What smile lines, forehead lines and frown lines can tell you
A facial line can be there for years before you really notice it.
Perhaps it catches the light differently in a photograph. Makeup starts collecting in a crease by lunchtime.
Most facial changes develop slowly. The moment you notice them can feel sudden.
This article will help you describe what you’re seeing more clearly: a line that appears during movement, a crease that remains at rest, a fold beside the mouth or a line that changes the expression of your face.
Move your face, then let it relax
Smile. Raise your eyebrows. Bring your brows together for a moment.
Now relax your face.
Notice what fades and what remains.
Some lines disappear almost completely. Others soften but stay visible. A fold beside the mouth may still be clear after the smile has gone.
This observation can’t identify the full cause, but it gives you a useful starting point. Facial movement, changes within the skin and the structure beneath it can all affect what you see.
Smile lines: line, fold or shadow?
Smile lines run from the sides of the nose towards the corners of the mouth.
The name can be misleading. In many faces, this area forms a fold where the cheek meets the mouth.
Smiling makes the fold easier to see. Its depth also depends on the natural shape of the face, and lighting can create a shadow that makes it look stronger in photographs.
One side may stand out more than the other. Faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical, and both sides don’t always move in exactly the same way.
Look at what is actually catching your attention.
Is it a fine crease that appears when you smile? A fold that remains when your face relaxes? Or mainly a shadow that becomes deeper in certain light?
These may all be described as smile lines, although they aren’t the same visual change.
Forehead lines: what remains after your eyebrows drop?
Forehead lines appear when the muscles across the forehead lift the eyebrows.
People use those muscles differently. Some raise their brows strongly while speaking or concentrating; others move them very little.
Raise your eyebrows, then let them drop.
The lines may disappear, soften or remain clearly visible.
Frown lines: why a calm face can look tense
Frown lines sit between the eyebrows.
They’re often called “11 lines”, although they don’t always form two neat, matching lines. One side may be more noticeable.
Because of their position, lines between the brows may affect the appearance of a neutral expression. Some people notice this more than the depth of the crease itself.
The presence of a line does not indicate a person’s mood or personality.
Why did I notice the change now?
Sometimes the line has become more visible. Sometimes the conditions have simply made it easier to see.
Changes in weight and cumulative sun exposure may also influence how facial lines appear.
A rapid, unexpected or worrying change should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health practitioner rather than assumed to be cosmetic.
If you decide to seek professional advice
It may help to make a few notes beforehand:
- when you first noticed the change
- what happens during movement and after your face relaxes
- whether you’re seeing a fine line, a fold or a shadow
- what you want to preserve about your natural movement and expression
These notes can help a registered health practitioner understand what you have noticed and decide whether any further assessment is appropriate. Further assessment may show that no procedure is appropriate or necessary. procedure may be needed.
You should leave with a clearer understanding of what you are seeing and whether any further action is appropriate for you.
This article provides general information only and is not medical advice. Suitability for a cosmetic procedure should be assessed individually. Rapid, unexpected or concerning changes should be assessed by an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
