What does a nasolabial fold look like before a hyaluronic acid injection ?
The nasolabial fold is first and foremost a marker of facial mechanics. It reflects loss of midface support, particularly around the cheekbones, malar fat pad and deep subcutaneous fat. It can also reveal reduced dermal density, tissue ptosis or muscular hyperactivity in this anatomical area.
The fold's appearance varies : it may be subtle but deep, wide and shadowed, or associated with overall sagging of the lower and middle thirds of the face. Before any intervention, the doctor therefore assesses not only fold depth, but also adjacent volume, facial dynamics at rest and in movement, and skin elasticity. This observational work is essential for a natural result.
What does a nasolabial fold look like after a hyaluronic acid injection ?
The aim of treating nasolabial folds with hyaluronic acid is not to erase them completely, but to reduce their visibility both at rest and during facial expressions. The ideal result goes unnoticed by those around the patient, while allowing them to recognise themselves in the mirror with a visibly less drawn, more rested and fresher face.
After injection, the fold looks shallower and regains a harmonious place within the face. The whole area retains suppleness and mobility, without stiffness or heaviness. This subtle approach softens features without transforming them, respecting the balance and identity of each face.
How is a hyaluronic acid injection into the nasolabial fold performed ?
Nasolabial fold injections can be performed with a flexible cannula or fine needle, depending on the chosen strategy and the patient's facial structure. Dr Romano exclusively favours cannula use, a technique that reduces bruising risks and offers optimal comfort. In most cases, moderately cross-linked hyaluronic acid is used. Its consistency ensures good retention within the fold while respecting the face's natural suppleness and mobility.
The injection's effect is immediately visible, but the final result is assessed between 5 and 10 days. This is the time needed for the gel to integrate harmoniously into the tissues and for any minor swelling to subside. The face then regains a more rested, natural appearance without stiffness or overcorrection.
Before/after photographs of hyaluronic acid nasolabial fold injections
In medical practice, before/after photographs are valuable for both doctor and patient. They show the extent of improvement, the symmetry of the result and the restored softness of the features. However, their interpretation must remain nuanced : a still photograph cannot convey facial dynamics, expressiveness or the treatment's positive psychological impact.
In most cases, the « after » result is characterised by partial softening of the nasolabial fold and a more harmonious transition between cheek and mouth. The effect remains subtle, preserving natural facial mobility.
Many patients report that those around them notice a change without identifying its precise cause. This is often the sign of successful treatment : improvement is perceptible, but remains subtle and natural.
What are the before/after benefits of nasolabial fold treatment ?
Beyond the visible result, the « before/after » of nasolabial fold treatment has a significant psychological impact. Patients, often troubled by a fold that weighed down the face or made them look upset, discover a face more consistent with how they feel inside.
This return to oneself, this sense of self-recognition, is one of the treatment's most powerful effects. It explains why the « after », though imperceptible to some, feels profoundly restorative.
How can an artificial result be avoided after a nasolabial fold injection ?
If hyaluronic acid treatment of nasolabial folds is performed without discernment — an overly volumising product, overly superficial injection or neglected symmetry —, the result can lack harmony. The face may look frozen, an overcorrected fold can form a ridge visible when smiling, or create an unusual reflection in the light. These undesirable effects, though rare, highlight that injecting this delicate area requires complete anatomical knowledge and impeccable technique.
This is why the doctor's expertise plays an essential role in achieving a natural, balanced result. An experienced doctor adapts product selection, injected volume and injection depth to each face. The aim is not simply to fill a fold, but to restore feature harmony and preserve expressive mobility.
In Geneva, Dr Romano favours a tailored approach combining technical precision and aesthetic judgement. This commitment avoids excessive corrections and guarantees patients a subtle, harmonious and lasting result.
Are hyaluronic acid nasolabial fold injections effective ?
Scientific literature on hyaluronic acid treatment of nasolabial folds provides objective insight into the effectiveness of these injections. Several studies published in aesthetic dermatology or plastic surgery journals have assessed results through standardised photographic analyses, using validated wrinkle severity scales such as the WSRS (Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale).
Overall, these publications demonstrate a significant reduction in fold depth in more than 85 % of patients, with overall satisfaction often exceeding 90 %. Results are measured at different intervals — one week, one month and six months after injection. Improvement is assessed not only by doctors, but also by patients themselves through questionnaires on perceived facial change, such as the GAIS (Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale).
Before/after photographs taken in these studies reproducibly show visible softening of the fold, better light diffusion over the cheeks and harmonised facial volume without altering the features. These data corroborate patients' feelings : the impression of a more relaxed face without changes to their features.
How do nasolabial fold injection results change at 3, 6 and 12 months ?
Patients often ask whether the result achieved after an injection changes over time and in what way. The answer is yes, and this is one of the treatment's main advantages because it remains reversible, gradual and long-lasting.
During the first three months, hyaluronic acid remains well positioned. Its hydrophilic capacity maintains fold filling and improves local hydration. The result remains stable and may even improve slightly in some patients as the product gradually integrates into surrounding tissues.
From the sixth month, slow, gradual resorption begins. It remains subtle but can be demonstrated by comparing photographs. Around twelve months, depending on the gel type and each patient's metabolism, the effect starts to diminish. Many patients then choose to repeat treatment before it disappears completely to preserve a rested, harmonious face.
Nasolabial fold injections in men : before/after
In men, correcting nasolabial folds with hyaluronic acid requires particular attention. The male face has firmer, more pronounced lines, and most patients wish to retain this natural appearance without treatment being noticeable.
Before injection, the fold often looks shallower than in women but more taut, as facial muscles are generally stronger. The challenge is not simply to fill a fold, but to soften signs of fatigue while respecting the structure and strength of masculine features. The desired result is a rested, balanced face without complete erasure of the fold.
The approach must therefore be measured. Excessive correction weighs down or feminises the features, while insufficient correction fails to produce the expected improvement. Success relies on precise dosage that produces a visible but subtle effect, ensuring a natural, harmonious appearance.
Which hyaluronic acid should be chosen for the nasolabial fold ?
The nasolabial fold is more than a simple surface wrinkle. It forms a true anatomical boundary between two muscular and fatty planes of the face. Its formation is associated both with descent of the medial malar compartment and with the action of the levator labii superioris muscle. Subject to repeated movements, this area therefore reflects both volume laxity and muscle dynamics.
Using unsuitable hyaluronic acid risks disrupting this natural mobility. An overly rigid gel can freeze expression, while an overly fluid product can migrate into neighbouring tissues. The region is highly mobile, particularly during smiling or speaking, increasing the possibility of product displacement.
Hyaluronic acid must therefore be selected precisely. This must consider fold depth, the quality and mobility of surrounding tissues and each patient's muscular strength. Only rigorous gel selection produces harmonious, lasting and natural filling while avoiding undesirable effects.
Which hyaluronic acid suits the nasolabial fold at different ages ?
The choice of hyaluronic acid injected into the nasolabial fold depends on several parameters, particularly the patient's age and skin tissue quality. A product will not suit a young face in the same way as a more mature face, because the causes of fold formation change over time.
In patients around thirty or forty, the fold most often results from muscular hyperactivity or early tissue laxity. In this situation, a supple gel with a limited volumising effect generally suffices to soften the fold while respecting facial mobility.
From fifty onwards, the nasolabial fold deepens because of overall structural support loss. Treatment must then go beyond simple filling, using denser hyaluronic acid that remains flexible enough to adapt to facial movements.
Adapting hyaluronic acid density and suppleness to each patient profile therefore ensures a natural, lasting and personalised result, respecting the anatomy and individual changes of every face.
Non-surgical lift or nasolabial fold injection : what is the difference ?
In some cases, treating the nasolabial fold directly is not the most suitable solution. The fold often results from overall facial tissue laxity. Restoring only this area may then produce a partial or even artificial result. For a harmonious improvement, it is often preferable to restore support to deep facial structures, particularly the cheekbones, cheeks and sometimes temples.
This approach, called a non-surgical lift through injection points, aims to reposition lost volume and raise tissues that tend to sag towards the fold. Restoring the face's natural anchoring points mechanically reduces nasolabial fold depth while preserving feature mobility and balance.
A non-surgical lift with hyaluronic acid therefore acts on the entire facial structure rather than erasing an isolated wrinkle. This overall strategy creates a more rested, harmonious face with visible yet consistently natural results.
How can hyaluronic acid nasolabial fold injections be personalised ?
The choice of injection plane plays a decisive role in treating nasolabial folds. It depends on both fold depth and skin tone, directly guiding the type of hyaluronic acid used.
For subdermal injections, the doctor generally favours cohesive, moderately cross-linked gels that provide support without making the area rigid. This technique fills the fold while respecting natural facial mobility.
When injection is performed preperiosteally, meaning against the bone, highly volumising hyaluronic acid is chosen. This product type restores deep facial structure and creates an indirect lifting effect, mechanically reducing fold depth.
Finally, to correct superficial microcreases or restore skin elasticity, injection is performed closer to the surface, within the dermis. The doctor then uses a Skinbooster, injected in a fanning pattern with a microcannula. This approach aims not only to fill, but also to improve skin quality and facial radiance.
The injection plane and product choice are thus closely connected. When mastered, they produce a natural, personalised and lasting result, respecting each patient's anatomy and specific needs.
Which hyaluronic acids should be avoided for the nasolabial fold ?
Not all hyaluronic acids are suitable for treating nasolabial folds. Some overly cross-linked gels tend to stiffen the area and can freeze expressions, creating an unnatural appearance. Conversely, overly fluid products designed for the eye contour or fine lines lack the consistency needed to fill the fold effectively and risk migrating into surrounding tissues because this facial region is highly mobile. Non-resorbable products must also never be used, as their use is prohibited because of the risk of complications.
A harmonious result therefore depends on choosing a gel suited to fold depth and tissue dynamics. Selecting hyaluronic acid that is neither too firm nor too fluid corrects the fold naturally while preserving expressive mobility and facial balance.
Why is the result after a nasolabial fold injection often appreciated ?
The « after » involves more than observing a change in the mirror. It also has an intimate, often unexpected dimension beyond simple aesthetic improvement. For many patients, it is a moment of reconciliation with their face, a more peaceful encounter with their image. Some had no precise expectations before injection, yet discover an unforeseen sense of improved wellbeing.
They describe a calmer relationship with their reflection, an expression aligned with their inner energy and new freedom to smile or be photographed. For some, this change brings quiet relief, for others renewed confidence expressed in daily life.
This personal experience cannot be measured in numbers and is not always captured in photographs. Yet it often embodies the treatment's deepest success, subtly connecting physical appearance and inner balance.
