Nasolabial folds treatment: how to reduce smile lines

Published: February 2023

Last Reviewed: August 2025

Nasolabial folds—often called “smile lines,” “laugh lines,” or “nose-to-mouth lines”—are the natural creases that form between the sides of the nose and the corners of the mouth. They develop in everyone over time as part of the natural ageing process.

In this article, we’ll explore what are nasolabial folds, difference between nasolabial folds and marionette lines, what causes nasolabial folds, how to reduce their appearance with Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler range and what you can do to help prevent them from becoming more prominent.

Nasolabial folds are natural creases that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Also known as small lines or laugh lines, they appear when you smile or make facial expressions. 

While everyone has nasolabial folds, they can become more prominent and permanent with age due to a natural decline in collagen and facial volume.

Nasolabial folds are often mistaken for marionette lines, as both are types of wrinkles that appear around the mouth. However, there are key differences between the two:

• Nasolabial folds run from the sides of the nose down to the corners of the mouth. Commonly known as smile lines, they become more noticeable with age due to volume loss in the cheeks and repeated facial movements.
• Marionette lines extend downward from the corners of the mouth to the chin. They can create the appearance of a downturned or sagging mouth and are typically caused by skin laxity, gravity, and-like nasolabial folds- a natural decline in collagen over time. 

Learn more about what marionette lines are and how to reduce their appearance.

Nasolabial folds—also known as smile lines—form as the skin naturally ages. From around age 20, the skin begins to lose moisture and elasticity. 

The main cause is repetitive facial movements, such as laughing, eating, or talking, which gradually create lasting creases.

Other key factors that contribute to nasolabial fold formation include:

• Loss of skin moisture
• Breakdown of collagen and elastic fibres
• Reduction in the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid
• Strong facial expressions
• High UV exposure
• Weight loss or facial volume loss leading to sagging cheeks
• Genetics, such as family predisposition to early collagen decline
• Lifestyle choices, including stress, smoking, and alcohol, which increase free radical damage and accelerate skin ageing

In short, nasolabial folds develop due to a combination of ageing, facial movement, environmental damage, and lifestyle habits that weaken the skin’s structure over time.

Several effective treatment options can visibly reduce the appearance of nasolabial folds, including targeted skincare and non-invasive treatments. While quick removal often requires fillers or surgery, daily use of Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler products can visibly smooth and plump the skin, reducing the appearance of smile lines over time—no needles needed.

If you want to reduce the appearance of nasolabial folds, using an anti-age serums as a part of your daily skincare routine is important to boost your collagen production and improve overall sin health. 

Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler Epigenetic Serum, containing Epicelline and Glycine Saponin, targets nasolabial folds by working deep within the skin cells to reactivate youth genes and make skin cells act younger. It gradually improves skin firmness and elasticity, targeting the main causes of deeper smile lines. 

Made with Enoxolone, it also protects the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid and supports DNA repair. Clinical studies show visible results in just 4 weeks, making this serum ideal for reducing deeper, more noticeable nasolabial folds.

Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler +3X Effect Firming Serum focuses on hydrating and plumping the skin’s surface to smooth out nasolabial folds. It strengthens the skin’s barrier and boosts moisture with 5% Provitamin B5, helping to reduce the visibility of these lines and prevent them from deepening. This serum is ideal for early signs of nasolabial folds or for maintaining firmer, smoother skin.

Other than serums, anti-age creams with Hyaluronic Acid help plump and hydrate the skin, making folds look less deep. Use a moisturiser with SPF 30 or higher to shield your skin from UV damage, which breaks down collagen and worsens wrinkles. 

Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler Anti-Age Day Creams visibly reduce fine lines and deep wrinkles like nasolabial folds with its 3x Effect formula. It hydrates and plumps the skin with high and low molecular Hyaluronic Acid, boosts the skin’s own Hyaluronic Acid production with Glycine Saponin, and slows its breakdown with Enoxolone. 

With daily use, skin looks smoother, firmer, and more youthful, while SPF 30 / SPF 15 helps prevent sun-induced ageing. Suitable for all skin types, including dry skin.

While Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler is ideal for addressing the early signs of ageing, the Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler + Elasticity range is specifically formulated to target deeper wrinkles and reduced skin elasticity, which are more common in mature skin. This makes it especially suitable for improving the appearance of more prominent lines, such as nasolabial folds.

Key ingredients:

• High and low molecular Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrates the skin on multiple levels and visibly plumps deep wrinkles.
• Arctiin: Boosts collagen renewal in skin cells, helping to restore firmness and improve elasticity.
• Argan Oil: Intensely nourishes and supports overnight skin regeneration for smoother, more resilient skin.

You can learn more about Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler products that help reduce the appearance of nasolabial lines—including the night cream, night peeling serum, eye cream, and sheet mask—below, or visit the full range page here. 

Maintaining a daily skincare routine with anti-ageing products can help reduce the appearance of nasolabial folds over time. If you’re looking for a quicker solution to reduce them, here are a couple of options to consider:

This is a minimally invasive treatment in which a dermatologist or trained cosmetician injects Hyaluronic Acid into the cheeks just above the nasolabial folds using a fine needle. The filler helps to visibly smooth and plump the skin, reducing the appearance of deep lines. The procedure is generally quick, lasting around 30 to 60 minutes, and is almost painless.

There are different types of dermal fillers used for nasolabial folds, including Hyaluronic Acid-based options like Teoxane, Belotero, Juvederm, and Restylane—the most commonly used—along with calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) and poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra).

Recovery time is usually minimal, though some people may experience slight swelling or bruising at the injection site, which typically fades within a few days. To maintain results, treatments need to be repeated approximately every six months. While effective, this option can be costly and carries the usual risks associated with injectable treatments.

Nasolabial folds and other wrinkles can also be treated with surgery. Procedures like facelifts or fat transfer (where fat is taken from one part of the body and injected into another) are much more invasive than fillers or cosmetic skincare, and they come with higher risks, such as swelling and potential infections from poor healing. It's important to carefully weigh the pros and cons of plastic surgery and speak with your dermatologist beforehand.

For a more affordable, non-invasive, and natural alternative, Eucerin’s Hyaluron-Filler care products offer targeted support for ageing skin, helping to reduce the appearance of nasolabial folds and prevent them from becoming more prominent.

The good news is that there are several ways to prevent the development of nose-to-mouth lines and smile lines. The following three are very simple to incorporate into your daily routine and easy to apply. 

Daily sunscreen use helps protect your skin from UV damage—the main cause of premature ageing. It prevents collagen breakdown, fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Even on cloudy days, sunscreen is essential to keep skin firm, smooth, and youthful-looking. 

Eucerin Sun Fluid Photoaging Control SPF 30 and SPF 50 is a lightweight, daily facial sunscreen that protects against UVA, UVB, and HEVIS light, helping prevent photoageing. It supports the skin’s natural DNA repair and is enriched with Hyaluronic Acid to visibly reduce wrinkles. Suitable for all skin types, it offers high sun protection while keeping skin smooth and youthful-looking.

The skin regenerates most effectively at night during 7 to 8 hours of healthy sleep. This natural repair process helps protect and renew your skin. However, if you tend to sleep on your side, be aware that your preferred sleeping position can cause wrinkles over time. 

Nasolabial folds, as well as wrinkles around the mouth and eyes, are more likely to develop on the side you sleep on. To help prevent these wrinkles, consider using specially designed anti-wrinkle pillows that encourage you to sleep on your back.

Exercise your facial muscles daily! Just a few minutes of facial yoga can help prevent nasolabial folds and other facial wrinkles. Gentle massages on the cheeks and forehead also boost blood circulation, which tightens and firms the skin.

With these simple tips and a consistent skincare routine, you can delay the appearance of nose-to-mouth lines from a young age. Even if you already have early or more advanced nasolabial folds, it’s never too late to take action. The sooner you start, the better your chances of slowing down their formation.

Source: 

1. Swift, A., Liew, S., Weinkle, S., Garcia, J. K., & Silberberg, M. B. (2021). The facial aging process from the “inside out”. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, . Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaa339