Could my big cheeks be causing nasolabial lines? (pics)
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Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:13 am

Hi everyone, this is my first post here.

I am 31 I don't have any wrinkles on my face except smile lines which run from my nose to my lips. I am very slim (I'm under 100lbs), however, for some reason I have rather round cheeks.

Could it be that my round cheeks are causing the lines by being heavy and and leaning on those skin folds? I am just wondering because I hardly ever smiled, not even as a teen or child. I never even smile in pictures. Of course I have laughed though, talked, and eaten, all which use the muscles around my face, but not enough I think in order for me have these lines. Also, I have never smoked, I don't drink, I always sleep at least 8 hours a day, I live a very leisurely life with little to no stress, yet I still have these faint lines.

The lines are present even when I don't smile. I feel like it really detracts from my looks.
I don't look as youthful as a result. I also feel like my face looks unbalanced, like my cheeks are all full but it's sunken in where the lines are. Does anyone know what could be causing this? I also don't think it's sun damage as I hardly ever even leave the house (I work from home) and when I do I have always worn sunscreen. Also, I have no lines around my eyes whatsoever, only this part of my face.

I am seriously considering Juvederm or Artefill or some similar type of procedure to fill out the lines.

Could it be that the weight of my cheeks are causing these lines by any chance? Does anyone know? Does bone structure have anything to do with it? I am petite but I have big cheeks and a rather round face.

I tried to post images here of my "facial lines" through photobucket but the board won't let me because I'm new. I would really like to post the images if possible so everyone can see what I'm talking about.

Do you think it would make a significant and drastic result in my appearance for the better if I were to get these lines filled?

free skin care · Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:52 am

Welcome to EDS! Very Happy

Unless you have had them your entire life, adding the "Ageless If You Dare" facial exercises should help greatly. That will be far cheaper ($10) than the filler, and will also help with other aging changes as well. But filler would certainly have a faster result (immediate vs. a couple of months).

Here is the thread under the Tools Forum:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=31539

free skin care · Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:19 am

post the address without the http: part... we can cut and paste.

free skin care · Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:26 am

bethany wrote:

Welcome to EDS! Very Happy

Unless you have had them your entire life, adding the "Ageless If You Dare" facial exercises should help greatly. That will be far cheaper ($10) than the filler, and will also help with other aging changes as well. But filler would certainly have a faster result (immediate vs. a couple of months).

Here is the thread under the Tools Forum:
http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=31539

Hi I agree with Bethany - You may want to do the filler as a temporary fix and then get to work on the facial exercises. I did this. I haven't had any filler in well over a year and a half. Facial exercises are the bomb.

Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:00 am

Here's a follow up from my post from yesterday. I can only post a few times per day because I'm new so I'll try and fit everything into this post.I would also like to add that I am currently using retinols (Avene Eluage & Diacneal).

Here are the pics. Pls copy and paste since I can't post links yet

after the photobucket part pls put in . c o m
I have to do it this way, otherwise the board won't let me post.

i288.photobucket/albums/ll163/jackie_was_here/lines4.jpg

and the pic below is from a mirror shot self-portrait that I took from quite a distance, I would say at least from a foot away and yet the lines are very obvious.

i288.photobucket/albums/ll163/jackie_was_here/lines5.jpg

From what I can tell the line seems to be more pronounced on the right hand side.

After I made my first post above I couldn't post anymore so I did ask about this same topic on some other message boards and from doing my own research on-line and from the answers that I have received I have concluded that's it's probably a combination of my fatty cheeks and probably some aging which have contributed to the lines. A few people on the other board however told me that it was just a "fold" in my skin and that I should just "get over it" and that I was being "obsessive" which wasn't very helpful. One person even accused me of fishing for compliments which is completely not true!

All I was asking for was just things I could do to help lessen those lines but instead I got accused of being vain, obsessive, etc

There was one person though who was very helpful (she has the same type of face that I do with round cheeks) and she suggested that I look into Frownies which is basically tape that you place on the lines overnight and I think I will try that first because it's cheap and not as invasive as injections/fillers. Secondly, she suggested using a lifting cream and I have decided to try the Clarins Facial Lift cream.

I will also definitely look into the facial exercices. Thank you for the suggestion!

If those two options don't work for me then I will schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon in regards to possibly Juvederm or Restylane or some filler of the sort. I would like to use that as a last resort as I am very antsy towards needles and don't have a very high pain tolerance. (I actually panic and cry during blood tests).

I would still like to get rid of these folds because I feel that it detracts from my appearance and I would feel a lot better without it.

Also, if anyone here can tell me if the lines are from aging or from having big cheeks that would help too. I think it's a combination of both but I'm not completely sure actually.

I do think I would look more youthful and better if I had those lines fixed somehow.

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:58 am

Hi there,

I would say that yes, those lines (and I agree that they are not lines but folds) are due to your cheeks. Your cheeks are beautiful and the fold is just a byproduct of your particular face shape. Angelina Jolie, Calista Flockhart, Cam Diaz, Halle Berry all have the fold. I wouldn't touch it with filler if I were you -- my opinion but I think you could end up looking really doughy by trying to flatten that out. I doubt that frownies would ever help as it's a part of your resting facial structure.

As you get older, you might want to incorporate facial exercises to keep your cheeks where they are and the fold as it is as with time the fold could get droopy. Right now I think your cheeks and fold are perfect. Enjoy your face.

Vangirl

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:38 am

I agree with vangirl, it is a byproduct of your beautiful cheeks. IMHO, trying to get rid of the fold with filler would detract from your overall appearance and make you look puffy. What you perceive as lines, I would say provide natural contour to your face, and enhance your already-youthful beauty.

vangirl, those are some great celebrity examples you provided!

Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:44 am

I agree with the above poster, they are caused by your cheeks. They do not look like they are caused by ageing at all. So I would not worry in that aspect. Actually, your full cheeks would definitely be positive and make you look youthful Smile

You are lucky because a major concern of ageing is a loss of fullness to the cheeks. So in the future as you age you would not have to worry so much...

Anyway, you could try retin-a/renova as an option

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:49 pm

How did you see the photos? I tried everything. When I finally got to photo bucket they were deleted.

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:45 pm

Determined wrote:

How did you see the photos? I tried everything. When I finally got to photo bucket they were deleted.

Just tried the links again, they work for me. Determined, do these work for you?

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll163/jackie_was_here/lines4.jpg

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll163/jackie_was_here/lines5.jpg

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:34 pm

Your nasal labial lines are for sure not from aging. It's just the way your face shape is. You do have nice full cheeks. I think everything looks perfect and I agree with what the others have told you. Just use good skincare and maybe start some facial exercises to keep your face firm as you age. At least for now. Fillers would not look good on you at your age and I think they would detract from your good looks. There is no topical product you can use to get rid of those lines. Maybe Retin-A or a retinol product at your age might soften them a bit. Your skin looks lovely.

Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:25 pm

Thank you for your advice everyone. I already am using retinol products for over a year now. I used to use green cream (retinoid), now I'm using Avene Eluage and also Avene retrinal which are all retinol products. I might order some Retin-A micro soon though and see how that goes.

Would fillers really make me look puffy though?
When I pull my cheeks back so that the folds aren't visible and look in the mirror it doesn't really look that puffy. I can't really tell though for sure.

I'm sedentary right now and don't really exercise even though I am very petite but if I were to start exercising regularly and got more toned and lost a tiny bit of fat would that lessen the folds do you think?

Thanks all for your advice and kind words. I will probably lay off the injections for now. After seeing videos of filler injections on youtube it doesn't look like a very pleasant experience.

I will listen to your advice and make do with good skincare for now,facial exercises and try the Frownies anyways (because I have nothing to lose if they don't work).

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:59 pm

Hey there...

Those are gorgeous cheeks, and the definition that is there is the result of your nice round fullness. The lines are a clear sign of YOUTH. My 4 y/o has the same lines. You have what many here are striving for daily!!!!

And yes, I would expect you to look a bit blown up if you found someone crazy enough to fill them. Our faces are not meant to be a rounded ball without definition Smile

Much like these little smilies.

Main thing is to maintain those cheeks. Then you won't develop sag... (that will then be the sign of aging for you)

Now is a great time to start (if you haven't already) your skin care routines... You will age all the better for it!

Best...

Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:19 pm

Thank you for your advice. I will just leave them alone for now then and just concentrate on
skin care and facial exercises. Thank you all for giving me good advice without being judgmental Smile

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:14 am

keli13 wrote:

Your nasal labial lines are for sure not from aging. It's just the way your face shape is. You do have nice full cheeks. I think everything looks perfect and I agree with what the others have told you.

Agree. You look great. Don't mess with a good thing!

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:41 am

I agree with rileygirl. You look terrific!

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:15 pm

I don't see anything wrong with your cheeks or NL folds. They seem natural and just part of your facial structure. You don't have any sagging skin, and you have lovely lips. I think many girls would want to have your cheeks, so leaving them alone would be good.

free skin care · Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:10 pm

Do you regularly massage the skin? If not,just do it.

free skin care · Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:12 am

Nadjazz, the links worked, thank you. ilovebritny, leave your beautiful youthful cheeks alone. Don't get sucked into media hype regarding what you should look like to be "beautiful" Big-boobed, smokey-eyed,mini-skirted blonde clones that so desperately need more & more "work" to keep up with shallow & stupid conventions are a pathetic fad. Enjoy your special beauty.

free skin care · Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:47 am

I think the media has done a fantastic job of convincing us that an expressionless face is the ideal.. NOT!!! Big youthful cheeks are so darn cute Smile

free skin care · Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:37 pm

I have the same problem! I have lost alot of weight and some of my cheeks have come down but I know that if you use a filler, you will be adding to your cheeks and it will all just look horrible. Don't add to the problem but take away.

I was actually looking into a cheap procedure to give me some of the cheek bones that I so desired and it is called Buccal (pronounced Buckle) Fat Extraction. It is a very small procedure that can happen in less than an hour but change your cheeks.

I am not saying to go get it, but it is always nice to know ALL of your options!

free skin care · Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:16 pm

Oh, Miss Tina, your face is so beautiful, especially the curve of your cheeks. Please don't mess with it. I swear I would never tell you this if it wasn't true....

free skin care · Thu Jul 09, 2009 7:15 pm

Haha, thank you very much. But this is after over 20 lbs. I am now a weight that is good for my height. 5'3" on a good day at 130 lbs.

If I loose more weight, I will look like a boggle head. But yes, I have those asian cheeks and when I was heavier thought about having that surgery.

Now, I am just worried about my scars, but thank you for the compliment!

Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:37 pm

Thank you MissTina for your input regarding the buccal procedure. I have never heard of that and you are right, it is nice to know all of one's options.

I realize now I guess that my lines are a part of my face. I still wish I had a more oval face though so I didn't have this issue. I love the face shapes of Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox ( I love Megan, I think she is so hot). Even tho the line is a part of my cheeks, there are a few people who have mistaken those lines as smile lines. It kind of bothers me that some people might think it's due to aging, although the majority do seem to think it's part of my cheeks. For example, I asked somewhere how old people thought I was and why they thought I was the age they thought I was and one person stated they could tell I was in my late 20's or early 30's due to my smile lines. So obviously this person couldn't tell the difference if lines were due to fatty cheeks vs aging, they just assumed aging. To be honest I couldn't really tell at first either, that's why I posted on her to ask.

I don't really like round faces to be honest, I love "modelesque" oval faces like Megan Fox etc.

I have been using the Clarins cream now for two days already utilizing their massage "methode" or whatever. Too soon to tell if it's making a difference.

Alien wrote:

I think the media has done a fantastic job of convincing us that an expressionless face is the ideal.. NOT!!! Big youthful cheeks are so darn cute Smile

I really appreciate the sweet compliment but to be honest I don't want to be cute. I am 31. I want to look s-e-x-y and hot! lol

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