What is the difference between marionette lines and smile lines?

Smile (nasolabial) lines run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, while marionette lines run from the mouth corners down toward the chin. They are often treated together but with different placement. For marionette lines, the mouth corner and the chin beside it are usually supported as well as the groove itself.

Can filler lift my drooping mouth corners?

Supporting the mouth corner and the chin area beside it can ease a downturned look, and the groove is then softened with a softer gel. Because this area moves when you talk and eat, the line is softened rather than fully erased. It is not a substitute for surgical lifting when sagging of the lower face is more advanced.

Is marionette filler painful?

The area around the mouth is numbed with a cream first, and many HA fillers carry a local anaesthetic in the gel. The groove is usually treated with a cannula in a deeper layer, so most people feel pressure and brief discomfort. Mild tenderness or bruising near the mouth corner can follow and usually settles within about one to two weeks.

How long does marionette filler last?

Often around 9–12 months, usually shorter than deep, still areas because the mouth moves so much. The softening is visible immediately and settles within about one to two weeks. When the downturn starts to return, we look at the corner and chin support again before planning a top-up.

Can marionette filler be dissolved?

HA placed around the mouth corner can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if an adjustment is needed. Because this area moves constantly, we check whether an uneven look comes from the filler itself or from swelling, and confirm the product and the layer it sits in. Allergy risk and the chance of needing more than one session are explained first, and the outcome after dissolving cannot be guaranteed.

Why do the corners of my mouth look like they are turning down?

Two things are usually at work at once. The tissue just below the corner of the mouth loses volume and leaves a groove behind, and at the same time the muscle that pulls the corner downward keeps tugging on it, so the face reads as displeased even at rest. When the cause is lost volume, filler is the right answer; when it is the muscle, a botulinum toxin is. In most people the two are mixed, so we work out during the examination how much of each is involved.

Can I have Marionette Line Filler during a short trip to Seoul, Korea?

We first check whether assessment and any necessary follow-up fit your stay. Share your arrival, departure and important event dates before booking. For this treatment, the expected course is as follows. Softening appears right away and settles over about 1–2 weeks. Because the mouth area moves often, HA here tends to last around 9–12 months, usually less than deep, still areas. A top-up is discussed at consultation. (Results vary by individual.) Temporary swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising may occur and usually settles within about 1–2 weeks. Avoid pressing or massaging the area, and skip saunas and intense exercise for a day or two as we advise. Examination may lead to postponement or additional visits. Confirm contact arrangements after returning home and when in-person medical care may be needed. What the doctor checks first for this treatment: “The lines below the corners of the mouth and how they meet the jawline”.

Marionette Line Fillerin Gangnam, Seoul

Marionette line filler softens the lines that run from the corners of the mouth down toward the chin. These lines sit just below the smile lines and can give the face a downturned look even at rest. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is used along the line and, often, to support the corner of the mouth and the chin area that frame it. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea, we assess the lower face first, then decide where to place the HA. A session usually takes about 15–30 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)

Reference images of products, devices and treatment areas.

Who it’s for

Lines from the mouth corners toward the chin that deepen with age
A downturned or tired look at rest
Drooping mouth corners you would like to support
Anyone wanting to soften the lower face without surgery

Marionette lines often improve most when the mouth corner and chin area are supported together, not just the line itself. The mouth is mobile, so softening rather than erasing is the goal. Suitability is confirmed during consultation.

How it works

HA filler adds volume where it is placed and is gradually absorbed over time. For marionette lines, the doctor commonly supports the structures around the line — the corner of the mouth and the chin beside it — because lifting these can ease the downturn at its source, and then places a softer gel along the groove itself, usually with a cannula in a deeper layer. Treating the frame and the line together tends to look more natural than filling the crease alone. Because this area moves, the line is softened rather than fully erased. HA can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if needed. (Results vary by individual.)

THE MECHANISM, STEP BY STEP

01Water-holding volume
Hyaluronic acid binds water and adds soft volume, used both to support the mouth corner and chin that frame the line and to cushion the groove itself.
02Support the frame, then the line
Lifting the drooping mouth corner and the chin beside it can ease the downturn at its source; a softer gel is then placed along the groove, usually with a blunt cannula in a deeper layer.
03Immediate but temporary
Softening shows the same day because the gel fills and cushions the groove; over the following months the body gradually breaks the HA down, so the effect is not permanent.
04Adjustable and reversible
Because it is HA, the result can be added to gradually, or dissolved with an enzyme (hyaluronidase) if an adjustment is ever needed.

Treatment areas

Marionette groove: The line from the mouth corner toward the chin, softened along its length.
Mouth corner (oral commissure): Supporting a drooping corner to ease the downturned look.
Chin-side support: The chin area beside the line, volumized to frame the mouth.

What the procedure is like

1Consultation and assessment of the lower face
2Cleansing, marking and topical numbing for comfort
3HA to support the mouth corner and chin and soften the line, by cannula or needle
4Review of symmetry and aftercare guidance

Time: A session usually takes about 15–30 minutes.

Recovery & aftercare

Little downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day.
Temporary swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising may occur and usually settles within about 1–2 weeks.
Avoid pressing or massaging the area, and skip saunas and intense exercise for a day or two as we advise.

What to expect over time

A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.

DAY 0 Treatment day
Softening is visible immediately. Mild swelling, redness or tenderness is common, and the area can look fuller than the final result at first.
DAY 1-3 Early settling
Most swelling eases and any bruising begins to fade. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised.
WEEK 1-2 Settled result
Swelling resolves and the softened line and mouth corner look natural at rest and in movement. (Results vary by individual.)
9-12 MONTHS Duration
Because the mouth area moves often, HA here tends to last around 9–12 months, varying with the product and your metabolism. (Results vary by individual.)
TOP-UP Review & maintenance
Your doctor reviews the result and, if appropriate, discusses timing for a top-up based on your face.

Sessions & results

Softening appears right away and settles over about 1–2 weeks. Because the mouth area moves often, HA here tends to last around 9–12 months, usually less than deep, still areas. A top-up is discussed at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)

How it compares

These all address the downturned line or the mouth corner above it, but they work in different ways and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess the lower face.

Comparison	Marionette Line Filler	Botulinum toxin	Thread lift
Agent	Hyaluronic acid (HA) gel	Botulinum toxin	Absorbable threads (e.g. PDO)
What it does	Supports the mouth corner and chin and cushions the groove	Relaxes the muscle that pulls the mouth corner down	Repositions and lifts tissue mechanically
Onset	Immediate; settles over about 1–2 weeks	Gradual over several days	Immediate lift; settles over weeks
Duration	Around 9–12 months (varies)	Around 3–4 months (varies)	Months, varying with thread type
Reversible?	Yes — dissolvable with hyaluronidase	Not dissolvable; wears off over time	Threads absorb; not easily removed early
Downtime	Little; temporary swelling or bruising	Little; occasional bruising	Some soreness and swelling for a few days

Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.

Safety & considerations

Possible reactions

Temporary swelling, redness or a feeling of fullness
Tenderness or bruising at the injection points
Small lumps or slight unevenness, which usually settle or can be smoothed
Very rarely, filler affecting a blood vessel — this needs prompt medical attention

When to take extra care

Pregnancy or breastfeeding — let us know at consultation
Active skin infection, inflammation or a breakout in the treatment area
A known allergy to hyaluronic acid or lidocaine
Previous filler, threads or surgery in the area — tell your doctor so placement can be planned
A bleeding tendency or blood-thinning medication — tell your doctor

Whether to support the mouth corner and chin, soften the line, or both is confirmed during consultation. Effects and their duration vary by individual, and side effects may occur. We explain the warning signs — unusual pain, or skin turning pale or dusky — so you know to contact us promptly.

Your care at QD Clinic

Performed by a board-certified doctor
Your injection is performed and medically reviewed by a board-certified doctor.
Frame and line together
The mouth corner and chin that frame the line are assessed with the groove itself, not the line alone.
Reversible HA, softened not erased
We use HA that can be dissolved if needed, and aim to soften the line naturally rather than overfill it.
Care in your language
Consultation in English, with 中文 and 日本語 support arranged on request — including questions before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

Smile (nasolabial) lines run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth, while marionette lines run from the mouth corners down toward the chin. They are often treated together but with different placement. For marionette lines, the mouth corner and the chin beside it are usually supported as well as the groove itself.
Supporting the mouth corner and the chin area beside it can ease a downturned look, and the groove is then softened with a softer gel. Because this area moves when you talk and eat, the line is softened rather than fully erased. It is not a substitute for surgical lifting when sagging of the lower face is more advanced.
The area around the mouth is numbed with a cream first, and many HA fillers carry a local anaesthetic in the gel. The groove is usually treated with a cannula in a deeper layer, so most people feel pressure and brief discomfort. Mild tenderness or bruising near the mouth corner can follow and usually settles within about one to two weeks.
Often around 9–12 months, usually shorter than deep, still areas because the mouth moves so much. The softening is visible immediately and settles within about one to two weeks. When the downturn starts to return, we look at the corner and chin support again before planning a top-up.
HA placed around the mouth corner can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if an adjustment is needed. Because this area moves constantly, we check whether an uneven look comes from the filler itself or from swelling, and confirm the product and the layer it sits in. Allergy risk and the chance of needing more than one session are explained first, and the outcome after dissolving cannot be guaranteed.
Two things are usually at work at once. The tissue just below the corner of the mouth loses volume and leaves a groove behind, and at the same time the muscle that pulls the corner downward keeps tugging on it, so the face reads as displeased even at rest. When the cause is lost volume, filler is the right answer; when it is the muscle, a botulinum toxin is. In most people the two are mixed, so we work out during the examination how much of each is involved.
We first check whether assessment and any necessary follow-up fit your stay. Share your arrival, departure and important event dates before booking. For this treatment, the expected course is as follows. Softening appears right away and settles over about 1–2 weeks. Because the mouth area moves often, HA here tends to last around 9–12 months, usually less than deep, still areas. A top-up is discussed at consultation. (Results vary by individual.) Temporary swelling, redness, tenderness or bruising may occur and usually settles within about 1–2 weeks. Avoid pressing or massaging the area, and skip saunas and intense exercise for a day or two as we advise. Examination may lead to postponement or additional visits. Confirm contact arrangements after returning home and when in-person medical care may be needed. What the doctor checks first for this treatment: “The lines below the corners of the mouth and how they meet the jawline”.

Often considered together

Treatments that are sometimes planned alongside this one, decided at consultation.

Smile Line Filler

The folds from the nose to the mouth sit just above and are often planned together.

Chin Filler

Supporting the chin beside the line can frame the mouth and is often combined.

Botulinum toxin (mouth corner)

Relaxing the muscle that pulls the corner down addresses movement that filler does not; sequencing is decided by your doctor.

For international patients

Consultation in English / 中文 / 日本語 · WhatsApp · WeChat · KakaoTalk · a 4-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon / Nonhyeon Station (hours in KST).

How many days should I stay?

Surgery and course-based treatments need a check-up. We tell you before you book whether that means staying longer or coming back another time.

For International Patients