Nasolabial Folds (Smile Lines) in Cheongdam & Apgujeong, Seoul

Why smile lines deepen

Everyone has a nasolabial fold — it is the natural boundary between the cheek and the upper lip, where the skin is more firmly attached underneath. Even a child has one when smiling. What changes with age is the depth and heaviness of the fold, and that is driven mostly by what happens around it rather than in the line itself.

• Cheek tissue moving down. As the zygomatic retaining ligaments loosen, the malar fat pad slides down and forwards and piles up against the fold. The fold becomes a ledge rather than a line.
• Loss of deep support. Next to the nostril, the deep fat and the bone of the upper jaw gradually recede. The base of the fold loses its scaffolding and sinks.
• Skin quality. Thinner skin with less collagen creases more readily and recovers more slowly after expression.
• Expression muscles. The muscles that lift the upper lip when smiling fold the skin along the same line thousands of times a year.
• Weight and genetics. A fuller mid-face tends to produce a heavier fold; a lean face may show a sharper groove.

In Korean the concern is called 팔자주름, literally a line shaped like the character for eight. Many people seek it out as a filler request, yet filler placed only in the fold is the step most often responsible for an overfilled look.

How Doje Clinic reads the fold

In a 1:1 consultation, Dr. Byun Jeik — a surgery specialist and a member of the Belotero Expert Committee and Merz Advisory Board — looks at the fold as the end-point of a mid-face story. He checks the fold at rest and smiling, the position and fullness of the upper cheek, and the depth at the base beside the nostril.

• If the cheek above has descended, lifting or supporting the cheek usually softens the fold more naturally than filling it.
• If the base beside the nose is hollow, a small amount of deep support placed there can lift the start of the fold.
• If the skin itself is etched, collagen and skin-quality treatment matter more than volume.

This layered reading is why two people with the same-looking fold can leave with quite different plans.

Options from mild to advanced

Fine or etched lines

When the fold is shallow but the skin creases, the goal is skin quality. Skin boosters and collagen boosters such as GOURI or Re2O improve the dermis over several sessions, and a very soft filler may be threaded superficially into an etched line. Change is gradual and subtle.

Moderate folds with good cheek position

Where the cheek has kept its position but the base has lost depth, a conservative nasolabial-fold filler — usually placed deep at the base rather than along the whole line — can soften the fold while preserving natural movement. Product choice, depth and quantity are decided case by case.

Folds driven by cheek descent

Here the cheek is the target. Retaining-ligament filler restores the anchor points that keep the mid-face up, and the Doje signature mid-face thread lift repositions descended tissue so the fold lightens from above. Energy devices such as Ultherapy Prime or Softwave may be added for support and skin tightening.

Combined, established folds

In later stages, the most natural improvement usually comes from a sequence: lift first, support second, refine the fold last — using far less product in the fold itself. A biostimulatory option such as Radiesse may be considered for deeper support.

Which Doje program fits

Nasolabial folds are a central part of the Mid-Face Program, which brings together the signature mid-face thread lift, retaining-ligament filler and nasolabial-line filler, with Radiesse, Ultherapy Prime, Softwave and GOURI/Re2O as options. Doje includes each step only when the assessment shows it is needed.

When a surgical opinion is more appropriate

If the fold sits beneath a heavy, markedly descended cheek with significant excess skin, non-surgical methods may only soften it slightly. A mid-face or facelift assessed by a qualified surgeon can reposition tissue more substantially. Dr. Byun will discuss this openly if your expectations exceed what threads and fillers can safely deliver.

Cost

Because some plans need only a little filler and others need lifting and support, fees are quoted after the 1:1 consultation. Ask for a written quote; Korean non-covered (비급여) aesthetic fees are set per plan.

Frequently asked questions

Is it normal to have nasolabial folds?

Yes. The fold is a normal anatomical boundary present at every age. Treatment aims to soften a fold that has become deep or heavy, not to erase it.

Can filler remove smile lines completely?

It should not try to. A face with no fold looks unnatural when it smiles, and over-filling the line tends to create puffiness beside the mouth.

Why can filling the fold look puffy?

If the cheek has descended, filler placed in the fold adds weight to tissue that is already sagging. Lifting or supporting the cheek first usually avoids this.

Can a thread lift improve nasolabial folds?

Often, when the fold is deepened by cheek descent. The mid-face thread lift repositions the cheek, which lightens the fold from above.

How long does nasolabial filler last?

It varies with the product, depth, area and individual metabolism, typically from several months to over a year.

Is there downtime after fold filler?

Usually minimal. Mild swelling, tenderness or a small bruise for a few days is common and settles on its own.

Related at Doje Clinic

• Nasolabial-Fold Filler
• Mid-Face Program
• Sagging Cheeks
• Thread Lift vs Filler
• Avoiding the Overfilled Look
• Soft Filler vs Structural Filler
• Filler Aftercare

Medical information on this page is general education, not a diagnosis. Suitability, risks and the final plan are confirmed in a 1:1 consultation with Dr. Byun Jeik. Last updated 17 October 2026.