Marionette Lines: What Are They, and How Can You Treat Them?

Pupaphobia is the irrational fear of puppets. While you might not be afraid of puppets, you might be unsettled by the appearance of wrinkles named after them. Marionette lines are a type of dynamic wrinkle (caused by the repetitive movement of key muscles). These lines are vertical wrinkles that extend between your mouth and your chin, bearing a resemblance to the moveable mouth of a marionette puppet, hence the name. What's the best way to treat these types of wrinkles?

Untreated Marionette Lines

Marionette lines tend to deepen as the years go by, and if they've been developing for a number of years, a surgical option might be recommended. Although it might seem like a drastic course of action, a facelift will literally lift and tighten your facial tissues, which will eliminate your marionette lines, along with a softening of all the other wrinkles on your face. Because this is surgery, it's generally only recommended for especially pronounced marionette lines, when nonsurgical options are unlikely to succeed. However, these nonsurgical options can be extremely effective when your marionette lines haven't yet had the opportunity to deepen.

An Injectable Solution

The best types of early intervention for marionette lines are anti-wrinkle injections. You can receive anti-wrinkle injections, which will target your marionette lines. There will be some minor irritation at the injection site, and the desired results will become visible within days as the active ingredient of the injection gets to work on your facial muscles. This is because the relaxation (or paralysation) of the targeted muscle groups is not immediate. 

Ongoing Management

However, within a few days, the injection will have taken full effect, and the facial muscles beneath your marionette lines will be fully relaxed, smoothing the lines above them. Your marionette lines may not completely disappear, but they will be considerably softened. These types of injectables are not permanent, and you will require a reapplication every few months (which will vary somewhat from person to person). 

Combining Treatments

Moving forward, the appearance of your marionette lines can be efficiently managed with regular anti-wrinkle injections. If they should deepen, you might want to consider laser resurfacing for your wrinkles to be used in conjunction with Botox or a comparable injectable. 

This type of decisive management will ensure that your marionette lines don't progress any further and can spare you from more intensive forms of treatment, such as a facelift.