October 02, 2026 | BOTOX® Cosmetic
4 minute read
Smile lines, laugh lines, frown lines, oh my! Is BOTOX® Cosmetic a cure-all for every wrinkle and crease? Not quite. While BOTOX® Cosmetic is effective for treating dynamic wrinkles, not all wrinkles are ideal for treatment. This blog covers smile lines and how to treat them, what BOTOX® Cosmetic can and cannot do, and how to create a custom plan to address your minimally invasive needs.
What Are Smile Lines and Can BOTOX® Help?
Smile lines, sometimes called laugh lines or nasolabial folds, are the vertical lines that form from the base of the nose to the edges of the mouth. They can be caused by a number of factors, including making facial expressions, such as while smiling and laughing.
And while it makes sense that many assume BOTOX® Cosmetic can help with smile lines, since they’re caused by facial movement, it’s actually not the best treatment for this issue. Nasolabial folds and those deep creases that form are primarily caused by a loss of facial volume, collagen loss, and skin laxity—issues that neuromodulators like BOTOX® Cosmetic can’t quite fix.
How to Treat Smile Lines
Let’s look into what causes smile lines to determine how to fix them:
- Age-related collagen and elastin loss: As we age, we produce less collagen and elastin, proteins that keep the skin firm and elastic. To promote new collagen and keep the skin looking its best, treatments like microneedling can help.
- Volume loss: One of the most notorious culprits of facial aging is volume loss. Over time, facial fat pads shrink and shift, causing the skin to crease and sag. Dermal filler injections are the best option for restoring lost volume in small areas, like around the mouth.
- Environmental factors: Sun damage, smoking, dehydration, and overall bad skin health can accelerate wrinkles. A professional skin care routine can help limit damage from outside factors and can be tailored to your skin type and needs.
Nasolabial folds, or smile lines, are a natural part of the aging process, but if they bother you, scheduling a consultation with an experienced aesthetic provider can help you identify the best treatment option. Most patients can benefit from a multi-faceted approach, with many often combining dermal filler injections to add structure and restore volume, topical retinoids and other skin care treatments, and skin-tightening procedures to smooth creasing.
Best Uses for BOTOX® Cosmetic
Neuromodulators like BOTOX® Cosmetic and Dysport® are ideal for treating dynamic wrinkles, or fine lines and wrinkles caused by rapid muscle contraction underneath the skin’s surface. While facial movements can exacerbate nasolabial folds, they aren’t considered dynamic wrinkles; they are static wrinkles, as they are primarily caused by a loss of volume and collagen.
That’s to say that BOTOX® Cosmetic is extremely effective for treating wrinkles. They just have to be the right kind. Here’s what BOTOX® Cosmetic can treat:
- Frown lines, aka glabellar or “11” lines: These are the vertical creases that form between the eyebrows, often made visible by pulling the brows together into a frown.
- Crow’s feet: The fine lines branching out from the outer corners of the eyes are crow’s feet. They are most visible when you smile and squint.
- Forehead lines: These are the horizontal creases that appear when you raise your eyebrows.
These are all examples of ideal types of wrinkles to target with BOTOX® Cosmetic. Each of these facial wrinkles is directly caused by rapid muscle contractions underneath the skin’s surface: When you squint, frown, or raise your eyebrows, the muscles shift and contract, causing the skin on top to do the same. When you relax the expression, the muscles relax too, but the skin stays creased (a wrinkle!).
BOTOX® Cosmetic and other neuromodulators work by temporarily inhibiting or freezing the muscles, thereby stopping the skin from wrinkling every time you smile or make facial expressions. Another added benefit: with continued use, these muscles weaken, preventing future wrinkles from forming or progressing. That’s another reason we consider BOTOX Cosmetic a prejuvenation, or preventative, treatment ideal for younger and older patients alike.
Want to Learn More About BOTOX® Cosmetic in Reno and Carson City, NV?
Bonaldi Aesthetics Plastic Surgery and Med Spa is Reno and Carson City, Nevada’s premier full-service destination for plastic surgery and minimally invasive aesthetics. Learn how our expert nurse injectors can create a custom, minimally invasive treatment plan for your nasolabial folds, frown lines, crow’s feet, and more with BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal filler injections.
Schedule a BOTOX® Cosmetic consultation today by calling Bonaldi Aesthetics at (775) 828-7400 or filling out the online contact form.
