Marionette wrinkles: causes and methods of getting rid of them

03.20.2018 Category: WrinklesAuthor: Tatyana Koryakovskaya

Puppet wrinkles got their name because of the similarity with the lower jaw of a marionette doll, which is a separate detail, but such folds will not bring a puppet charm, but will add gloom, sadness and extra years to the image. You can get rid of them in different ways, you just need to find out the reasons for their appearance and choose the best correction method.

• Getting rid of marionette wrinkles: how to remove wrinkles
  Home methods to get rid of wrinkles

  Application of anti-aging cosmetics

• Pharmacy products to combat wrinkles
• Facebuilding and massages from Puppets
• Video: exercises for the area around the mouth
• Folk remedies

What marionette wrinkles look like

Over the years, the skin on the face loses its former elasticity and sags, forming unpleasant wrinkles. Often in women you can find such a phenomenon as “marionette wrinkles” or “wrinkles of grief”. They are located in the corners of the mouth and lowered to the chin, forming a dissatisfied, sad or even mournful expression on the face. Puppet wrinkles received this unusual name because of their similarity to the facial structure of marionette dolls. Their mouth and chin area looks as if separate from the entire face.

Wrinkles of grief can age a woman by ten years. They appear mainly after 40 years. But in some women, due to facial activity or the occurrence of unfavorable conditions for the body, marionette wrinkles may appear much earlier. Depending on the reasons, you can choose the appropriate correction method to rejuvenate wrinkles from the corners of the lips to the chin.

Some important theory

In addition to visual defects, spasm of the mentalis muscle leads to bone resorption, that is, its gradual destruction, which causes a decrease in jaw volume and often forces plastic surgeons to perform prosthetics in this area. With age, the area of ​​the chin-labial furrow turns into one spasmodic knot - visually it looks like a chin fold under the lower lip, which becomes a real stress concentrator.

The muscle that lowers the lower lip begins to tighten here; the center of the chin begins to sink, and the edge, on the contrary, protrudes forward - the illusion of a Baba Yaga’s profile is created. Due to constant spasm, the orbicularis oris and triangular muscles are shortened, and excess skin folds into marionette wrinkles and jowls - this is the insidious hypertonicity of the chin muscles.

Causes of marionette wrinkles

The face is the part of the body that always remains open. It is intended for a communicative function, helping people express their emotions - anger, joy, sadness, surprise.

The formation of wrinkles from the corners of the lips to the chin occurs gradually and can be influenced by many factors:

• frequent tension of the muscles of the corners of the mouth during moving facial expressions;
• sudden weight gain and loss, resulting in sagging skin;
• hormonal changes in the body during menopause reduce estrogen levels and provoke deterioration of the skin;
• reducing the volume of subcutaneous fat in the chin area;
• smoking causes chronic hypertonicity of the corners of the mouth;
• abuse of ultraviolet radiation leads to the destruction of collagen fibers and deterioration of skin quality;
• problems with the maxillofacial apparatus: loss of teeth, incorrect bite or jaw shape;
• genetic predisposition to dry skin and early aging.

Another common reason for the appearance of marionette wrinkles is occupational specificity: musicians who play wind instruments, as well as women who often perform in public, may have spasmed facial muscles.

Mechanism and reasons for formation

The mechanisms of formation of the aesthetic picture of the lower third of the face are significantly influenced by the condition of the soft tissues of this zone, as well as the interaction of muscle groups that lower and raise the corner of the mouth. There are two main groups involved in this process and determining the location of the oral angles:

1. The depressor anguli oris muscle is flat, triangular in shape, and located superficially. With its wide base, it is fixed to the outer mandibular edge, and narrows upward, and at the corners of the mouth, its fibers are intertwined with the dermis and fibers of other muscle bundles of the perioral zone (including fibers that elevate the angle of the mouth), forming a muscle knot (modiolus) . The muscle pulls the labial fissure downwards, forming folds of skin (marionette lines) located along its anterior edge. The subcutaneous muscle of the neck (platysma) is a synergist of the previous one. The platysma fibers at the top are attached to the edge of the lower jaw in the area of ​​its anterior third, in the area of ​​the chin, and also in the area of ​​the corners of the labial fissure. Together with the first muscle, it moves the oral fissure downward and outward.
2. The zygomaticus major and levator anguli oris muscles lift the corner of the mouth upward and outward and counteract the first group of muscles, preventing the formation of marionette lines.

Thus, the main reasons for the formation of marionette wrinkles are:

• Gravitational ptosis of soft tissues of the middle and lower third of the face. As a result of gravitational ptosis, one part of the tissues overhangs the other, forming a zone separating them along the inner edge of the depressor anguli oris muscle. This zone is defined as the corresponding clinical picture of marionette wrinkles.
• Shortening of the muscles of the first group of an age-related nature, associated with partial degeneration of fibers with a predominance of connective tissue (fibrosis), which prevents their stretching.
• Constitutionally, genetically determined short muscle, depressing the angle of the oris.
• The predominance of tone (due to various reasons) of the first muscle group over the second.

The first three groups of causes of marionette wrinkles are static, the last are dynamic causes. Their combination is very often noted.

Determining the causes and identifying the factors contributing to its formation allows you to correctly decide on the question of how to remove marionette wrinkles. This especially affects the determination of the need to use botulinum therapy, the choice of doses of botulinum toxin and the combination of this technique with others.

Provoking factors such as:

• rapid and pronounced loss of body weight;
• genetically determined thin, loose and dry skin;
• unfavorable condition of the dental system, in particular, pathological forms of occlusion, irregular shape of the lower jaw, inferior dentition, chronic inflammatory processes of the mandibular joint; all these conditions lead to an undesirable redistribution of the activity of the facial and chewing muscles
• premature photoaging and actinic elastosis caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays;
• tobacco smoking, which causes not only disruption of microcirculation in tissues and their nutrition, oxygen supply and disruption of metabolic processes in them, but also as a result of the muscle contraction of the perioral zone characteristic of smoking leads to spasms and a constant increase in their tone;
• professional factors associated with a long-term increase in muscle tone and functioning in teachers, lecturers, singers, musicians, scuba divers, also leading to chronic imbalance of muscle tone;
• hormonal disorders associated with diseases or menopause.

How to remove wrinkles in the corners of the lips at home

In order to remove wrinkles around the lips that go downward, you do not need to immediately run for expensive procedures in beauty salons or go under the knife. Home methods can remove wrinkles from the corners of the mouth to the chin at the initial stage no less effectively.

How to remove marionette wrinkles with exercises

Gymnastics of the area around the lips and chin will strengthen weak muscle areas in areas where marionette lines are widespread and relieve tension in areas pinched by spasms. The undoubted advantage of gymnastics is the improvement of blood circulation and the reduction of visible wrinkle lines.

The main requirement when performing exercises for marionette wrinkles is regular training of the facial area and adherence to the correct technique:

1. Pull your lips into a tube and hold this position for 10-15 seconds. Relax your muscles. Repeat 12-15 times.
2. Puff out your cheeks and deflate sharply. Repeat 12-15 times.
3. Using your index fingers, lightly stretch the skin at the corners of your lips to the side and release the tension. Repeat 2-3 times for 10 approaches.
4. Puff out your cheeks and redirect air from one cheek to the other. Do the exercise for one minute.
5. Inflate your cheeks as much as possible and push the air out of them in small portions. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
6. Purse your lips into a tube and extend them as far as possible.
7. Open your mouth wide, pronouncing all vowels in one breath. Repeat several times.
8. Hold a pencil or pen between your lips in a horizontal position. Draw any shapes in the air. Relax your jaw and rest. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
9. Place your lips on a 0.5 liter bottle half filled with water and hold it there for 30 seconds. Each time you can gradually increase the weight.

At the end of the completed sessions, it is recommended to perform a relaxing massage in the area of ​​marionette wrinkles.

How to get rid of marionette wrinkles with massage

A honey massage against marionette wrinkles will help to work the gap from the lips to the chin and improve the condition of the skin. To do this, you first need to clean and steam the skin, apply warm liquid honey to the area around the lips and chin.

Now you can proceed directly to the massage:

1. You need to start a facial massage by smoothly stroking the skin up and down along the marionette wrinkles.
2. Next, use your fingertips to make patting movements from the corners of the lips to the ears and from the middle of the chin to the ears.
3. From slow patting movements on the skin, you can move on to faster rhythmic ones, performing each tap along the distribution of wrinkles from the corners of the lips to the chin.
4. The session should be completed once the fingertips begin to stick and honey pellets form under them.

After massaging the marionette wrinkles, the honey should be rinsed off with warm water and the skin should be gently blotted with a towel. Next, you can apply a special anti-wrinkle cream or any nourishing cream to your face.

Important! If you have allergies, honey can be replaced with oil: olive, coconut, shea.

How to get rid of wrinkles in the corners of the mouth using traditional methods

The following folk recipes will help reduce the number of marionette wrinkles:

1. Rubbing the skin along the lines of the lymphatic vessels with herbal ice improves blood circulation and tones the walls of blood vessels. To do this, you can use a special pharmacy mixture, brew it and then freeze it. Melissa, parsley, and chamomile are also suitable ingredients for combating marionette wrinkles.
2. Mask based on potato starch and cream. To do this, dilute a tablespoon of starch in water or grate one medium potato. Then add 2 tsp to the mixture. medium fat cream and a few drops of essential oil. The mask should be spread over the skin of the face or only in the area of ​​marionette wrinkles for 20-30 minutes. After this, rinse with herbal infusion.
3. A contrasting mint compress will help tone the skin. To do this, prepare mint tea. One half must be frozen and the other half must be reheated. Next, carry out the procedure as follows: moisten a cotton swab in hot tea and run it along the wrinkles on the face. Next, go over the wrinkles with a mint ice cube. Repeat the manipulation several times.

These procedures will not completely get rid of marionette wrinkles, especially in the later stages, but they can significantly improve the condition of the facial skin, reduce the depth of folds and give tone.

How to remove wrinkles from lips to chin with cosmetics

On the shelves of cosmetic stores and pharmacies there is a wide selection of serums, creams, masks, peelings aimed at correcting labio-mental wrinkles. To choose the most effective ones from this variety, you should remember the elements that must be present in the composition of the product:

• hyaluronic acid – moisturizes and protects the skin from dehydration;
• collagen – restores skin elasticity and restores tone;
• vitamin E or tocopherol – necessary for cell regeneration;
• vitamin A or retinoid – removes dead skin layer, increases blood circulation;
• vitamin C – synthesizes collagen fibers, whitens the skin;
• coenzyme – necessary for collagen synthesis;
• peptides – are involved in cell renewal and collagen synthesis.

It is recommended to use any cosmetic product aimed at combating marionette wrinkles for no more than 60 days. During this time, the skin will get used to the composition and the product will no longer have an effect.

Gymnastics for the face

Performing facial exercises will benefit women at any age. Simple exercises are easy to do at home, and they give a positive effect fairly quickly. How to conduct such classes correctly:

• It is best to do gymnastics every day, you can even repeat it twice a day - morning and evening.
• Before class, it is important to cleanse your face and wash your hands with soap.
• Sit comfortably in front of a mirror. To make it easier to perform gymnastics, you can put thin cotton gloves on your hands.
• Place your index fingers in your mouth, their pads should touch the inside corners of your mouth.
• Tighten your muscles, trying to push your fingers outward. Relax. Repeat several times.
• Without removing your fingers from your mouth, place your thumbs on the skin at the outer corners of your mouth. Press down a little.
• Try to smile with a kind of finger pinch. In this case, the corners of the mouth should stretch upward - towards the tips of the ears. This will tighten the muscle, creating resistance.
• Hold this position for fifteen seconds, then slowly relax.

After performing gymnastics, it will not be superfluous to apply a suitable nourishing and rejuvenating cream to the skin.

A few more miraculous exercises for home gymnastics:

• Interlace the little and ring fingers on each hand, as well as the index and middle fingers. Place the first pair under your lower lip and the second pair above your upper lip. Draw a smile with your clasped fingers, moving towards your ears.
• Place your index fingers on the corners of your lips. Try to smile while overcoming resistance.
• Make a series of characteristic movements with your fingers over the skin, as if you were shaving. A simple exercise will help train problem muscles.
• Puff out your cheeks with all your might and hold in this position. You can also inflate one or the other cheek in turn.
• Pull your lips forward and secure them with a tube. Wait a minute, then relax. Repeat.

Regularly performing gymnastics at home helps strengthen the facial muscles, make the skin as tight as possible, and add tone to it. Simple exercises help fight gravity, eliminating wrinkles of sadness.

Salon procedures for correcting marionette wrinkles

The most common ways to remove marionette wrinkles are salon procedures. Currently there are a large number of them. They differ in the degree of focus, means of influence, localization and cost of the procedure. Before choosing the most suitable method, you need to consult with a specialist to find out about possible side effects, contraindications and the duration of the recovery period.

Botox injections

Botulinum therapy is used if it is necessary to relax the muscles that lower the angle of the mouth. If the cause of marionette wrinkles is age-related ptosis or a congenital defect, then you need to opt for another corrective procedure. When determining the injection point, the patient is required to depict a grimace with lowered corners of the lips. This way, the specialist will more accurately determine the muscle needed to fill marionette wrinkles with Botox.

On average, there are 5 to 10 units of Botox for each point. The cost of one unit starts from 350 rubles. The duration of action of the drug is 6-12 months. The result is visible on the 5-7th day.

Contour plastic

One of the most common methods to remove marionette wrinkles is contour plastic surgery. To replenish volumes lost due to age-related changes or thinning subcutaneous fat, the specialist uses hyaluronic acid fillers. This product is easily accepted by the body because it is a natural component of the skin. Fillers have a soft gel structure, easily smooth out skin texture and fill marionette wrinkles faster. The cost of the procedure ranges from 6 to 20 thousand rubles.

Comment! One of the side effects of marionette wrinkle contouring is the so-called “Mona Lisa smile,” when the drug injected into the drooping corners of the lips causes a backlash. For most patients, this side effect goes away over time.

Thread lifting

Thread lifting of marionette wrinkles is carried out by introducing threads made of biocompatible materials under the skin: silicone, polylactic acid, gold or platinum. This procedure is based on the formation of new collagen fibers around the threads, which can support soft skin tissue in areas where marionette lines are widespread. When properly performed, thread lifting tightens not only the superficial, but also the middle layers of skin tissue, which allows you to achieve a lasting effect and get rid of wrinkles in the lips and chin for 5-6 years (when using non-absorbable threads).

When visiting a specialist in order to remove marionette wrinkles and opt for thread lifting, it is necessary to clarify the type of material used, possible side effects and the duration of the rehabilitation period. The cost of the procedure depends on the type of thread implants and their quantity. On average, the price of one thread can be 1500-15000 rubles.

Ways to deal with wrinkles of grief

There are many ways to help eliminate marionette lines. There are home techniques that you can use yourself without visiting a salon. These are various folk remedies and gymnastics for the facial muscles. There are also effective salon treatments. They are less safe than homemade recipes, but they give faster and more noticeable results.

How to deal with marionette wrinkles at different ages

At different ages, the methods of combating wrinkles are different. What will help a thirty-year-old girl will be ineffective for a fifty-year-old lady. Therefore, each age has its own characteristics of “cosmetology care”.

After 25 years, we advise you to prevent the appearance of marionette wrinkles. To prevent this unpleasant problem, follow these recommendations:

• Stop using nicotine.
• Don't indulge in chewing gum.
• Do special exercises for your facial muscles regularly.
• In summer, use cream with UV filters.
• Control your facial expressions.
• Minimize sunbathing and visits to solariums.

After 30 and up to 45 years, home methods help get rid of marionette wrinkles. These are face-building, masks, scrubs, etc. Such techniques are cheap and do not require visits to the salon, but the results do not appear immediately. After 45 years, home methods become ineffective; they are not able to cope with serious wrinkles.

Surgical plastic surgery of marionette wrinkles

The surgical method to remove marionette wrinkles is used in cases of ineffective salon procedures and in cases of pronounced skin defects. Much depends on the desire and financial component of the patient. The main procedures performed to correct wrinkles from the corners of the lips to the chin are lifting the lower third of the face or resection in the chin area. Each of these procedures involves excision of skin and part of muscle tissue. The disadvantage of operations is the scars or depressions remaining after them, which require additional liposurfacing.

As with any other surgical intervention, the procedure for surgical plastic surgery of marionette wrinkles requires a long rehabilitation period and compliance with many restrictions. Side effects may include an allergic reaction, bruising, swelling, and damage to the facial nerves. On average, the cost of surgical plastic surgery of grief wrinkles ranges from 100 to 400 thousand rubles. Much depends on the qualifications of the specialist and the status of the clinic.

Where does hypertonicity come from?

Tension in the chin area is caused by an unconscious reaction to emotional stimuli - this is how dissatisfaction, stress, intransigence, disgust, resentment, and emotional tightness manifest themselves. These are patterns, masks, and the process of their formation begins almost from birth. Remember how offended children “pout”?

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the best toner for problem skin

Prevention of wrinkles in the corners of the mouth

Like any health problem, the appearance of wrinkles from the corners of the lips to the chin should be prevented. To postpone their appearance to a later date, you must adhere to simple rules:

• do not be exposed to the sun for a long time or use SPF protection;
• do not abuse alcohol and cigarettes;
• use cosmetics that have not expired;
• moisturize your facial skin regularly;
• if necessary, do massage or facial exercises;
• Use masks or scrubs 1-2 times a week;
• review your daily diet;
• include sports exercises in your regime.

Important! Vitamins and minerals are of great importance for the beauty and youth of the skin. To prevent wrinkles of grief, it is recommended to take vitamins A and E.

Homemade masks

Various masks, prepared with your own hands at home, can tighten the skin, nourish it, add elasticity and visually rejuvenate it. And preparing them is not so difficult:

• Buy ripe avocados without blemishes. Mash a quarter of this fruit and mix it with the yolk and a small amount of sour cream (a little less than a teaspoon). Whisk the resulting mixture and apply it to the skin for half an hour.
• Take a ripe tomato and mash the pulp. Mix a tablespoon of this mass with a teaspoon of vegetable oil (unrefined - olive or sesame). Add a little potato starch to the mask until the mixture becomes thick enough. Apply the product to the skin for a quarter of an hour.
• Heat the honey in a water bath until it becomes a little warmer and more liquid. Add unrefined vegetable oil to it (in a 1:1 ratio). Apply the resulting mixture with a sponge to problem areas, and after half an hour, wash with cool water.
• Cut off the large bottom leaf of the aloe, wrap it in parchment paper and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (with the vegetables) for a week. Then peel the leaf and grind it, for example, using a meat grinder. Squeeze the juice out of the resulting mass using gauze. To a tablespoon of healing liquid, add the same amount of olive oil, as well as a teaspoon of lanolin (you can use any nourishing cream). This mask can be applied to the entire face for ten minutes. The best way to clean it is with warm water.
• Boil the potato in its jacket, then peel it and mash it into a puree, adding a little milk. Pour a little lemon juice into the mixture (about half a teaspoon) and, while it is still hot, apply to the skin of the face. After a quarter of an hour, wash your face.
• Combine a tablespoon of fresh baker's yeast with three tablespoons of warm milk and a teaspoon of honey. Mix the ingredients and leave them for twenty minutes. Add a little potato starch to the mixture for thickness and, if desired, a few drops of vitamin E and vitamin A. Apply the mixture to the skin in a thin layer, wait until it dries a little, and apply a second layer. You can make up to five layers in total. After this, you need to wait quietly for about twenty minutes and wash with warm water.

In order for the masks to show their maximum effectiveness, you need to do them at intervals of three days, in a course of ten to fifteen procedures. It is important to remember that each of the components can cause individual intolerance reactions.

Salon methods of disposal

In the arsenal of cosmetologists today there are many ways to help effectively and safely remove marionette wrinkles: with filler or Botox injections, using laser resurfacing or mesotherapy, plasma or lipolifting, radio wave or thermolifting.

Botulinum therapy

Botulinum toxin is the active ingredient of drugs that block neuromuscular connections:

• "Botox" USA;
• "Botulax" South Korea;
• "Dysport" France;
• "Xeomin" Germany;
• "Relatox" Russia;
• "Lantox", "Prosizhen" China.

With the help of injections, it is possible to remove any marionette wrinkles around the lips, including persistent and deep ones. This result is achieved due to the fact that the active muscles that form facial wrinkles relax. In this case, impulses between muscle tissue and nerve endings are blocked, thereby limiting motor activity.

After injections with botulinum toxin, marionette wrinkles are smoothed out and facial skin is evened out. The procedure is carried out using painkillers. The effect of such injections depends on the individual characteristics of the body and habits. Usually the effect occurs after 2 weeks and lasts up to 6 months. After 2–3 months, when muscle fixation weakens, muscle mobility returns, and after six months their activity is restored.

Plastic surgery to remove marionette wrinkles is performed on women after 50–60 years of age, when cosmetic treatment no longer provides a long-term effect of getting rid of wrinkles. It must be remembered that surgical intervention changes the overall facial expressions.

Lifting the corners of the mouth occurs with simultaneous lifting of the cheeks, removal of excess skin and accompanying fat layer. Normally, bruising, swelling, and limited mouth mobility may occur after surgery. When all the areas touched by the surgeon have healed, the final result will be visible. As a rule, this period takes several months.

How to get rid of an unpleasant defect

Various technologies are suitable to combat age-related skin changes. Methods are improved every year. To get results, sometimes you have to use several procedures simultaneously.

If wrinkles have already formed, masks and creams are ineffective.

Botulinum therapy is based on the use of botulinum toxin.

It is worth knowing that Botox is effective against marionette wrinkles, which are caused by spasms of the facial muscles. If the cause of the appearance of folds is the age factor or ptosis, then the result may be minimal.

The essence of the method is forced muscle relaxation under the influence of the drug. Botox injections are almost painless. Before starting, pain relief is carried out using anesthetic gels and creams. The expected effect appears within a week. The result lasts for 3 – 4 months.

In the fight against wrinkles of grief that have arisen due to age or muscle ptosis, contour plastic surgery is widely used. Its essence is the use of gel-like preparations that fill empty spaces in the facial skin. Hyaluronic acid is used for this. Basically, its 3% concentration is used.

Products with a denser texture are also used. The doctor fills problem areas and areas of tissue deficiency with fillers. The use of contour plastic surgery can be either a separate procedure or in combination with the use of Botox.

The effect lasts up to 6 – 12 months. The gel then dissolves and the procedure must be repeated.

Not all procedures are performed using foreign biomaterials. Your own plasma is used as a product for tightening.

This principle is taken as the basis for plasma lifting. The blood is first centrifuged and plasma, which is rich in platelets, is obtained separately. It is administered by injection into the skin.

By increasing fibrin production, cell growth and collagen production are stimulated. The advantage of this method is the complete absence of allergic reactions and rejection.

The liquid thread technique involves the use of dense consistency products. They are administered subcutaneously and dissolve after 2 months. Their locations are overgrown with fibrous tissue. This leads to skin tightening and a visible tightening of facial contours and correction of wrinkles. Calcium hydroxyapatite is used as a drug. It is obtained from human bone tissue. It is completely biocompatible.

Prevention

You can delay the appearance of the first mournful wrinkles, or marionette wrinkles, using simple rules:

• give up negative habits - smoking and chewing gum;
• Massage your face, neck and décolleté every day;
• moisturize and nourish the skin with day and night cream, treat with serums and micellar water;
• use products with SPF protection;
• treat teeth in a timely manner;
• give up “magic”, “super-effective” diets;
• control facial expressions.

And in order not to encounter the problem of marionette wrinkles, you need to pay attention to your lifestyle and take into account a couple of rules.

• No strict diets that promise quick results;
• Complete cessation of cigarettes and at least partial cessation of alcohol;
• Using various creams and masks that moisturize the skin;
• Regular self-massage of the face;
• Restraining active facial expressions.

It is recommended to use methods to prevent marionette wrinkles when fighting the defect.