—has been greatly reduced, and because you can wash your face and apply makeup after the procedure, it is also suitable for busy office workers.

2. Airgent

Airgent is loved for its immediate and visible lifting effect right after the procedure. It uses a special solution that induces skin regeneration and sprays it as a jet under ultra-high pressure, allowing it to penetrate deep into the skin and greatly help improve nasolabial folds.

It also shows excellent results in treating acne scars, so it can be considered a suitable lifting device for those who want to improve both nasolabial folds and scars.

3. Midas Lifting

Midas Lifting, one of the thread lifting procedures, uses threads with special barbed spicules to effectively pull the skin in the desired direction. This method has a short procedure time and allows you to return to daily life immediately. It also smooths nasolabial folds right away, restores elasticity, and even improves skin tone.

4. Whirlwind V Lifting

Another thread lifting method, Whirlwind V Lifting, uses spiral threads and boasts stronger lifting effects and durability. It is generally performed on sagging areas such as cheek fat or nasolabial folds with more than twice the strength of commonly used lifting threads, and it is also used to improve elasticity in fat-prone areas such as the face, thighs, sides, arms, underarms, calves, and abdomen.

5. Rainbow Gold Lifting

Rainbow Gold Lifting applies 99.9% pure gold nano-coating technology, making it possible to achieve wrinkle improvement, lifting, and brightening effects at the same time. It helps prevent skin aging and is effective for improving wrinkles. In addition, it addresses pigmentation issues such as melasma and freckles, strengthens the skin’s immune function, treats acne, and can also provide skin regeneration effects, so it is a nasolabial fold lifting option that can be expected to have comprehensive benefits along with nasolabial fold improvement.

6. Scultra

This is one of the injection-based procedures and is often performed in combination with the nasolabial fold lifting methods introduced earlier. The ingredients in the injection, along with PLLA and moisture, are applied immediately to the wrinkle area, promoting collagen production and filling in volume. Meanwhile, the injection’s components are broken down into moisture, carbon dioxide, and sugar, so they do not remain in the body. As a result, it is a highly safe method that does not require a separate allergy test before the procedure.

Nasolabial fold lifting: why Im Eesik Theme Dermatology?

As mentioned earlier, nasolabial fold lifting has a representative cause—aging—but we were also able to look at how different changes lead to different detailed causes. That means that even if the symptom is the same nasolabial fold, the detailed cause differs from person to person, so the nasolabial fold lifting needed to improve it can also vary.

Therefore, to receive the procedure that is right for you, it is wise to work with a clinic that has a variety of devices and procedure types, as well as extensive experience. If you are concerned about nasolabial folds, why not consult directly with a board-certified dermatologist with rich experience at Im Eesik Theme Dermatology near Sinsa Station, from consultation to selecting the lifting device and the procedure itself?