Softer lines below the mouth
Marionette line filler in Hale, Altrincham
Marionette line filler can soften the grooves and shadows below your mouth corners, helping your resting expression look less sad or stern.
You might feel perfectly cheerful, but the lines below your mouth seem to tell a different story. Perhaps the corners look more downturned, or shadows now run from them towards your chin.
These are often called marionette lines. Filler can replace some of the volume and support around suitable grooves, making them less obvious and giving the lower face a softer appearance.
Dr Alex will look at the lines, the mouth corners and how they move. The aim is for you to look less downcast at rest - without feeling you have to keep smiling to prove you're in a good mood.
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Treatment with Dr Alex, who teaches doctors, dentists and nurses across filler ranges and is a current trainer for Evolus's Estyme fillers.
What have you noticed?
When your resting face looks sadder than you feel
The concern may be a line, a shadow or the overall expression around your mouth.
The mouth corners cast a shadow
Lines now run towards your chin
You look stern without meaning to
The practical details
Before you book
Dr Alex will assess whether filler is the right way to soften the lines and shadows you've noticed.
The difference you could see
Softer shadows and a less downcast expression
Where lost volume is contributing, filler can soften the grooves below the mouth and reduce the shadow that makes the corners look pulled down.
That can make the lower face look less sad or stern, even though your mood hasn't changed at all. The result is about the expression people see when your face is resting.
Dr Alex will assess the amount of support needed around the groove, rather than simply filling along every visible line. He'll also explain if muscle pull or sagging needs a different treatment.
Some fold may remain, particularly with deeper tissue changes. The aim is a softer, less shadowed appearance that still looks natural when you talk and smile.
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Would filler help?
Lines, muscle pull and jowls need different approaches
Several changes can make the mouth look downturned. Dr Alex will check which ones are contributing in your case.
What filler cannot do
It cannot lift away heavy jowls
Significant sagging or loose skin is unlikely to be corrected by filling the line beneath it. In that situation, Dr Alex may recommend a different treatment or a surgical opinion.
Fine wrinkles etched into the skin may also remain after the groove is softened. They need assessing separately from the deeper loss of support.
How it works
Replacing support around the mouth corners
Hyaluronic acid filler adds volume to soften suitable hollows and folds below the mouth.
The gel provides support within the tissue. Reducing the depth of a groove can also reduce the shadow it casts, which helps explain why a small contour change can affect the apparent expression.
Filler changes shape and volume; it does not stop the muscles moving. Dr Alex chooses the gel and treatment areas with the movement of your lower face in mind.
Your appointment
Tell Dr Alex what your expression seems to say
Looking sad, stern or simply more lined are all useful descriptions. You don't need to diagnose the cause.
Assess the mouth at rest and moving
Explain the recommendation
Add support where agreed
Aftercare and follow-up
Why Dr Alex
Looking beyond the line itself
Dr Alex teaches doctors, dentists and nurses how to use dermal fillers across several ranges. He is currently a trainer for Evolus's Estyme range, and his experience includes helping launch filler products in the UK.
Around the mouth, a shadow from a hollow can look similar to a downturn caused by muscle pull. He'll assess both, along with any jowling, so the recommendation addresses why you look sad or stern rather than just the name of the line.
Your preferred result guides the conversation: softer folds, less shadowing or a less downcast expression. He'll explain which changes filler can make and when another treatment is more suitable.
GMC-registered doctor · 7072776
Full Member of BCAM
International toxin trainer
Aesthetics Awards winner 2021
Side effects and suitability
What should you know before marionette line filler?
Swelling, tenderness, redness and bruising can occur around the treated area. The folds may look uneven or the skin feel firmer at first.
Possible side effects
Persistent lumps, unevenness, infection, allergic reactions and filler moving from its intended position can occur. Inflammatory swelling can also develop later. Contact SONÜ about symptoms that persist, worsen or appear after the area has settled.
Rarely, filler can interrupt the blood supply and damage skin or other tissue. Serious complications can include permanent sight loss or stroke. Dr Alex will explain these risks before treatment.
When to get urgent help
Contact SONÜ immediately for unusual or increasing pain, pale skin, or dusky or mottled skin after filler. If you cannot reach the clinic, seek urgent medical care.
A change in vision, sudden weakness or difficulty speaking needs emergency help. Call 999 and tell them you have recently had dermal filler.
When filler may need to wait
Treatment should wait during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and while there is an active infection or broken or inflamed skin around the mouth. Tell Dr Alex about allergies, previous filler reactions, health conditions, medicines and any recent or planned dental work. These can affect suitability and timing.
You can ask questions, take time to think or decide against treatment.
Treatment pricing
How much does marionette line filler cost?
Treatment starts from £400 for the first 1 ml. We’ll agree the amount, areas and total cost with you before treatment.
Your questions
Questions about marionette line filler
The lines below the mouth, and how they differ from other causes of a downturn.
Where are marionette lines?
Can filler make me look less sad?
Should I have filler or DAO Botox?
Can marionette filler improve jowls?
Will it affect my smile?
How much filler will I need?
How long do the results last?
Is the treatment painful?
Can I have more filler if the lines are still there?
Can marionette line filler be dissolved?
Other options
When the downturn has another cause
DAO Botox may help when muscle pull lowers the mouth corners. Nasolabial fold filler treats the folds above them, while skin-quality or lifting treatments may be more relevant when the main concern is surface wrinkles or sagging.
Your next step
Let's talk about the change you'd like to see
Book a consultation with Dr Alex at SONÜ in Hale, Altrincham. Show him the lines or shadows that bother you, and he can explain whether filler could help your lower face look softer and less downcast.
SONÜ Medical Aesthetics
34 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EX
Doctor-led treatment in a relaxed, private clinic
Close to Hale station and easy to reach from Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire