They say everyone has a playlist of the ‘greatest hits’ in life, filled with all the happiest of moments. Ironically, these moments are also the reason for the lines and wrinkles around your mouth. And while these are signs of a well-lived life, they are also telltale signs of ageing!
Yes, we want you to replay your greatest hits without worrying about pesky ageing lines. With that, we scoured the best expert-approved tips on how to get rid of laugh lines. A bonus: we also sprinkled a crash course on how they show up and what causes them!
Laugh Lines 101: What are they, and how do they happen?
Laugh lines, smile lines, or nasolabial folds – you’ve probably heard other monikers, but they all mean the same. These creases or folds appear from the sides of your nose to the corner of your mouth. When you’re younger, the folds may only appear when you smile or laugh, then fade as your face relaxes. Over time, the lines may deepen and become permanent, emerging whether you’re smiling or not.
Laugh lines show up when your skin loses its natural volume as you age. This happens when your body starts breaking down collagen faster, which provides structure and support to your skin. Other causes include genetics, sun damage, dehydration, and unhealthy habits like smoking.
How can I get rid of laugh lines on my face?
While laugh lines are a normal part of life, we understand that they’re not the best nor most beautiful thing. For starters, these lines give away your age and can sometimes zap your confidence. Fortunately, there are various ways to prevent and eliminate them:
Always wear sunscreen.
Prevention is better than cure, as they say. When it comes to the visible signs of ageing, it’s best to act as early as possible. As we mentioned earlier, sun damage may be the culprit of your laugh lines. The sun emits harmful UV rays that can penetrate your skin and damage your cells. This could then speed up the ageing process and exacerbate the appearance of your laugh lines.
Wearing sunscreen containing SPF 30 or higher daily can help shield your skin from sun and UV damage. Make sure your sun protection also says ‘broad-spectrum’ on the label; this means it can bounce off all types of UV rays!
Read more: 3 non-surgical face lifts options to consider for firmer skin
Invest in a night cream with high-quality ingredients.
Night creams nourish and deliver essential ingredients and nutrients to your skin as you sleep. These can help thicken the skin, improve elasticity, and reduce the appearance of laugh lines over time. We recommend using night creams that contain retinol, niacinamide, or vitamin C, as these ingredients boast potent anti-ageing benefits.
Try a chemical peel.
If you have deeper laugh lines, then a regular exfoliation may not suffice. Going for in-office procedures like chemical peels provide a more proactive approach to treating signs of ageing. Chemical peels use high concentrations of skincare acids to slough away the topmost layer of your skin. This procedure reveals younger, smoother skin and encourages the production of newer cells, which helps eliminate laugh lines.
Microneedling also works!
Other in-office treatments can help treat laugh lines, like microneedling. This minimally invasive procedure uses tiny needles to damage your skin and trick it to go into healing mode. As your skin ‘heals’ itself, it will speed up collagen production, restoring sagging skin around your mouth and smoothing wrinkles.