Nasolabial Fold Filler: How Much Can It Help? Where to Inject Deep Folds, Phitsanulok 2026

What are nasolabial folds? Why do deep lines suddenly appear beside the mouth

Many people start noticing themselves in the mirror in the morning, or see a photo with light shining down, and feel a small pang — "Hmm, why are there deep lines running from beside the nose down to the corners of my mouth, when they weren't there before?" Some feel it makes them look worn out, look sad, even though they still feel bright inside. I understand this feeling well, because the nasolabial fold is a spot that doesn't easily "lie about" our age.

Nasolabial folds, or what doctors call the nasolabial fold, are the grooves running from the wings of the nose on both sides down toward the corners of the mouth. In fact, everyone has had this fold since birth, because it's the natural border between the "cheek" and the "lips." What changes with age isn't "having the fold," but the fold becoming deeper and more pronounced until it turns into a line that stands out on the face.

And this is exactly where people misunderstand the most — many think "a nasolabial fold is just creased skin, fill it up with filler and that's it." But the truth is more complex, and if you misunderstand it from the root cause, there's a chance of filling the wrong spot and ending up with a face that looks strange. Let me take you to look at the true root cause first.

What really causes nasolabial folds — it's not just "creased skin"

Picture our face like a "tent." The skin is the canvas, and the fat and bone structure beneath the skin are the poles and frame that push the canvas taut and beautiful. As we get older, several things happen at the same time:

• Mid-face volume disappears — the fat beneath the skin around the cheekbone area (midface) atrophies and shifts downward, like a tent pole that has become shorter, so the upper canvas sags.
• The cheeks sag downward — when there's nothing to hold the cheek up, it flows down with gravity, piling up above the nasolabial fold, pushing the fold deeper and more pronounced.
• Bone and collagen decrease — the facial bone structure recedes slightly with age, and the skin produces less collagen, losing elasticity, so the fold settles in more permanently.
• Creased skin from facial expressions — smiling and repeated speaking create accumulated folds. This part is the real "creased skin" that many understand, but it's only one part.

See how, of these four points, only the last one is purely "creased skin"? The first three are all about lost volume and sagging cheeks. This is why viewing the nasolabial fold as just "a groove that needs filling up" isn't enough — because if the root cause is sagging cheeks but we inject filler into the fold, it's like trying to iron the tent canvas taut without first raising the pole that has fallen.

2 types of nasolabial folds: from sagging cheeks vs from creased skin (where to fill)

To make it clearer, let me divide nasolabial folds into 2 main types that we see often, because "where to fill" depends on which type you are. An easy way to check yourself is to gently use your finger to push the cheek up toward the outer corner of the eye. If the fold becomes shallower along with the upward push of your finger, it means the root cause is mainly "sagging cheeks."

In reality, most people are a mixed type — they have both sagging cheeks and creased skin together. This is why I can't tell from a photo alone how much to fill and where. I have to look at the real face, palpate it for real, look at it while you smile and while at rest, and only then can I plan which spot is the root cause that should be addressed first.

Where does the filler go? Why you sometimes have to fill the "cheek" and not the fold

This is the heart of the article, and it's the point that makes the result "look natural" completely different from "looking strangely puffy."

If the root cause is sagging cheeks — fill the cheekbone first

Think of a curtain that has slumped down and piled on the floor. If we want the curtain to be smooth, we don't go push at the slumped pile — we walk over and raise the curtain rail at the top, and the slump disappears on its own. Filling filler at the cheekbone (midface) works the same way — we restore volume right at the spot where the fat atrophied, and the cheek tissue that used to flow down over the fold gets lifted back to where it belongs, so the nasolabial fold shallows while we've barely touched the fold at all.

The result is a face that looks brighter all over, not just a shallower fold, and it looks more natural because we've addressed the real root cause, not masked the symptom.

If you force filler straight into the fold while the root cause is sagging cheeks

I often see cases that come to be corrected from elsewhere — a deep nasolabial fold from sagging cheeks, but a large amount of filler was injected straight into the fold. The result is that the fold may shallow when sitting still, but when you smile or talk, the packed filler pushes out as a bulging lump beside the mouth, looking like something stuck on, not natural, and sometimes it makes the cheek look even heavier.

The points I assess before deciding to fill

• Look at the whole face, not just the fold — assess the cheekbone, mid-face volume, facial frame, and overall balance.
• Test where the fold comes from — push the cheek up to see how much the fold responds, to distinguish whether it's the sagging type or the creased-skin type.
• Plan the order of filling — usually starting with filling volume at the cheek first, then checking whether there's still a fold that needs slight adjustment.
• Choose the right layer and filler consistency — the deep layer uses a supporting consistency, the shallow layer uses a soft one.

How deep a fold is right for filler — and how deep needs other methods too

The question people ask most often is "my fold is this deep, can filler handle it?" Let me answer honestly, broken down into levels so you can picture it.

• Shallow to moderate folds — filler answers this very well, whether by filling the cheek to lift or slightly adjusting at the fold. The result looks clearly brighter. This is the group that gets the most worthwhile result.
• Deep folds mainly from lost volume — still answers well by restoring volume at the cheek. It may use a larger amount and be planned in stages, but the result is good and natural.
• Very deep folds from severe sagging — here filler helps "in part" but doesn't fully disappear, because the main problem is sagging skin and tissue, not just lost volume. I may recommend doing it together with skin tightening, such as energy-based lifting, to address the root cause of the sagging at the same time.

I'll say it straight: forcing filler to fill a very deep fold when the root cause is sagging skin is treating the symptom at the far end. The result usually looks heavy, looks unnaturally tight, and isn't worth the amount of filler used. So I'd rather you get "a plan that truly suits your face" than get an answer that sounds easy but doesn't match the actual problem.

The type and viscosity of filler suited to nasolabial folds

The filler used for the nasolabial fold and the cheek is mostly the Hyaluronic Acid (HA) type, a substance that already exists in our bodies. The advantage is that it's adjustable, and if the result isn't to your liking or there's a problem, there's still a dissolving agent (enzyme) that can help — unlike permanent fillers, which are hard to correct and which I don't recommend for this work.

What many people don't know is that HA doesn't come in just one consistency, but several "viscosities" to choose from depending on the job. Let me summarize it simply.

The point is that "thick doesn't always mean better" and "soft doesn't mean inferior" — it's about choosing what suits the position and layer being injected. If you put a soft consistency into deep volume filling, there won't be enough lifting strength; if you put a very thick consistency in a shallow layer, it may be palpable as a lump. This is work that requires the assessment of an experienced doctor, not choosing by the brand you see in an advertisement.

If you'd like to understand the basics of HA filler more deeply, you can read more in our article What is HA filler.

Realistic results — and a "timeline" with no hype

Let me tell it as it really is, because I want you to decide on correct expectations, not exaggerated hopes.

After injection, you'll see the change in volume visible in 3 seconds where the filler goes in to fill the position — but that's the "first image," still mixed with swelling. The true look has to wait until it settles. The rough timeline is like this:

• Day one - the first 3 days — there may be slight swelling and redness, slight bruising in some people. This is normal for an injection; cold compresses help.
• Around 1 week — swelling subsides, the filler starts to settle, and you see a face shape close to the real result.
• 2 weeks — the filler fully sets. This is the point where the result is assessed and touch-up details can be added if necessary.
• 12-18 months — the filler gradually breaks down naturally. When the time comes, it can be refilled. The duration depends on the type, the position, and each person's body.

A good result for the nasolabial fold isn't "the fold gone completely to zero," because the nasolabial fold is a natural structure of the face. If you truly make it vanish completely, the face will look unnaturally flat. The correct goal is the fold shallowed just right, the face looking bright, looking younger in a way people remark "you look so fresh" — not "what did you get done".

Who it suits, who should avoid it

Who it suits

• People who start seeing deeper nasolabial folds that make them look worn out, look sad
• People whose cheeks are starting to sag and whose mid-face volume is disappearing, who want a face that looks fuller and brighter
• People who want to see results without surgery, and accept that ongoing care is needed
• People who want straightforward advice on where to fill, not just packing it to be done

Who should avoid it or consult a doctor first

• Having an infection or inflamed acne in the area to be injected — it should be treated first.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women — waiting is recommended.
• Having a history of allergy to filler components or having had a severe reaction from injection.
• Having an autoimmune disease, or taking certain medications such as blood thinners — must inform the doctor for assessment.
• Very deep folds from severe skin sagging — filler alone may not be enough; other options should be discussed alongside.

These are the things Dr. Time always asks about and assesses beforehand, because safe injection begins with "getting to know the patient" before picking up the needle.

Nasolabial fold filler in Phitsanulok — de Pry Clinic

If you're in Phitsanulok and worried about deepening nasolabial folds, and want your face to look bright again in a natural way, de Pry Clinic (Depry Clinic) is glad to take care of you. Here, Dr. Time always assesses the whole face first, looks at whether your nasolabial fold comes from creased skin or sagging cheeks, and then chooses to fill the spot that is the real root cause — not just pack the fold to be done — and injects every case personally.

Many of the nasolabial fold patients I care for travel in from surrounding provinces because they want a doctor who genuinely assesses the root cause — from Phichit, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Kamphaeng Phet, and Phetchabun. I'm glad to care for everyone with the same standard.

See also:

• Cheek filler — because sagging cheeks are the root cause of many nasolabial folds; understanding this first makes the decision easier.
• What is HA filler — the basics of filler types and safety.
• Filler in Phitsanulok — an overview of all the filler work at the clinic.
• All services of de Pry Clinic

Frequently asked questions

Nasolabial fold filler — how much can it help? Does it cure it completely?

It genuinely helps, but it depends on what your nasolabial fold comes from. If it's a shallow-to-moderate fold from creased skin, filling with filler shallows the fold visibly, looking much brighter. But if the fold is deep because of sagging cheeks and lost mid-face volume, packing filler straight into the fold alone usually isn't enough, and may make it look strangely puffy. So I always have to assess the root cause first — not every nasolabial fold is fixed the same way.

Why do some doctors fill at the cheek when we came to consult about the nasolabial fold?

Because many nasolabial folds have their "root cause" at sagging cheeks and sunken mid-face volume. When the cheek flows down, the skin folds into a deep groove from beside the nose to the corner of the mouth. So restoring volume at the cheekbone (midface) is like pulling the tissue back to where it belongs, and the nasolabial fold shallows on its own without packing much into the fold. This is what I assess for you, and it's the reason looking at the whole face matters more than looking only at the fold.

For a very deep nasolabial fold, is filler alone enough?

If the fold is deep from severe sagging, filler alone may help to a degree but won't fully disappear. I may recommend doing it together with skin tightening, such as energy-based lifting, or looking at other structural matters alongside, so the result looks natural and lasts longer. Forcing filler to fill the fold when the root cause is sagging usually yields a face that looks unnaturally tight, which isn't what we want you to get.

What type/viscosity of filler should be used for the nasolabial fold?

It depends on the layer being injected and the root cause. If filling volume at the cheekbone, which is a deep layer, a thick HA filler with good supporting structure is usually used. For adjusting a shallow fold in a shallower layer, a softer, smoother consistency is used so it blends with the skin. Choosing the filler consistency to suit the position is something an experienced doctor assesses — not choosing by the brand a friend uses.

Does nasolabial fold filler hurt, and how long does it last?

It hurts little. Most HA fillers have anesthetic mixed in, and I can use a numbing cream beforehand to help. Mostly there's slight swelling and redness for 2-3 days, then it settles. The result generally lasts around 12-18 months depending on the filler type, the position, and each person's breakdown. When the time comes, it can be refilled — it's not a permanent thing that can't be corrected, which is actually an advantage because it can be adjusted to match a face that changes with age.

Who is not suitable or should avoid nasolabial fold filler?

People with an infection or inflamed acne in the area to be injected, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with a history of allergy to filler components, people with an autoimmune disease or taking certain medications that require caution, should avoid it or consult a doctor first. And people whose nasolabial fold is deep from truly severe sagging may need to discuss other options alongside. I'll assess and tell you honestly how suitable filler is for you.

How is nasolabial fold filler in Phitsanulok with Dr. Time different from elsewhere?

Dr. Time always assesses the whole face first, looks at whether your nasolabial fold comes from creased skin or from sagging cheeks, and then chooses to fill the spot that is the real root cause — not just pack the fold to be done — uses FDA-approved, verifiable HA filler, and injects every case personally. The goal is a face that looks brighter in a natural way, not a tightly puffy face. You can consult first with peace of mind, with no pushiness.

References and verification

I want you to be able to verify the information I use yourself — these are the references this article draws from:

• U.S. FDA — Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers) — official information on what fillers are, the types of fillers (including HA), indications, and the risks to know before having it done: fda.gov
• NHS UK — Dermal fillers — guidance on safety, possible side effects, and the importance of choosing a trained and qualified practitioner: nhs.uk
• PMC — Twelve-Month Outcome of Nasolabial Fold Correction (HA filler) — a clinical study following the correction of nasolabial folds with HA filler for up to 12 months, confirming that HA filler results have a finite duration, not permanent: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• DermNet NZ — Dermal fillers — patient information on dissolvable HA filler types, popular injection sites, and complications to be aware of: dermnetnz.org