Mabrie Facial Institute
166 Geary Street
Floor 1300
San Francisco, CA 94108
Phone: (415) 445-9513
Text/SMS: (866) 618-9459
Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Marionette lines or chin lines or are a common problem, and they can make you look older than you feel. They can also contribute to what looks like a scowl or permanent frown, even when you’re happy.
At Mabrie Facial Institute in San Francisco, marionette lines are no match for our Injectors, who know that the best marionette line treatment is the careful application of filler. But if you’re still tempted to try other treatments, we’ll explain what causes marionette lines, and why surface-level “solutions” can’t correct them.
Marionette Line Filler Before and After
At MFI, we specialize in erasing marionette lines with filler, and our patients couldn’t be happier. Take a look at some of the results our Injectors have created.
| The Issue | The MFI Solution |
|---|---|
| Deep creases running from the corners of the mouth down the chin to the jawline | Lower Face Rejuvenation |
| Downturned corners of the mouth/frown lines | BOTOX® |
What Are Marionette Lines?
Marionette lines are wrinkles that start at the corner of the mouth (oral commissure) and run vertically down to the jawline. They are associated with aging, and many people search the internet for nonsurgical solutions to get rid of them.
Can Marionette Lines Be Corrected Naturally?
Most people think “naturally” means without surgery, or a treatment you can do yourself at home. Some of these “natural” solutions include:
- Stick-on patches
- Massage
- Facial exercises
- Expensive serums and creams
To understand why none of these options are effective for fixing marionette lines without surgery, it’s important to understand what causes these wrinkles in the first place.
What Causes Marionette Lines?
Marionette lines develop with time due to repeated facial expressions, age-related skin changes, and excessive muscle activity.
Repeated Facial Expressions (Frowning, Smiling, Pursing Your Lips)
Every time you frown, smile, or purse your lips, the skin from the corners of your mouth to your chin folds in the same places. Over time, those folds become deepened creases that don’t go away on their own. No topical product can reverse the effect of a lifetime’s worth of facial expressions.
Thinning Skin and Volume Loss
Youthful skin is thicker and more elastic due to plentiful collagen and fat. As we age, we lose collagen, fat, and even bone, resulting in volume loss and skin laxity. So when we’re younger, we can make all of the facial expressions with none of the expression lines (dynamic wrinkles) due to that skin elasticity. Our older skin lacks the resilience to “bounce back,” and wrinkles like marionette lines no longer disappear with the expression. Since serums, patches, massage, etc. can’t restore skin quality or lost volume, they can’t provide lasting improvement to marionette lines.
Overactive Muscles
Sometimes an overactive muscle—the depressor anguli oris—pulls down on the corners of the mouth even when your face is at rest. This can exacerbate marionette lines and create a frowning appearance.
The Best Solution: Filler & BOTOX for Marionette Lines
At MFI, our Injectors understand that treating marionette lines is about more than filling them in. Our signature treatment approach for this common issue is our Lower Face Rejuvenation procedure, which creates real, lasting improvements by layering filler over the course of two or more appointments. Here’s how we do it:
Add Support and Structure
To begin the process of smoothing marionette lines, our Injectors may first use fillers like JUVÉDERM VOLUMA®, JUVÉDERM Ultra® Plus, RADIESSE®, or Restylane Lyft® to add structure and support to adjacent areas such as the chin and jawline. Volume replacement in these areas acts as the foundation for marionette line filler.
Smooth and Refine
After adding support and definition to the chin and jaw, we conservatively layer fillers from the Restylane® product family to the marionette lines to soften them and create an even, shadow-free surface that reflects light.
BOTOX for Marionette Lines
If an overactive depressor anguli oris muscle is contributing to your marionette lines, BOTOX or another neuromodulator can be injected into the muscle to soften lines and elevate the corners of the mouth. This is a very precise application of neuromodulators, and is best left to highly experienced injectors.
Learn More About Dermal FillersThe MFI Advantage
MFI focuses exclusively on injectables, and has set the bar in the art and science of fillers for more than 15 years. Dr. Mabrie, trained as a facial plastic surgeon, has dedicated thousands of hours to carefully selecting and training our talented Injectors in the most innovative, effective, and safe techniques for injectables. There is no other practice in the Bay Area with the level of experience, education, and passion for injectables you'll find at MFI.
Schedule MeWe’d Love To See You
If you are interested in learning more about getting rid of marionette lines with filler, request a consultation online and ask for Lower Face Rejuvenation. Or you can call us at (415) 445-9513 to schedule your appointment with one of our highly trained specialists. If you’ll be visiting us from outside the area, our Fly in for Your Procedure page was created just for you to help make planning your trip as smooth as possible.
