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Nasolabial Folds

Nasolabial folds, often called smile lines, run from the sides of the nose down to the corners of the mouth. They are a natural part of facial anatomy that everyone has to some degree, even in youth.

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A natural feature that deepens over time

What changes with age is not whether you have them, but how deep they become. As the cheeks lose volume and descend, the support above the fold weakens and the skin settles more heavily into the crease. Understanding that these folds are about volume, not just lines, helps set realistic expectations for caring for them.

Why do nasolabial folds deepen?

Nasolabial folds sit where the cheek meets the upper lip, so they deepen when the cheek above them loses volume and begins to descend. Reduced collagen, the steady pull of gravity and the repeated movement of smiling all push tissue downward over this natural crease, making the folds more prominent over the years.

1
Mid-face volume loss

The cheeks sit on deep fat pads that act like internal cushions, giving the mid-face its lift. With age they lose volume and slide downward. As the support above the crease gives way, the skin settles more heavily into the fold. This loss of volume is the main driver, which is why surface skincare alone has limits here.

2
Collagen and elastin decline

Volume loss leads in the mid-face, but collagen and elastin set the stage. Fibroblasts build these fibres in the dermis to keep skin firm and able to resist a fold. When their output falls with age, the skin loses spring and no longer braces itself where the cheek meets the nose. Less able to resist softening tissue, it creases into the folds framing the nose.

3
Sun exposure

Ultraviolet rays, and UVA in particular, reach deep into the skin and break down collagen and elastin faster than the body can rebuild them, a process called photoaging. By some estimates it drives up to 80% of visible skin aging. The weaker the support in the mid-face, the more readily the line deepens.

4
Repeated expression and gravity

Smiling and laughing fold the skin along the nasolabial crease many times a day, while gravity gradually draws the cheeks downward. Together, over time, these forces make a natural fold appear deeper and more visible at rest.

5
Rapid or significant weight loss

Losing a large amount of weight quickly removes facial fat faster than the skin can keep up. Skin relies on elastin to retract, but elastin is barely renewed in adulthood, so after rapid loss the area is often left with less support than before, and the fold can look deeper.

How to Prevent
1

Daily sun protection

Because UV is a leading cause of the collagen loss behind these folds, daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is one of the most effective preventive habits. Protecting the mid-face helps preserve the support that keeps the folds softer for longer.

2

Hydration and barrier care

Supple, well-hydrated skin resists creasing more comfortably and looks smoother across the mid-face. Supporting hydration helps soften the appearance of the folds, even though it cannot restore lost volume on its own.

3

Supporting collagen

Maintaining the skin's collagen helps it stay firm and recover better from daily movement. Collagen-supporting ingredients, used consistently and with professional guidance, can help slow how quickly nasolabial folds deepen by supporting elasticity in the mid-face.

4

Healthy lifestyle habits

Not smoking, eating well and avoiding large weight fluctuations all help preserve the facial volume and collagen that support the mid-face. Steady, healthy habits help keep nasolabial folds from deepening prematurely.

Personalized treatments for you.

Dermal Fillers
Dermal filler injections are used in aesthetic medicine to soften certain wrinkles and address the loss of facial volume that can occur over time. As the skin ages, and with ongoing exposure to UV rays and environmental factors, it gradually loses substances that help maintain its structure and hydration. This process can lead to more visible lines, hollow areas, and a loss of definition in certain parts of the face.

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Cheek Fillers
Cheek fillers are a non-surgical cosmetic enhancement designed to restore lost volume, redefine facial contours, and rejuvenate your overall appearance. Using dermal fillers, such as hyaluronic acid-based products, these treatments target age-related volume loss, sunken cheeks, and facial wrinkles to create a smoother, more youthful look.

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Poly-L-Lactic Acid Injections
By our mid-40s, collagen loss becomes visibly noticeable—leading to volume depletion, skin laxity, and the gradual softening of facial contours. It’s around this time that the skin begins to lose its ability to maintain firmness and elasticity, revealing deeper facial wrinkles, sunken cheeks, and overall changes in texture and tone.

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Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA) injections
Over time, skin loses volume, firmness, and elasticity due to a natural decline in collagen and elastin production. This can lead to facial wrinkles, sagging, and a loss of definition. Health Canada-approved injectable treatments can help restore lost volume and support the skin’s natural regenerative processes, contributing to improved structure and long-lasting results.

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Thread Face Lift
Thread lifts, also called facial threading, use dissolvable threads and barbed sutures to tighten sagging facial skin. This minimally invasive procedure takes about 20 minutes, providing a quick solution to reduce skin laxity. Once the threads are placed and pulled, they lift loose skin, and the body’s natural healing process stimulates collagen production, enhancing firmness and promoting a more youthful, refreshed appearance.

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Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy is an injectable treatment designed to support skin quality, texture and radiance. Unlike dermal fillers, mesotherapy is not meant to change the shape of your face or build volume. It uses a product that contains hyaluronic acid (HA), a humectant naturally found in the skin, along with a selection of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help nourish the skin. The HA used in mesotherapy is non-crosslinked, which is why it does not build volume but instead disperses within the skin, providing diffuse hydration and supporting radiance. Most dermal fillers, by contrast, are made of crosslinked HA, a more robust form that allows them to create structure and restore volume in the treated areas.

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Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment is a science-backed way to naturally improve the health and appearance of your skin using your own biology. It starts with a simple and quick step: a small blood draw from your arm, done right in clinic. This sample is then placed in a specialized centrifuge that spins at high speed to separate the different components of your blood. What we keep is the platelet-rich plasma—a golden fluid rich in powerful molecules called growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and more. These messengers play a crucial role in skin regeneration, boosting collagen and elastin, improving circulation, and supporting tissue repair.

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Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF)
Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) is an advanced regenerative treatment that uses the healing power of your own blood to naturally improve skin health and support hair restoration. After a simple blood draw, the sample is placed in a centrifuge that spins at low speed to create a concentrated solution rich in platelets, white blood cells and growth factors. This forms a soft fibrin matrix that helps activate natural healing and tissue regeneration.

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CO2 Laser
Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing is a highly effective and non-invasive procedure that belongs to the family of Fractional Laser technologies. Designed to treat a wide range of skin imperfections, this treatment is ideal for addressing acne scars, sun damage, age spots, and deeper wrinkles. This advanced laser technology utilizes fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) to remove damaged skin cells and stimulate collagen production.

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Clear + Brilliant and Perméa
This laser has 2 different wavelengths: Perméa is more superficial (1927 nm) and Clear + Brilliant deeper (1440 nm). Depending on skin needs, Dermapure professionals will guide you in your choice between these two treatments.

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ClearLift Plus
ClearLift Plus is a non-invasive laser treatment that helps refresh and rejuvenate your skin—without the need for recovery time. It’s ideal for softening fine lines, improving firmness, and evening out skin tone, all while remaining gentle enough for delicate areas like the eyes, neck, and hands.

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RF Microneedling
RF Microneedling Intensive is an innovative technology that combines microneedling and radiofrequency to stimulate skin cells both on the surface and in depth. Using a tip fitted with very fine gold-plated needles, the micro-needle creates microperforations at different depths depending on the treated area - in tenths of a millimeter - in a controlled and precise manner. At the same time, there is an increase in thermogenesis due to the heat emitted by the needles. This initiates the natural process of skin regeneration and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin fibers, while allowing better permeability of the skin to professional serums used after the treatment.

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Sylfirm X
The Sylfirm X is a Health Canada-approved Pulsed & Continuous Wave Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling system and the only RF device with Dual Wave technology that can safely treat a wide range of skin concerns across almost all skin types. It works by generating an electromagnetic field, creating precise thermal coagulation zones using 24 evenly-leveled electrodes that penetrate the dermal layer at controlled depths. This stimulates collagen production to improve skin texture, acne scars, and fine lines. Additionally, Sylfirm X is uniquely effective in treating abnormal blood vessels and improving neovascularity, making it highly effective for challenging conditions such as melasma and rosacea.

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Thermage
As early as our 30s, the skin's natural collagen production begins to gradually decline, by roughly 1% per year according to the medical literature. Collagen is the structural protein that keeps skin firm and supported, so as it diminishes, skin can start to look looser and less toned. Thermage is a non‑invasive treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to support the skin's own renewal process and help address these visible signs over time.

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Exilis Ultra 360
Exilis Ultra 360 offers a comfortable, non-invasive way to restore firmness and redefine your natural contours—without surgery or downtime. Whether you’re noticing skin laxity around the jawline, eyes, or body, this treatment helps you regain a smoother, more toned appearance by activating your skin’s own collagen production.

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Fractional Radio Frequency (RF)
Fractional Radio Frequency (RF) is an advanced skin rejuvenation treatment that combines radiofrequency energy with micro-fractional technology to resurface and tighten skin, reduce fine lines, and improve overall skin texture. This minimally invasive approach uses RF energy to penetrate deep into the skin without harming surrounding tissue, stimulating collagen production and promoting natural healing for a smoother, more youthful complexion. Common devices for fractional RF include eMatrix, Fracture, Sublative RF, Endymed FSR, and Accent Prime.

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Exosome Therapy
Exosome therapy is not a treatment on its own. It is a complement that helps your main treatment go further by supporting the skin's natural recovery. Exosomes are tiny vesicles naturally released by cells to carry biological instructions where they are needed. They respond specifically to signals of inflammation or cellular stress, exactly the kind triggered by treatments such as microneedling, CO₂ laser or JetPeel, so when the skin is in recovery mode they can help support its regeneration. At Dermapure, we use plant-based exosomes, rich in peptides, micro-RNAs and growth factors that may help calm inflammation, support collagen production and support tissue repair. They are always applied topically on freshly treated skin, where the micro-channels created by the main treatment help support their absorption, and are never injected.

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VAMP
VAMP is a topical regenerative treatment applied immediately after in-clinic procedures that gently impact the skin barrier, such as microneedling, RF microneedling or laser treatments. These techniques create microchannels in the skin, allowing active ingredients to be more readily absorbed. VAMP takes advantage of this optimal moment to deliver its performance-driven formula beneath the surface, where it can be most beneficial.

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