The lines running from nose to mouth are usually a midface problem rather than a line problem, which changes where they are most effectively treated.
Nasolabial folds are the lines running from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Everyone has them. What changes with age is their depth, and that depth is usually caused by something above them rather than by the fold itself.
As midface support is lost, the tissue descends and gathers at the fold. Treating the fold directly fills the crease. Treating the cheek above it removes the reason the crease deepened. The second approach uses less product, lasts better and looks more natural, which is why it is usually the recommendation.
At Dr Ellie Sateei’s London and Sevenoaks clinics, this is one of the most common conversations in which the treatment recommended is not the one requested. Results vary between individuals.
Where midface support is the cause, a firmer product is placed deep in the cheek to restore that support, and the fold softens as the tissue above it lifts. This is assessed first because it addresses the mechanism.
Where the fold persists after midface support is restored, or where a patient has good midface volume and a genuinely etched fold, a softer product can be placed directly into the fold. Placement here is conservative and superficial, and the anatomy matters: the area beside the nose carries vascular risk, so technique and product choice are deliberate.
Both approaches may be used in sequence rather than together, with the cheek treated first and the fold reviewed afterwards. That ordering frequently means less product overall.
Treatment may suit you if you are looking to:
It is not the right treatment if what you are describing is a shallow fold that has always been there, which is facial anatomy rather than a change. It is also not appropriate to fill a deep fold in a face that has lost significant midface volume, because filling the crease without restoring the support above it produces a heavy, over-filled look around the mouth.
As an injectable treatment, it is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Treatment takes around 30 minutes. Numbing cream is applied and most products contain lidocaine, so discomfort is generally mild. Most patients return to normal activities immediately.
Mild swelling or bruising can occur and typically settles within a few days. The result reads close to final within a week.
Duration depends on placement. Product placed deep in the cheek to restore support generally lasts twelve to eighteen months. Product placed directly in the fold, which is a higher-movement area, generally lasts nine to twelve months.
Benefits of nasolabial fold filler
| Treatment | London | Sevenoaks |
|---|---|---|
| Nasolabial fold | From £595 | From £550 |
| Cheek fillers | From £550 | From £495 |
| Marionette lines | From £595 | From £550 |
New patient consultation, £195 at both clinics. If you go ahead with treatment on the day of your appointment, this fee is deducted from the cost of your treatment.
Prices correct as published and subject to change.
“If someone points at the line beside their nose and I fill that line, I have treated the symptom and they will be back. If I rebuild the support in the cheek that stopped holding the tissue up, the line softens on its own and stays softer for longer. It is the same product and often less of it, placed somewhere the patient was not pointing.”
Dr Ellie Sateei has over two decades of experience in dermatology and aesthetics.
From £595 in London. Your consultation is £195, deducted from the cost of treatment if you go ahead on the day.
Usually the cheek first. Restoring midface support removes the reason the fold deepened, which generally uses less product and looks more natural. The fold is then reviewed.
Nine to twelve months where product is placed in the fold, and twelve to eighteen months where it is placed in the cheek to restore support.
No. Nasolabial folds are normal facial anatomy and the aim is to soften their appearance rather than remove them. A face without them does not look younger, it looks unusual.
This area carries vascular risk, which is managed through conservative volume, careful placement and product choice, following a full medical history.
Most patients return to normal activities immediately. Mild swelling or bruising can occur and typically settles within a few days.
Treatments of interest to book alongside nasolabial fold fillers
Nasolabial folds usually deepen because midface support has reduced, which means the most effective treatment is often not the fold itself. The most useful next step is an assessment of what is actually causing yours, with Dr Ellie Sateei at her London clinic.
Our London clinic is located at 91a New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6XF
We serve patients from London, Kent and the home counties as well as from all over the world. Our London clinic sits in the heart of Marylebone, within easy reach of the West End by tube, while our Sevenoaks clinic in Ightham is moments from the M25 and M26 for patients across Kent.
