Smile lines and marionette lines are caused by both volume loss and sagging, so simply adding more filler can make your face look puffy. Here’s a more natural approach: lift what has sagged, and fill only the hollows with as little filler as possible.
Hi, this is DAYONE Clinic. “Can’t I just fill my smile lines, my cheeks, and under my eyes with filler?” A lot of patients come in with exactly that idea. Today we’ll explain why more filler isn’t the answer, and which approach actually gives you a genuinely natural-looking result.
The more filler, the bigger the face
Smile lines (nasolabial folds) and marionette lines aren’t caused by volume loss alone. Sagging is at work at the same time. So what happens when you try to fix both with filler alone?
When you try to fill the areas that have sagged, too, you inevitably end up using more and more filler. The result is a face that looks puffy—and actually larger. Many of the faces that look a little “off” got that way for exactly this reason.
The key to a natural-looking face is using as little filler as possible. Filling alone isn’t enough. To make the face look smaller and smoother, we need to lift what has sagged and fill only what has hollowed.
When filler works—and when it’s too much
When filler works well
Restoring volume in hollowed smile-line and marionette areas
Filling wrinkles around the eyes caused by volume loss
Smoothing creased areas, like the frown lines between the brows
Filling sunken upper eyelids
When filler goes too far
Trying to fill areas that have sagged
Trying to fix volume loss and sagging with filler all at once, without distinguishing between the two
Bottom line: filler looks most natural when it’s used for the areas that have lost volume. When there’s sagging too, lifting first with a thread lift and then adding only a minimal amount of filler gives a much better result.
Filler can also reinforce the ligaments
A filler technique called point lifting has also come into use recently. Sagging happens as the retaining ligaments that hold the face in place grow lax. Placing filler at key points that reinforce these ligaments can also provide a slight lifting effect.
It’s not as dramatic as a thread lift, but the two work well together. And if you’re very nervous about getting a thread lift, this approach can partially address sagging while filling hollow areas at the same time.
The goal: your face five years ago
The goal isn’t to suddenly look like you’re in your 20s or 30s again. Getting back to the face you had five years ago—that’s a realistic, natural goal.
Final thoughts
Getting there comes down to lifting what has sagged and filling hollow areas only as much as they need. Natural results, never overdone—that’s the principle we care about most.
If you’re considering a facial treatment, we recommend coming in to DAYONE Clinic near Gangnam Station and talking it through with your doctor to find the right approach for you. Feel free to reach out anytime with questions.
This post is adapted from an interview on DAYONE Clinic’s YouTube channel, Face Design Lab.
This article is general information about the treatment and does not replace an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. Results and their duration vary from person to person.
Wondering what would suit you?
Whether a treatment suits you, and how to plan it, is best decided with a doctor.