Frown lines (known as “glabellar lines” by dermatologists) are the vertical lines above the bridge of the nose between your eyebrows. These are typically some of the earliest lines to appear on a person’s face and get deeper and more pronounced as we age. 

Eventually, they’re visible even when our face is relaxed. The best way to prevent their appearance is to make skin care part of your daily routine at an early age. But even that may not completely fend off its development. Below, we’ll look at some proven ways to deal with frown lines once they appear.

What Causes Frown Lines? 

Here are the most common causes of frown lines: 

• Having an expressive face - Although they tend to appear when we frown, they also appear when we concentrate, express puzzlement, and make funny faces. Essentially, if you have an expressive face, you're a candidate for frown lines. 
• Exposure to the sun - The sun is our great benefactor. Without it, there’s no life. But the sun and your skin are not exactly best of friends. UV rays damage collagen and elastin, causing the skin to lose integrity and become wrinkle-prone. 
• Dehydration - One of the best ways to promote lines and wrinkles is to not drink enough water. An average-sized man should be drinking 8 to 10 cups a day. While the average-sized woman between 6 and 8 cups a day.
• Genetics - Sorry to say that if your parents had deep, discernable frown lines, there’s a bigger chance that you will too. 
• Aging - As we age, our bodies produce less and less collagen and elastin. This leads to the development of wrinkles, lines, and saggy skin.

When do Frown Lines Likely Appear? 

People typically start to develop frown lines in their late 20s. Although for some, they may appear earlier than that due to genetics, excessive facial expressions, and overexposure to the sun. Their appearance can be delayed, however, by eating an antioxidant-rich diet, using plenty of sunscreen, drinking lots of water, and easing up on facial expressions.

Top 5 Clinical Treatments for Reducing Frown Lines 

Over the past 20 years, dermatologists have become adept at dealing with all manner of lines and wrinkles. Here are some of the most effective treatments for frown lines currently in use:

1. Botox - Without a doubt, Botox is the most popular treatment for dealing with frown lines. Why? Because it works. A small amount of botulinum toxin is injected into the skin under the lines and goes to work paralyzing the muscles in the area. Over the course of about a week, these muscles involuntarily relax, causing the lines in the skin above to also relax. Botox is generally considered safe and is administered millions of times a year in the US. The downside of Botox is that the treatment only lasts 4 to 6 months.
2. Dysport - While Botox is, without a doubt, the most popular clinical treatment for frown lines, Dysport, a relative newcomer to the scene, is making inroads. Like Botox, Dysport is a type of neurotoxin that paralyzes the muscles of the forehead. But unlike Botox, Dysport is intended primarily for the treatment of frown lines. Will it work on other lines? Certainly. But it is without a doubt most effective on frown lines and deep frown lines at that.
3. Retinol - Retinol is a type of steroid that is generally considered safe and effective for dealing with a range of skin issues. Retinol works by prompting weak and damaged skin cells to die off more quickly so they can be replaced by healthier, new cells. "For dermatologists, (retinols) are a favorite because there's so much science behind them," says New Orleans dermatologist Patricia Farris.
4. Microdermabrasion - Let's break down that term. "Micro" obviously means very small, (in this case tiny crystals) "derm," meaning skin and “abrasion” meaning to scour or wear away. So this treatment is exactly what the name says it is. Tiny crystals are used to wear away the outermost layer of skin to allow healthy new skin to emerge. The new skin will be plumper, contain more healthy collagen and push outward in the area where the frown lines are, smoothing them out.
5. Peptides - Amino acids are the building blocks of tissue. When they bond together and form long chains, those chains are called peptides. If your skin is lacking in peptides, your dermatologist can inject some into the tissue beneath frown lines to improve the integrity of the skin there and help smooth out wrinkles. Peptides are also available as OTC tablets but these aren’t considered effective for frown lines. 

If clinical treatments are not to your liking, consider the following non-invasive procedures.

How to Get Rid of Frown Lines Without Surgery? 

To get rid of frown lines without surgery, you will need to use a top of the line product like Silicone Fusion™ by Dermaclara. Below we’ll look at Silicone Fusion™ as well as several other non-surgical options.

7 Best Products to Help Get Rid of Frown Lines

Clarasome Radiance Restoring Moisturizer, $39.99 

Clarasome moisturizer by Dermaclara Beauty features hyaluronic acid which gently exfoliates the skin. Once the dead skin cells are removed—aloe, almond oil, and glycerin move in to re-establish the skin’s moisture barrier and promote collagen production.

The result is a gradual reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles, including frown lines. Radiance has been subjected to rigorous 3rd party testing by BioScreen, which confirmed its effectiveness. 

Pros

• Clinically proven to improve appearance of forehead wrinkles
• Exfoliates while restoring luster, pH levels, and moisture content of skin
• Promotes collagen production and protects skin from environmental hazards

Cons 

• Only available via the official Dermaclara website

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist, $60 

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist is the result of years of research into the chemistry and biology of wrinkles. The result is a wrinkle cream that harnesses the power of chlorella and gambir extracts to suppress wrinkle formation and hyaluronic acid to repair and restore hydration. It doesn’t hurt that it also contains a powerful SPF component to protect against UV damage. 

Pros 

• Promotes the emergence of new, healthy layers of skin
• Prevents wrinkle formation from taking on a life of its own

Cons 

• Takes its own sweet time to work

Fillerina Dermo-Cosmetic Filler Treatment, $165 

Fillerina is made to replicate the effects of hyaluronic acid injections without the actual injections. There are a half dozen types of hyaluronic acid in play here that soak into the skin, removing dead and damaged cells as well as promoting the emergence of healthy underlayers. 

It’s marketed as a kind of Botox in a bottle. While it’s not as effective as Botox, it mimics that treatment in 2 ways: it takes about a week to see results and those results are temporary. 

Pros 

• You’ll see results in about a week
• Isn’t as scary as the packaging makes it out to be

Cons 

• Expensive

No 7 Instant Illusion Wrinkle Filler, $20 

When the makers of No. 7 use the word “illusion” in the name of this product, they're not kidding. This is intended for people who don't have weeks or months to wait for a cream to work. Or even a week for Botox or Dysport to do their thing. 

This is essentially a type of makeup that uses light-reflecting particles to light up the inside of your frown lines so that they don’t appear to be so deep. When you wash it off at the end of the night though, the illusion goes with it. 

Pros 

• Great if you need an immediate wrinkle relief
• For this price, you have little to lose by giving it a shot

Cons 

• It’s makeup so don’t expect miracles

Algenist Targeted Deep Wrinkle Minimizer, $45 

The alguronic acid spheres in Algenist Targeted Deep Wrinkle Minimizer move in to fill the deep crevices that make up frown lines. Although the effect is temporary, wearing off in a few days, it’s nonetheless an effective way to minimize the appearance of frown lines. So if you have a big date, an important meeting or just want to look your best, you might want to consider it. 

Pros 

• Does a decent job minimizing the appearance of frown lines for the short-term
• Provides a smooth surface on which to put your makeup

Cons 

• Kind of expensive for such a short-term solution

Erasa Xep 30 Extreme Line Lifting and Rejuvenation Concentrate, $160 

Erasa Xep 30 utilizes neuropeptides that do a Botox-like job of relaxing tense facial muscles. While the effect isn't as dramatic or long-lasting as Botox, it's still pretty impressive for a solution in a bottle. If you're in a hurry though, this isn’t the stuff for you as it takes about 2 weeks to actually produce results. 

Pros

• Does a decent job smoothing out frown lines
• Maybe the closest thing to Botox in a bottle

Cons 

• Takes a couple of weeks to see results
• Doesn’t last as long as Botox
• Expensive

Kate Somerville 2-in-1 Plumping Moisturizer + Serum, $95 

This 2-in-1 Plumping Moisturizer works fast to help make frown lines appear smoother. Within about half an hour of applying it, you should see some difference. Don't expect your frown lines to be ironing board flat though. It also has some long-term benefits in that it promotes collagen production and does a good job of exfoliating. 

Pros 

• Works fast to reduce appearance of frown lines

Cons 

• It's expensive and the effect is short-lived

“Over the counter treatments can definitely soften and smooth frown lines.” - Debra Jaliman, MD

How to Get Rid of Frown Lines Quickly? 

To get rid of frown lines quickly, try No 7 Instant Illusion. Just keep in mind its makeup and when you wash it off, you wash off the effect. A better choice is to use clarasome Radiance Restoring moisturizer by Dermaclara Beauty. It will produce real results that you can build upon and that will last or you can always try Botox.

Where Can I Buy Products to Get Rid of Frown Lines? 

Most of the products listed above are available on Amazon or through anyone of dozens of beauty supply websites. Many are also readily available from the manufacturer’s website as well and from brick and mortar beauty supply stores. Our top choice Silicone Patches for Face by Dermaclara.

Final tips: How to Prevent Frown Lines 

Take the following tips to heart to help keep frown lines at bay:

• Wear sunglasses and sunscreen - By scrunching up your face in bright sunlight, you're asking for lines. Not wearing sunscreen is another way to invite them. Make sure you protect yourself from damaging UV rays when you go out.
• Drink water - Water is your skin’s best friend. Drinking enough water every day will do wonders at keeping all types of wrinkles and lines at bay including frown lines.
• Get plenty of sleep - Your skin needs time to recuperate from the stresses of the day, just like your muscles and brain. Make sure you get plenty of sleep.
• Be aware of your facial expressions - Many of the lines on our face are the result of facial expressions. While no one is saying you should become a stone face, keeping the exaggerated facial expressions to a minimum will certainly help prevent frown lines.