Nasolabial and Marionette Line Filler in Reigate, Surrey
Every treatment carried out by Dr Haroon Ashraf, a GMC-registered doctor who injects full time.
Book a ConsultationWho nasolabial and marionette line filler suits, and who it doesn't
The lines that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth, and from the corners of the mouth down towards the chin, are the ones people point to in the mirror most often. They are also the ones where filling the line itself is frequently the wrong answer. Both folds deepen mainly because the tissue above them has descended, and treating the cause tends to give a better result than treating the fold.
Sometimes the fold does need treating directly. When it does, the aim is to soften it, not remove it: a face with no nasolabial fold at all looks odd, and everybody has one.
This treatment tends to suit you if- The nasolabial folds, from nose to mouth, have deepened and cast a shadow that makes the face look drawn
- Marionette lines, from mouth to chin, are pulling the corners of the mouth down and giving a sad or stern look at rest
- The lines are there at rest, not only when you smile
- You have already had the cheeks treated and a residual fold remains
- The fold is caused mainly by the cheek descending — we would suggest treating the cheek first, and we will explain why
- The lines only appear when you smile — these are made by movement, and filler will not remove them without stiffening the face
- The folds are very deep and fixed in a face with a lot of loose skin — filler can soften them but not remove them, and we would rather say so
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have an active infection in the area
- You are under 18 — we do not treat under-18s under any circumstances
Some people are better served by not having treatment at all, and we would rather tell you that than take the booking.
How Dr Haroon Ashraf approaches nasolabial and marionette lines
Assessment
The first question is where the fold is coming from. We look at the mid-face before we look at the fold: how the cheek sits, how much of the line is shadow cast by tissue above it, how much is a true groove, and what happens when you smile. If most of the fold is the cheek descending, we will suggest treating the cheek first or alongside, because it gives a better result with less product and looks more natural.
The marionette area is assessed with the chin and the corners of the mouth, because a downturned corner is often as much about support at the chin as about the line itself. Where the muscle that pulls the corners down is contributing, we will discuss the options for that too.
Product and Placement
A hyaluronic acid filler with enough structure to support the fold, placed beneath it rather than into it. This part of the face moves constantly when you speak, eat and smile, so the product has to be soft enough to move with it and placed in the plane where it will not show. Hyaluronic acid is reversible, and that is the reason we use nothing else.
Small amounts, and often less than people expect. Over-treating a nasolabial fold flattens the face and can make the upper lip look heavy. We would rather leave a fold softened than leave a face changed.
Comfort
Topical anaesthetic is applied first, and the filler itself contains lidocaine. Most people describe mild discomfort rather than pain, and the treatment itself is brief. The technique — where and how the filler is placed — is chosen for the area to give the best result while keeping trauma, and any discomfort, to a minimum.
Bruising is possible, as it is with any injection. If you take blood-thinning medication, tell us, and we will plan around it.
What the appointment looks like
Before You Arrive
You will be sent a medical questionnaire and consent form to complete beforehand, so the time in clinic is spent on you rather than on paperwork.
Ideally, avoid alcohol for 24 hours before your appointment. If you take any blood-thinning medication, let Dr Ashraf know — continue taking it as prescribed; it simply means bruising is a little more likely and we plan around it.
On the Day
Plan for around 45 minutes. Consultation and assessment come first, then topical anaesthetic, then the treatment itself, which takes around ten to fifteen minutes. If we think the cheek should be treated instead, we will say so at the assessment, and there is no charge for being told.
We photograph before and after at every appointment. Those photographs are yours, they form part of your clinical record, and they are only ever used elsewhere with your separate written permission.
Afterwards
Expect some swelling and tenderness for a few days, and the area may feel slightly firm for a week or so while the product integrates. Some people bruise; some do not. The final result is what you see at around two weeks.
You will have written aftercare before you leave, and Dr Ashraf's direct contact details if anything concerns you. We review at two weeks, included rather than charged for.
Nasolabial and marionette filler before and after
Every photograph below is of a patient treated by Dr Ashraf, shown with their written permission. Unretouched and unfiltered; where a patient has asked for it, their eyes are covered for privacy. Results are individual and yours will differ.
Nasolabial and marionette line filler cost in Reigate
Prices are per one-millilitre syringe, which treats both sides. One millilitre is usually enough for most people; on some occasions we may suggest a second syringe for the best result, and we will say so before anything is placed. Consultation, the treatment itself and your two-week review are all included; there is no separate consultation fee and no charge for the review.
Where the cheek is treated first or alongside, we will give you a single price at the assessment, before anything is placed. Full pricing for every treatment is on our pricing page.
Risks, and how we reduce them
Filler in the nasolabial and marionette areas is a medical procedure and it carries medical risk. Any clinic that tells you otherwise is not one to be treated at.
Swelling, tenderness and bruising for a few days. Slight firmness along the fold while the product settles. Small lumps that resolve, or that can be massaged out at your review.
Asymmetry needing correction, a lump that persists, prolonged swelling. A heavy or flattened look if too much is placed. All are correctable, most of them by dissolving.
Vascular occlusion — filler entering or compressing a blood vessel — is the rare complication that matters with any filler. Done appropriately, with good technique and a proper understanding of the anatomy, nasolabial and marionette line filler is a safe and predictable treatment. Delayed-onset nodules and infection are also rare but possible.
Which is exactly why who treats you matters. Dr Ashraf is a GMC-registered doctor, trained to recognise a vascular occlusion and to reverse it with hyaluronidase, the agent used to dissolve filler. He also teaches: over 1,000 doctors, dentists and nurses have been trained by him in aesthetic injectable technique and in complication management.
Every treatment here is carried out by Dr Ashraf and not delegated, we use reversible hyaluronic acid filler only, you have direct contact details rather than a reception voicemail for the period after treatment, and we decline treatments we do not think are in your interest. More about Dr Haroon Ashraf.
Nasolabial and marionette line filler FAQs
How long does nasolabial or marionette line filler last?
Typically nine to twelve months. This part of the face moves a great deal when you speak, eat and smile, so the visible effect fades sooner here than it does in the cheek or chin, where filler tends to last twelve to eighteen months. We assess what is still there before adding anything at a later appointment, rather than topping up to a calendar.
Why do you keep talking about cheeks?
Because the nasolabial fold is, for most people, a symptom of the cheek above it. As the mid-face loses support, the tissue descends and gathers at the fold. Lift the cheek and the fold shallows on its own, with a more natural result than filling it directly and a lower risk profile. Where the cheek is not enough, the fold is treated afterwards with less product than it would otherwise have needed. More on cheek filler in Reigate.
Will it make my face look heavy or flat?
Not when it is done with restraint. A heavy result comes from filling the fold to the point where it disappears, which flattens the natural contour of the face and can make the upper lip look full. We soften folds; we do not erase them.
Can filler fix the corners of my mouth turning down?
Often it can help. Marionette line filler supports the corners of the mouth from beneath, and where the chin has lost projection, chin filler can be part of the same plan. Where the muscle that pulls the corners down is a large part of the picture, there are other options, and we will go through them at the consultation.
Does it hurt?
Most people describe mild discomfort rather than pain. Topical anaesthetic goes on first, the filler itself contains lidocaine, and the treatment itself takes around ten to fifteen minutes.
Can I have it before an event?
Give it a week. Swelling is mostly gone in a few days and the area settles over two weeks. If you want room for a review appointment as well, two to three weeks is more comfortable.
What if I don't like it?
Hyaluronic acid filler is reversible, so it can be dissolved. We would wait at least two weeks first, so the swelling has gone and the product has settled, and we would talk it through at your review before making that decision.
Where are you based?
3 Holmesdale Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0BA. We see patients for nasolabial and marionette line filler from across Surrey, including Redhill, Leatherhead, Dorking, Banstead and Horley.
Book nasolabial or marionette line filler in Reigate
Consultations are with Dr Haroon Ashraf. There is no fee, and no obligation to book treatment on the day.
Book a Consultation3 Holmesdale Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0BA
07885 519 416 · info@mindfulaesthetics.co
