Laugh Lines

Creases or "laugh lines" can be caused by exposure to the elements, such as the sun, or they also can be hereditary. One way in which these lines are treated is through fat injections, meaning fat is taken from one part of the body (usually the stomach or thighs) and then injected along the facial crease.

The injection procedure takes less than one hour and involves a series of injections. The procedure can be performed as an outpatient. Minimal redness and swelling are common, but these usually subside a few hours after the procedure. Collagen injections also are used to treat laugh lines.

When lines develop around the mouth, the lip tissue breaks down, causing the lips to sag and retreat into two thin lines (lips lengthen as a result of gravity). The gradual shrinking of the jaw bone and teeth causes an inversion of the vermilion, or the pink portion of the lip. Lip enlargement and improvements are made in a variety of ways. Lip improvement using a CO2 laser can remove fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth, while dermabrasion, chemical peels, collagen injections and micro-fat injections allow for significant improvements to be made. These procedures also are generally performed as an outpatient.