It’s because of Marionette Lines, the mischief of genes and lifestyle. Aesthetic technology however is here to help with solutions, says aesthetic expert
DUBAI: Do you have a happy face? The question is deceptively simple. What it is actually asking you is, does your face have marionette lines? You know, the kind that puppets, also called marionettes, have? Where the corners of their mouth are always turned downwards, giving them a sad look? Well, puppets come with strings attached (to their mouth) and hence have an existential problem, but you don’t. So, if the lower part of your face is developing what are called marionette lines, giving you a permanently sad expression, you don’t have to resign to your plight.
What are marionette lines? “These lines or wrinkles run vertically down the sides of your mouth down to your chin, leading to sagging in the lower half of your face, thus giving you a ‘sad face’” says Dr Majd AlZoughbi, Specialist Dermatology, Aesthetica Clinic, Dubai.
And you don’t have to be old to have them. “These types of wrinkles tend to develop by your 40s, but you may start seeing signs of them in your 20s and 30,” says Dr Majd.
Why do we get them? There are many reasons, according to Dr Majd.
“Marionette lines are caused by loss of natural collagen and elastin that occurs with age. This leads to a loss of volume in the skin tissue and facial volume as you get older that often results in deep creases around the mouth area.” People with very pronounced and animated facial expressions can also get marionette lines, she says.
Lifestyle plays an important role too, as does drastic dieting, weight gain and excessive sun exposure, all of which can impact facial tissue volume and appearance.