Why Nasolabial Folds Get Deeper and When They Become More Noticeable

Nasolabial folds are the natural creases that extend from the sides of the nose toward the corners of the mouth. Nearly everyone has them to some degree, especially while smiling. But if you notice your nasolabial folds getting deeper or remaining more visible when your face is relaxed, several age-related changes may be contributing.

These folds are not simply wrinkles sitting on top of the skin. Changes in facial volume, skin support, facial contours, genetics, and repeated movement can influence how pronounced they look. That is also why skincare alone may have limited effects once a fold becomes deeper: improving skin quality and restoring deeper structural support are different goals.

At Greenspring Medical Aesthetics, our approach considers the entire facial structure rather than automatically focusing treatment on the deepest part of a fold. Understanding what is causing a nasolabial fold to become more prominent can help determine whether volume restoration, direct correction, facial sculpting, or another individualized approach makes sense.

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TLDR Guide

When you notice nasolabial folds getting deeper, the change is often related to more than repeated smiling. Facial aging can alter volume and support through the cheeks and midface while changes in the skin make existing creases more noticeable.

Important factors to understand include:

• Nasolabial folds are normal features of facial anatomy.
• They can become more noticeable as facial volume and contours change.
• Reduced support through the cheeks and midface may influence the appearance of the folds below.
• Repeated smiling and other expressions continually move the area.
• Changes in skin firmness can make established creases easier to see at rest.
• Genetics and individual facial anatomy influence how early or prominently folds develop.
• Fillers may be considered for appropriate patients, but treating the crease directly is not always the only strategy.
• Whole-face assessment can help determine whether cheek support, the fold itself, or broader facial balance should be considered.

In short, the deepest-looking part of a nasolabial fold does not always reveal its entire cause. Looking at the surrounding facial structure provides more useful information for treatment planning.

Detailed Breakdown

What Are Nasolabial Folds?

Nasolabial folds are the creases running from either side of the nose toward the corners of the mouth. They are a normal part of facial anatomy and become particularly visible when smiling because movement of the cheeks and mouth naturally emphasizes them.

A fold becoming visible does not automatically indicate premature aging. What tends to change with age is its depth, the shadow it creates, and how much of it remains noticeable when the face returns to rest.

This distinction matters. The goal of aesthetic treatment should not necessarily be to remove a normal facial feature, but rather to understand why it has become more prominent and whether softening it would improve overall facial balance.

Why Are My Nasolabial Folds Getting Deeper?

There is rarely a single explanation. Nasolabial folds getting deeper can reflect changes occurring simultaneously in the skin and underlying facial structures.

The cheeks and midface provide important support to the surrounding tissues. As those contours change, the transition between the cheek and mouth can become more pronounced.

Our information about Facial Volume Loss explores how age-related changes in fullness and facial support can affect appearance. This broader perspective is useful because the fold you see beside your mouth may be influenced partly by changes occurring above it.

Cheek Volume Can Influence Nasolabial Fold Appearance

Aging does not simply make wrinkles deeper. The distribution and appearance of facial volume can also change.

When youthful cheek contours become less prominent, the way surrounding tissues are supported may change as well. This can make the transition between the cheek and lower face appear heavier or more defined, emphasizing an existing nasolabial fold.

That does not mean every patient with prominent nasolabial folds needs cheek filler. It means cheek structure is one of several areas worth evaluating before deciding where treatment should occur.

For appropriately selected patients, Cheek Fillers can be used to restore volume and enhance cheek contours. Treatment should be based on facial anatomy and the patient’s goals rather than using cheek augmentation as an automatic solution for every fold.

Repeated Facial Movement Helps Reinforce the Fold

Smiling naturally makes nasolabial folds more prominent. Talking, laughing, eating, and other expressions also repeatedly move the tissues around the mouth and cheeks.

When skin is younger and more resilient, many expression-related creases become less visible once movement stops. As skin and structural support change, repeated movement can contribute to a fold becoming increasingly established.

This does not mean smiling should be avoided. Facial movement is normal and only one contributor among several nasolabial folds getting deeper over time.

Changes in Skin Quality Can Make Folds More Visible

The skin itself changes as part of facial aging. Changes in firmness, elasticity, hydration, and overall resilience can affect how smoothly the skin sits over underlying facial structures.

This can make an existing fold look sharper or more persistent. Cumulative environmental exposure and individual skin characteristics can also influence how prominently aging becomes visible.

Skincare remains valuable for supporting skin quality, but topical products cannot fully restore deeper facial volume. That difference helps explain why someone can maintain a good skincare routine and still notice increasingly pronounced folds.

Genetics and Facial Anatomy Matter

Not everyone develops prominent nasolabial folds at the same age. Some people naturally have deeper folds because of their facial anatomy even when they are relatively young.

Cheek projection, facial proportions, skin characteristics, and inherited aging patterns can all influence how noticeable the area becomes. Two people of the same age can therefore have dramatically different nasolabial folds without either person’s face aging “incorrectly.”

This is another reason treatment should be individualized. What looks natural and balanced on one face may not be appropriate for another.

When Do Nasolabial Folds Usually Become More Noticeable?

There is no universal age when nasolabial folds suddenly deepen. The progression depends on anatomy, genetics, skin characteristics, facial movement, volume changes, and environmental factors.

One useful distinction is whether the folds are visible mainly during expression or remain prominent when the face is completely relaxed. A fold that becomes increasingly noticeable at rest may indicate that age-related structural and skin changes have become more established.

Photographs can sometimes make these changes easier to recognize because gradual facial aging is difficult to notice day by day. Lighting and shadows can also dramatically change how deep a fold appears.

Can Deep Wrinkle Fillers Help Established Nasolabial Folds?

For suitable patients, Deep Wrinkle Fillers may be considered when established lines and folds are part of the concern. Injectable treatment can provide volume and support where appropriate.

However, seeing a deep fold does not automatically mean the best approach is to place a large amount of filler directly into it. The surrounding cheeks, midface, lower face, skin quality, and overall proportions may all influence treatment planning.

A conservative assessment-first approach helps avoid treating one feature in isolation. The aim is balanced improvement rather than simply making one crease as flat as possible.

How Facial Fillers Can Address Volume-Related Aging

When nasolabial folds getting deeper are associated with broader volume changes, Facial Fillers may be considered as part of an individualized rejuvenation plan.

Fillers can address volume and contour concerns in different areas of the face depending on the patient’s anatomy. The appropriate placement is therefore not necessarily identical for everyone who points to a nasolabial fold.

This is where whole-face assessment becomes especially valuable. Identifying where support has changed can help a provider determine whether addressing the fold, neighboring volume, or both is appropriate.

Where Juvéderm Fillers May Fit Into a Treatment Plan

Juvéderm Fillers are among the injectable options that may be used for facial volume and wrinkle concerns. Different treatment areas and goals require individualized product selection and placement.

For someone concerned about nasolabial folds, the discussion should begin with anatomy rather than a specific filler. The provider can evaluate the depth of the folds, cheek support, facial proportions, and other age-related changes before recommending an approach.

This also helps set realistic expectations. Natural-looking rejuvenation generally means improving balance and softening unwanted changes rather than attempting to eliminate every normal contour.

Facial Sculpting Can Look Beyond One Fold

Some patients begin a consultation because of one specific crease but discover that their concern is actually connected to broader changes in facial proportions. In those situations, looking beyond the nasolabial fold can be useful.

Facial Sculpting focuses on enhancing and balancing facial contours. Depending on the individual, this broader perspective may help determine how the cheeks, midface, and surrounding features contribute to the appearance of deeper folds.

Whole-face planning does not mean everyone needs multiple treatments. It means decisions can be made with an understanding of how one area relates to another.

Who May Be a Candidate for Cheek Fillers?

Cheek filler can be relevant when reduced cheek volume or contour is part of the patient’s concern, but it should not be treated as a universal fix for nasolabial folds. Facial structure, existing volume, desired outcome, and medical suitability all need to be considered.

Our guide explaining who is a good candidate for cheek fillers provides additional information for patients exploring cheek augmentation and volume restoration.

A consultation is especially important when the original concern is a fold somewhere else on the face. It allows the provider to determine whether cheek treatment actually relates to the patient’s anatomy rather than assuming that it does.

Why More Filler Is Not Necessarily the Answer

A deeper fold can make it tempting to think that more filler will automatically create a better result. Facial rejuvenation does not work quite that simply.

Excessively focusing on one crease can potentially change natural facial proportions without adequately addressing the reason the fold became noticeable. Appropriate treatment considers the amount of correction that complements the rest of the face.

A staged approach can also be useful. Treatment can be performed conservatively and reassessed rather than trying to achieve maximum correction at once.

When Is It Worth Having Nasolabial Folds Assessed?

Nasolabial folds are normal and do not need treatment simply because they are visible. Choosing to address them is a personal aesthetic decision.

A professional assessment may be useful when you notice your nasolabial folds getting deeper, remaining more noticeable at rest, or appearing alongside changes such as flatter cheeks or reduced midface fullness. The assessment can help distinguish between an isolated fold and a concern influenced by broader facial volume changes.

That distinction creates a better foundation for discussing options, limitations, expected maintenance, and realistic results. The right question is not simply how to fill the line—it is why the line has become more noticeable in your particular face.

Key Takeaways

When you notice nasolabial folds getting deeper, it is helpful to remember that these creases are normal parts of facial anatomy. What changes with age is often their depth and visibility as facial volume, skin support, contours, and repeated movement interact.

The main points to remember are:

• Nasolabial folds run from the sides of the nose toward the corners of the mouth.
• They naturally become more visible during smiling and other expressions.
• Facial volume changes can make the folds more prominent over time.
• Changes through the cheeks and midface may influence how the folds below them appear.
• Skin firmness and resilience also affect how established a crease becomes.
• Genetics and individual anatomy influence when nasolabial folds become noticeable.
• Deep wrinkle and facial fillers may be considered for appropriate patients.
• Cheek filler may be relevant when cheek volume is genuinely contributing to the concern, but it is not an automatic solution.
• Whole-face evaluation can help identify whether the fold itself, surrounding support, or broader facial balance should be addressed.

Ultimately, successful treatment planning starts with understanding the anatomy behind the visible concern. Instead of simply chasing the deepest crease, evaluating facial volume and proportion can help create a more measured approach focused on natural-looking results.

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