Frown Lines: What They Are & How to Treat Them
You don’t have to be a “frequent frowner” to suffer from frown lines. These unsightly facial lines can affect anyone. And because they’re a natural consequence of aging, no one is truly safe.
Fortunately, frown lines are among the most commonly treated types of facial lines and wrinkles. We know exactly what to do about them.
Ready to get rid of your frown lines for good, or at the very least to reduce their appearance for months at a time? Here’s what you should know first.
What Are Frown Lines?
Frown lines are also known as glabellar lines or ‘11’ lines, after their distinctive parallel, vertical shape.
Frown lines form on the relatively loose skin between and just above the eyes. They can extend up toward the middle of the forehead and down to the top of the nose bridge. While they often begin as fine lines that are only visible when you squint or scrunch your nose, they may deepen over time and become a feature of your resting facial expression.
What Causes Frown Lines?
Frown lines have several possible causes that often appear concurrently:
- Natural aging processes: Facial lines and wrinkles happen inevitably as we age. This is because skin naturally loses collagen and elastin over time. This causes volume and elasticity loss and makes lines more visible.
- Repeated facial muscle movements: It’s not just frowning. Repeated facial movements can hasten frown line formation. There’s not much we can do about this, short of doing our best poker face forever more.
- Environmental and health factors: The “usual suspect” environmental and health risks contribute to frown lines. Smoking is a big one, so stop if you haven’t already. So is long-term sun exposure. Wear sunblock to parry UV rays and sunglasses to reduce squinting.
Do Frown Lines Go Away on Their Own?
Sadly, frown lines rarely go away on their own. Once they appear, they’re probably here to stay.
And that’s where frown line treatments come in.
Best Treatments for Frown Lines
After multiple clinical trials and years of real-world experience, the verdict is in. The best option for treating frown lines is neuromodulation.
Some providers also recommend dermal filler injections. Let’s take a look at both.
Neuromodulator Injections
Botox®, Dysport®, and other neuromodulators can temporarily reduce or eliminate frown lines. The procedure typically requires two or more injections on each side of the glabellar area.
Neuromodulator injections remain effective for three to six months, depending on the patient, dosage, and line depth. After that, results fade and follow-up treatment is needed to restore them.
Neuromodulators are well-tolerated by most patients, but they’re not for everyone. Talk to your provider before getting treatment.
Finally, you should always work with a licensed professional who understands where to inject Botox — and where not to. One or two millimeters off-target is all it takes to ruin what would otherwise be a perfect procedure. Don’t be afraid to ask your provider if they’ve completed an accredited Botox training course recently.
Dermal Filler Injections
Frown lines don’t respond to dermal fillers as dramatically as they do to neuromodulators. Still, hyaluronic acid injections can help restore age-related volume loss and reduce frown lines’ visual impact. Your provider may recommend pairing these injections with neuromodulation.
