Can exercises or creams get rid of smile lines?
Opening wide and saying “oh”, puffing air into the cheeks. Plenty of people come in after following smile-line exercise videos. To give you the conclusion first: good studies showing exercises or creams fade nasolabial folds are still hard to find.
The short answer
Smile lines come largely from cheek tissue descending and the fat beside the fold shrinking, so exercise or cream alone rarely erases them. There's a 20-week pilot study of facial exercise, but it had no control group, and in a 49-person randomised trial facial appearance didn't differ between groups. A 70-person, 16-week trial found one cosmetic did better than its base cream, but that's one product at one centre. At Miso Clinic, 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu (Exit 1, Kyungpook Nat'l Univ. Hospital Station), +82-53-428-2700, I first check whether the fold comes from hollowing or sagging.
Why don't exercises smooth out smile lines?
A nasolabial fold isn't an expression line folded by a muscle. Cheek tissue moves down, the fat right beside the fold shrinks with age, and the border deepens. A 2026 3D MRI study of 47 women also found fat volume near the fold fell with age.
I couldn't find evidence that building muscle brings that fat back or lifts the tissue. So I don't stop anyone trying exercises, but I do say you may be disappointed if you expect the fold to disappear.
→ More: Why nasolabial folds deepen
What do facial exercise studies say?
| Study | Design | Result | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 weeks of facial exercise (2018) | Middle-aged women, daily exercise | Reported fuller cheeks | No control group, small pilot |
| 6 weeks of exercise and massage (2026) | 49 people randomised | No group difference in facial appearance | Aimed at depression; appearance was secondary |
Neither study measured the nasolabial fold itself. In this search I found no randomised trial comparing smile lines before and after exercise.
Some people worry that working the mouth area hard could deepen other expression lines. I couldn't find a study on that either.
Do smile-line creams work?
In a randomised, double-blind trial of 70 people using it for 16 weeks, one cosmetic improved the look of smile lines, frown lines and crow's feet more than its base cream. It's one product from one centre, and the change was not large.
I couldn't find studies comparing particular brands or budget creams. Prescription retinoids have evidence for fine lines, but they don't smooth a deep fold. Moisturised, smoother skin can make the fine lines around the fold show less.
→ More: Types of facial wrinkles: does each need a different fix?
What is worth trying at home?
Sunscreen has evidence for slowing how fast skin thins and loosens. There's also analysis suggesting that sleeping on one side keeps pressing that half of the face and can make lines there look deeper.
Big weight loss can deepen the folds too. If you're dieting, mention that.
So what do you do in clinic?
If hollowing leads, I consider dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler first. If sagging leads, I talk about lifting. Botox into the fold itself usually isn't the answer.
I decide which by how much the fold fades when the cheek is lifted gently, and where the hollowing sits from the front and side.
→ More: Smile lines: filler or lifting?
Smile line exercises and creams FAQ
How often should I do smile-line exercises?
No exercise has been shown to work on the fold, so I have no number to recommend. If you do them, keep it to what feels comfortable.
What about smile-line patches?
They press the skin flat while they're on, and it comes back when you take them off. I found no study showing a lasting effect.
I'm in my 20s and can see smile lines.
Smiling habits or face shape can show them early. If they only appear when you smile, there's little reason to rush into treatment.
Where can I get a smile line consultation in Daegu?
At Miso Clinic, 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu (Exit 1, Kyungpook Nat'l Univ. Hospital Station), +82-53-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Related care: Smile lines: filler or lifting · Lifting
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Pilot study of facial exercise — Alam M et al. Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging. JAMA Dermatol 2018;154(3):365-7. PMID 29299598. 20 weeks, no control group.
- Randomised trial of facial exercise and massage — Wollmer MA et al. FaReWell Depression. Front Psychiatry 2026;17:1798454. PMID 42267161. 49 people, 6 weeks; facial appearance was a secondary outcome.
- Randomised trial of a wrinkle cosmetic — Farris PK et al. J Drugs Dermatol 2014;13(1):41-6. PMID 24385118. 70 people, 16 weeks, vehicle-controlled.
- 3D MRI of facial fat with age — Sun M et al. Study on Age-Related Facial Fat Changes Using 3D MRI. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum 2026;8:ojag028. PMID 41928780. 47 women.
- Korean medical advertising law — Korean Medical Service Act Article 56(2) (no treatment testimonials, no comparisons with other clinics, no superlatives). This is why this column carries no prices, reviews or before-and-after photos.
- Miso Clinic practice guidelines — Botox is offered for all areas; for hollow cheeks, dissolvable hyaluronic acid filler is considered first; no RF treatment that day if there are metal or electronic implants, pregnancy or skin inflammation; liposuction is not performed.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.