Search for the best filler for nasolabial folds (the lines from nose to mouth corners) and most pages list brand names. Few explain why the fold deepened. That matters, because filling a line that is really caused by a dropped cheek can make the lower face look heavier, not younger.
This guide is written by BeauLife Clinic, an MOH-registered aesthetic clinic (KKLIU 1970/2019) with LCP-certified doctors, operating since 2017 at five Klang Valley branches: Bukit Jalil, Cheras, Puchong, Subang Jaya and Ampang. It covers causes, filler types, trial results, Klang Valley cost and safety.
Want to see the main filler for smile lines?
Our doctors most often use soft, flexible Restylane gels made to move when you smile.
Read how Restylane filler is matched to each areaTo start, dermatologist Dr Dray answers a follower’s question about nasolabial folds in this Q&A. She explains why the folds form and which treatment options help.
Dermatologist Q&A: Treatment Options for Nasolabial Folds
1. What causes deep nasolabial folds?
Quick Answer: Deep nasolabial folds usually come from three things together: the cheek losing volume and support, skin losing firmness, and years of smiling. CT scans of Asian women show the deep cheek fat thins with age while fat just above the fold thickens. That is why the right treatment depends on which cause is strongest.
| Cause | What a doctor looks for | What research found | Usually helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheek volume loss | Flatter cheeks; fold deeper at rest, from the side | Thinner deep medial cheek fat linked with deeper folds in 60 Asian women (Wen 2019, CT study) | Cheek support first: firm HA, Sculptra or Ellansé |
| Heavier fat above the fold | Fullness that “hangs” over the line | Lower nasolabial fat thicker with age and linked with deeper folds (same study) | Filling the fold itself can add weight; doctor plans carefully |
| Skin laxity | Skin that stretches and does not spring back | Firmness falls with age; filler adds volume, not tightness | Skin tightening or collagen stimulators |
| Repeated smiling | Line that is deeper when you smile than at rest | Mouth area moves constantly, so soft, flexible gels are used | Soft, flexible HA placed in the fold |
Source: BeauLife Clinic smile lines concern page (causes) and peer-reviewed study linked in the table, compiled November 2026. A doctor confirms which causes apply to your face. Licence.
What the table means for you:
- The fold is the result, not the cause. When the cheek above it flattens and slides, the skin folds at the line where it is anchored. Our guide to filler for cheeks explains how cheek support is planned.
- Fat above the fold can grow. The same CT study found the fat pad just above the lower fold gets thicker with age. Adding a lot of filler beside it can make the area look heavier.
- Loose skin needs a different tool. Filler adds volume. If the main problem is skin that has lost its spring, a device such as Thermage FLX skin tightening may help more.
2. Which types of filler are used for nasolabial folds?
Quick Answer: Four types are used. Soft, flexible HA gels such as Restylane Refyne and Defyne or Juvederm Volift are placed in the fold and can be dissolved. Firm HA such as Restylane Lyft or Juvederm Voluma supports the cheek above. Sculptra and Ellansé build collagen and last longer but cannot be dissolved.
| Filler type | Examples | Where it goes | Can be dissolved? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft, flexible HA | Restylane Refyne, Restylane Defyne, Juvederm Volift | In or just under the fold | Yes |
| Firm HA | Restylane Lyft, Juvederm Voluma | Cheekbone and midface, to support the area above the fold | Yes |
| Collagen stimulator | Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) | Spread across the midface over 2 to 3 sessions | No |
| Hybrid: volume plus collagen | Ellansé (polycaprolactone), Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) | Fold or cheek, chosen by the doctor | No |
Gel softness matters most in the fold. The mouth moves all day, every day. In lab tests, Restylane Refyne was the softest gel in the range at 70 Pa, against 799 Pa for Restylane Lyft, per Öhrlund et al. (2024).
On our Juvederm filler page, Volift is the gel listed for smile lines and Voluma for the cheeks. Many plans use one of each.
3. Should you fill the cheeks or the nasolabial fold?
Quick Answer: It depends on your face. Many doctors support the cheek first when it has lost volume. But a 3D camera study of 77 patients found cheek filler did not pull on the skin of the fold. Only filler placed where the fold meets the cheek improved it. Most people with deep folds need some of both.
The idea that “filling the cheek lifts the fold” is common, but the evidence is mixed:
- Cheek filler does not tug the fold upwards. In Mowlds and Lambros (2018), 3 ml of HA in the cheek expanded the skin outward but did not move the skin between the cheek and the fold.
- The cheek still changes how the fold looks. A fuller cheek changes light and shadow, so the fold often looks softer.
- The junction is where the fold itself improves. Patients who had filler placed at the edge of the fold, where it meets the cheek, showed photo-measured improvement.
That is why BeauLife doctors usually restore support higher in the face first and then soften what remains, rather than filling the fold alone. If your cheeks look hollow rather than flat, read our guide to filler for sunken cheeks.
4. How long does nasolabial fold filler last?
Quick Answer: Soft HA in the fold usually lasts about 6 to 18 months. In a Juvederm Volift trial, 93% of folds were still improved at six months and 59% at 18 months. In a Chinese trial running 120 weeks, Sculptra-type PLLA held up longer than HA: 55.56% still corrected versus 25.00%.
| Filler (study) | 1 mo | 3 mo | 6 mo | 9 mo | 12 mo | 18 mo | 28 mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juvederm Volift (Dayan 2020, 123 people) | – | – | 93% | 85% | – | 59% | – |
| HA comparison filler (Liu 2026, China) | 92.78% | 88.12% | – | – | – | – | 25.0% |
| PLLA, the ingredient in Sculptra (same trial) | 89.8% | 90.0% | – | – | – | – | 55.56% |
| Restylane, Chinese patients (Li 2023, 220 people) | – | – | 64.9% | – | – | – | – |
| Polycaprolactone, Ellansé-type (Zhao 2023) | – | – | – | – | 88.8% | – | – |
| HA comparison filler (same trial) | – | – | – | – | 23.8% | – | – |
Source: peer-reviewed trials linked in each row, compiled by BeauLife Clinic, November 2026. “28 mo” = 120 weeks after the final injection. Studies used different scales and definitions of “improved”, so compare within a study, not across. A dash means no figure was reported at that point. Licence.
Three patterns stand out:
- HA and PLLA look the same at first. In the Chinese trial, both corrected about 90% of folds at one and three months. The gap only opened after six months.
- HA fades slowly, then needs a top-up. In the Volift study, results lasted 18 months in 59% of folds. A repeat treatment needed about one-third of the first amount (median 0.6 ml versus 1.7 ml).
- Folds fade faster than cheeks. The mouth moves a lot, so filler there tends to wear sooner than on the cheekbone. Our Sculptra treatment page explains how collagen-based results build.
5. How much does nasolabial fold filler cost in Malaysia?
Quick Answer: In the Klang Valley, Restylane typically costs about RM 1,200 to 3,500 per 1 ml syringe and Juvederm Voluma about RM 2,500 to 3,500 per syringe. Sculptra runs about RM 2,500 to 4,000 per vial and Ellansé about RM 2,800 to 4,500 per 1 ml. Both folds often take 1 to 2 ml, with the exact quote after consultation.
| Plan | What it usually involves | Two-year range (bar, scale RM 0 to 16,000) |
|---|---|---|
| Fold only, soft HA | About 2 ml first, then about 1 ml top-up at 12 to 18 months | About RM 3,600 to 10,500 |
| Cheek first, then fold | 1 to 2 Voluma syringes in the cheeks plus about 1 ml soft HA in the folds, one fold top-up | About RM 4,900 to 14,000 |
| Sculptra, midface and folds | 2 to 3 vials over 2 to 3 sessions | About RM 5,000 to 12,000 |
| Ellansé | 1 to 2 ml in 1 session | About RM 2,800 to 9,000 |
| Radiesse | 1 session | Quoted after assessment |
Illustrative scenario by BeauLife Clinic, November 2026, built from our treatment-page prices: Restylane RM 1,200 to 3,500 per 1 ml; Juvederm Voluma RM 2,500 to 3,500 per syringe; Sculptra RM 2,500 to 4,000 per vial; Ellansé RM 2,800 to 4,500 per 1 ml. Top-up volume based on the Volift trial (repeat treatment about one-third of the first amount). Your plan may differ. Licence.
What moves the quote:
- How many places are treated. A fold-only plan is cheaper on day one. Adding cheek support costs more but often needs less filler in the fold.
- How long the product lasts. A pricier product that lasts twice as long can cost about the same over two years. Compare plans, not syringes.
- Top-ups. A repeat treatment uses less filler, so year two usually costs less.
Anyone comparing the best filler for nasolabial folds on price should ask for the two-year plan, not the one-syringe price. Our Ellansé treatment page shows how a longer-lasting plan is usually staged.
Thinking about cheek support as well?
A liquid facelift restores the midface first, so less filler is needed in the fold itself. See how a Juvederm liquid facelift is planned →
6. Is nasolabial fold filler safe? Side effects and warning signs
Quick Answer: Nasolabial fold filler is generally safe in trained hands. In recent Asian trials, most side effects were mild swelling, tenderness or bruising, and no serious events were reported. The main rare risk is a blocked facial artery, which runs close to the fold. In a review of 12 such cases, 75% also affected the whole nose.
| Study and what was counted | Rate (bar, scale 0 to 100%) | People |
|---|---|---|
| Common, short-lived reactions | ||
| Any local reaction, Restylane side (Lee 2026, Korea) | 82%, few severe; no serious events | 100 |
| Treatment-related side effects judged mild (Li 2023, China) | All were mild (nodules and bruising most common) | 220 |
| Late device-related events at 120 weeks (Liu 2026, China) | 0% | 135 |
| Rare: where skin damage spread after a blocked artery (Liao 2025, 12 cases) | ||
| Fold plus the whole nose | 75% | 9 |
| Fold plus the lower nose and tip | 16.7% | 2 |
| Fold plus the area under the eye | 8.3% | 1 |
Source: peer-reviewed studies linked in each row, compiled by BeauLife Clinic, November 2026. The 12 skin ischaemia cases are a hospital case review, not a rate; such events are rare. Licence.
What to take from these numbers:
- Mild reactions are normal. Swelling, firmness and tenderness usually settle within a week.
- The facial artery is the reason for care. It runs along the fold towards the nose, which is why skin damage after a blocked vessel often shows on the nose. Our guide to instant deep wrinkle filler covers where vision problems have been reported.
- Speed matters. HA can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Galderma’s Restylane safety information lists the warning signs to report.
The US FDA also warns against buying filler online or using “filler pens” that push gel in without a needle.
7. How do I choose a doctor for nasolabial fold filler?
Quick Answer: Check the doctor before the product. In Malaysia, confirm the doctor on the MeRITS register and ask about their aesthetic credentials (LCP). Ask what is causing your fold, confirm the filler is registered with the Medical Device Authority, and agree the plan, price and emergency steps in writing.
Four steps before you book:
- Check the doctor. Look up the doctor on the MeRITS medical register and ask whether they hold a Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP) for aesthetic practice.
- Ask what is causing your fold. A good doctor checks your face at rest and smiling and tells you whether the cheek, the fold or loose skin is the main cause.
- Check the product. Ask to see the sealed box and confirm the filler is registered with the Malaysian Medical Device Authority.
- Agree the plan in writing. Get the products, amounts, total price, top-up timing and the emergency plan before treatment starts.
Use the MeRITS register to look up a doctor and the Medical Device Authority for product registration. Our guide to choosing a safe aesthetic clinic in Malaysia explains licences in more detail.
Warning signs after treatment: skin that turns pale, dusky or blotchy, pain that grows instead of easing, or any change in vision. Contact the doctor at once.
Aftercare: avoid pressing the area, heavy exercise and saunas for 24 to 48 hours, and expect the result to settle over about two weeks.
8. The short version
There is no single best filler for nasolabial folds; the right choice depends on what is causing yours. Soft, flexible HA softens the line and can be dissolved. Firm HA in the cheek restores support above it. Sculptra and Ellansé last longer but cannot be undone. Expect about 6 to 18 months from HA, with a smaller top-up after that. The BeauLife Clinic homepage lists all our treatments and five branches.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best filler for nasolabial folds?
There is no single best filler for nasolabial folds. Soft, flexible HA gels such as Restylane Refyne or Juvederm Volift suit most people because they move with a smile and can be dissolved. When the cheek has dropped, firm HA in the cheek is often added first.
2. How many ml of filler do nasolabial folds need?
Many people need about 1 to 2 ml in total for both folds. In one Juvederm Volift trial, the median was 1.7 ml, and a repeat treatment later needed only about 0.6 ml. Deeper folds or added cheek support need more.
3. How much is nasolabial fold filler in Malaysia?
In the Klang Valley, Restylane typically costs about RM 1,200 to 3,500 per 1 ml syringe, Juvederm Voluma about RM 2,500 to 3,500 per syringe and Ellansé about RM 2,800 to 4,500 per 1 ml. The exact quote follows a consultation.
4. Can nasolabial fold filler look unnatural?
It can if too much is placed in the fold, because fat above the line can then look heavier. Small amounts of a soft gel, and supporting the cheek where needed, give a more natural look. HA can be dissolved if you dislike the result.
5. Is Sculptra good for nasolabial folds?
Sculptra can help. In a Chinese trial, poly-L-lactic acid corrected 55.56% of folds at 120 weeks versus 25.00% for HA. It works gradually over 2 to 3 sessions and cannot be dissolved, so it suits people who are sure about the result.
Not sure what is causing your smile lines?
WhatsApp us on +6016-251 7687. A BeauLife doctor will check your cheeks, skin and folds at rest and smiling, explain which filler fits, and give you the full price before anything starts. We open 10am–7pm on weekdays and 10am–5pm on weekends.
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