Smile Wrinkles: What to Know

When you smile, muscles fold the skin around the mouth and eyes. With time, a crease may remain noticeable when the face is relaxed. Sun exposure can reduce skin resilience, while dehydration makes surface texture look sharper. Lines around the outer eyes are often called crow's feet; broader changes from sun exposure may be described as photoaging.

Wrinkles are usually an appearance concern, but a new rough patch, persistent scale, bleeding area or sore that does not heal is a different finding and should be examined.

Use daily sunscreen on exposed skin, moisturise regularly and avoid smoking. Gentle cleansing is preferable to scrubbing, and sunglasses can reduce repeated squinting outdoors. These steps support the skin but do not remove an established crease.

If you want procedural advice, a dermatology clinician can identify whether movement, texture or volume is dominant. Depending on location and goals, discussion may include botulinum toxin injection or dermal fillers. Each has different uses, limitations and risks, so the plan should be tailored rather than chosen by the name of the wrinkle.

Book a skin assessment for a rapidly changing wrinkle, a persistent rough or scaly spot, bleeding, crusting, ulceration, significant pain or a new asymmetrical lesion. Seek urgent help for sudden facial weakness or swelling with breathing difficulty. Stable expression lines can be addressed during a routine consultation.

Ask whether your lines are mainly dynamic, surface-related or linked to volume, and which skincare ingredients or procedures fit that pattern. Discuss contraindications, expected recovery, alternatives, practitioner experience and what symptoms should prompt follow-up.