What should you know about marionette lines smile?

When you smile, muscles around the mouth move the lips and corners upward and outward. Repeated movement can make existing creases easier to see, but smiling does not mean the skin is damaged. With time, reduced elasticity, sun exposure, changes in fat compartments and altered support can leave a line visible after the expression relaxes.

Look at the area both while your face is relaxed and while smiling. The difference helps a clinician understand whether the concern is a movement line, a fixed fold, or both. Related information is available under [Wrinkles](/symptoms/wrinkles/).

Use sunscreen on the face, moisturise regularly, and avoid picking or aggressively rubbing the mouth area. These measures support the skin but cannot change facial structure. A qualified practitioner can review your expressions, skin quality and facial balance before discussing treatment.

[Dermal Fillers](/treatments/injectables/dermal-fillers/) may be discussed when a fold is related to reduced support, while a [Thread Lift](/treatments/aesthetic-procedures/thread-lift/) addresses a different concern involving tissue laxity. Treatment near the mouth requires careful planning because small changes can affect movement and expression.

Seek medical advice for a painful, crusted, bleeding or rapidly changing area, or for swelling that persists. Obtain urgent help if a smile becomes suddenly uneven with facial weakness, difficulty speaking, confusion, or trouble swallowing. Cosmetic treatment should wait until an unexpected facial change has been assessed.

Ask whether your lines are visible only with movement or also at rest, what structure is contributing, and how treatment might affect your smile. Discuss alternatives, recovery, common temporary effects, warning signs, and what happens if the result is uneven or does not match your goal.