qd marionette line filler
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, 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.)
is this for me
Who it’s for
Even if none of these describes you, we will look again at the consultation.
- 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.
Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.
start with your concern
Even a treatment with the same name takes on a different role and scope depending on your current structure, the change you want, what you have had before and the recovery time you have.
01
Where you are now, and where we start
The lines below the corners of the mouth and how they meet the jawline
02
The change you want, the impression you keep
Rather than adding more volume, we decide where to fill and where to leave alone, and the line at which expression stays natural.
03
How it differs from similar options
We compare what filler, Botox and skin boosters each change and what they cannot change, with the alternatives alongside them.
04
Health information and recovery schedule
Beforehand we check blood thinners, immune conditions and allergies, past injectables, possible pregnancy and the dates that matter.
the
principle
Rather than a still photograph, we look first at expression, overall proportion and vascular anatomy, then set the product, the injection layer and the amount conservatively.
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.)
How it works
01
Water-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.
02
Support 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.
03
Immediate 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.
04
Adjustable 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.
The same treatment, never the same plan.
the qd standard
Rather than a fashionable name or a fixed package, we weigh the structure found at examination, safety, recovery and the limits within one plan.
- 01DIAGNOSIS FIRSTCause before nameWe first separate out the tissue and the function behind your concern.
- 02LESS, PRECISEOnly as much as neededRather than an excessive change, we plan the smallest scope with a clear role.
- 03HONEST LIMITThe limits, explained tooWe explain the change you can expect, the alternatives, individual differences and the risks.
From consultation to follow-up, planned as one flow.
personal plan
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, 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.)
Ingredients and authenticity
We check the product name, the maker, the ingredients, the expiry date and the use approved for that purpose.
Anatomy and expression
We look at where vessels are at risk, at muscle movement, skin thickness and the proportions of the whole face, then set the injection points.
Small amounts, one stage at a time
Allowing for swelling and the early response, we avoid overcorrection and top it up later if that is needed.
What the procedure is like
- Consultation and assessment of the lower face
- Cleansing, marking and topical numbing for comfort
- HA to support the mouth corner and chin and soften the line, by cannula or needle
- Review of symmetry and aftercare guidance
Time: A session usually takes about 15–30 minutes.
Please read this before treatment
- 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.
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
what to expect
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
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.
| 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.
Before you decide, the questions people always ask
before consultation
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.
Filling that one spot on its own can leave the area looking padded and pushed forward. A downturned corner is usually the end point of tissue that has drifted down from higher up, so we look at the jawline and the cheek together, work out where the descent began, and then divide the product between the areas that genuinely need it. The plan is built around the flow of the whole lower face rather than a single point.
Yes, that does happen. If the muscle pulling the corner of the mouth down is strong, filling alone will let the corner settle back down again. A small dose of toxin in that muscle helps the result hold for longer. Around the mouth, though, even slightly too much can make the movement of the lips look unnatural, so we dose very conservatively.
With filler alone, movement is not affected. For the first few days there is some swelling and a feeling of pressure, so the area can feel different from usual. If your speech becomes unclear or your lips will not close properly, that is outside the normal course of recovery, so please get in touch with us.
It takes about two weeks for the swelling to go down and for the filler to settle into place, so we see you again at that point. Before then the area looks fuller than it really is, which makes it hard to judge. We take photographs before the treatment and repeat them two weeks later under the same lighting and from the same angle, and compare the two.
The medical information on this page was reviewed by Hong Sahyeok, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of QD Clinic.
personal consultation
Tell us what bothers you now, the change you want, what you have had done before and any dates that matter. We will compare the possible approaches and their limits, calmly.
Consult now