Smile Lines Filler

Why we plan beyond the line itself

The marionette line — the line extending from the corner of the mouth toward the chin — is rarely a problem in isolation. In most clients, it is a symptom of broader lower-face changes: chin volume loss, jaw definition softening, and descent of the soft tissue around the mouth. Treating only the line itself, with direct filler, often produces a heavy, lumpy lower face that no longer moves naturally.

At Aesthetic Clinique we plan the whole lower face before deciding what to treat. For many clients, restoring chin projection or jawline definition softens the marionette line significantly without direct treatment, and the result is more natural and longer-lasting.

When direct line treatment is appropriate

Direct marionette filler still has a role — typically as a secondary treatment after structural lower-face support, or as a stand-alone treatment in clients whose chin and jawline are otherwise well-balanced and only the line itself needs softening. We use a softer HA product, placed via cannula, in small volumes, with simultaneous attention to the oral commissures (mouth corners) where a tiny amount of additional volume can subtly lift the downturn.

What this treatment cannot do

Marionette filler cannot fix lower-face descent caused primarily by significant skin laxity — those clients may benefit from skin-tightening, thread-lift consultation, or surgical assessment. It cannot eliminate dynamic lines that show only on smiling, and it cannot deliver a fully refreshed lower face on its own when the chin or jaw also need work.

Anti-wrinkle as an alternative

For some clients, anti-wrinkle treatment — relaxing the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle that pulls the mouth corners down — is a more effective treatment for downturned corners than filler. We will assess in consultation and recommend the right tool, which sometimes is anti-wrinkle alone, sometimes filler alone, and sometimes a small combination.

On the day at Aesthetic Clinique

A 40-minute appointment covers full lower-face assessment, marking, numbing and treatment. Where direct line treatment is performed, we use cannula technique through entry points outside the line itself, placing soft HA filler in small volumes. Most clients experience mild bruising and minor swelling for 24–72 hours.

We always review at two weeks before considering further treatment.

Longevity and combinations

Direct marionette filler typically lasts 9–12 months; structural chin or jawline support lasts 12–18 months. The treatment combines naturally with chin filler and jawline filler for full lower-face proportion, and occasionally with anti-wrinkle treatment to the DAO. We always prefer to add a single targeted treatment and review, rather than attempt a full lower-face refresh at a single visit.