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The Best Derm Tips To Get Rid Of Bunny Lines, Sans Botox

Jamie Schneider
Author:
October 13, 2024
Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
By Jamie Schneider
Former Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
Jamie Schneider is the former Senior Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English from the University of Michigan, and her work has appeared in Coveteur, The Chill Times, and Wyld Skincare.
Close up of freckled woman wrinkling her nose
Image by Guille Faingold / Stocksy
October 13, 2024
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Quite a few skin concerns come with cute and quippy names. Strawberry legs, marionette lines, crow's feet, orange peel skin… Need I go on? 

One situation that sounds especially adorable: bunny lines. They're incredibly common and, admittedly, pretty difficult to treat without a trip to the derm's office—but it's not impossible to soften their appearance. Below, derms share everything you need to know about these delicate fine lines. 

What are bunny lines?

“Bunny lines refer to fine lines that appear on either side of the nose bridge when you wrinkle your nose or make a certain facial expression,” explains board-certified dermatologist Teresa Song of Marmur Medical. You know, just like how a bunny might wiggle their nose. “They are caused by movement of specific muscles on the nose, particularly the nasalis muscle and some components of the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi 1muscles,” she adds. 

To be clear, everyone has bunny lines. Think of the times you scrunch your nose when you laugh or smell something rancid—you might develop expression lines on the sides of your nose from the movement. They're similar to crow's feet: Even babies, with their bouncy skin chock-full of collagen, get them when they smile or laugh. 

What causes them?

The thing is, crow's feet and bunny lines appear only with movements when you're young; "over time, they can become more permanent and develop into resting wrinkles," says Song. "This happens due to the decline in our skin's elasticity and collagen levels from aging and sun exposure. Coupled with repeated muscle movements in the area, grooves can form, allowing these lines to settle in and become permanent." 

The name may sound adorable, but the permanent lines themselves can be pesky—especially because they tend to crop up much earlier than you'd like. Why? Well, according to board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, founder of Dr. Loretta Skincare, people often forget to apply their skin care (including sunscreen) on the nose area. "I don't know why this is, but the consequences are not only bunny lines,” she shares. “It also leads to more precancerous growths in this area, with the nose being one of the most common sites of facial skin cancers." 

Song seconds the observation: "People tend to overlook the skin around the nose because it is not a flat surface, making sunscreen application uneven in those areas," she notes. "Missing sunscreen application around the nose can contribute to bunny line formation as sun exposure accelerates collagen and elastin degradation, leading to earlier onset of wrinkles." 

How to prevent & get rid of them 

Bunny lines are difficult to treat, especially if they're pretty deep, but it's not impossible to soften those lines with diligent, at-home methods. See Ciraldo and Song's advice below: 

1.

Mind your facial movements

No, this doesn't mean you can't ever laugh or scrunch your nose up again. Just be mindful of how many times per day the skin crinkles, especially times you might not be aware. 

For example, "One thing to be sure of is that you wear sunglasses when outdoors since some scrunching is due to the sun," says Ciraldo. Bonus: refraining from squinting at the sun helps prevent crow's feet, too. 

2.

Protect your nose from UV rays 

On that note, please make sure to apply SPF to your entire face—including your nose! "This oversight is common among eyeglass wearers who don't remove their glasses during application, mistakenly assuming the area is protected by the frames," says Song. 

3.

Use targeted topicals 

If you use healthy aging ingredients in your skin care routine (retinol, vitamin C, and the like), don't forget to apply them around your nose, too. "We don't cover our upper nose with skin care products," Ciraldo notes, so make an intentional effort with your smoothing serums. 

Topical ingredients might not make deeper bunny lines disappear, but they can certainly soften existing etches and prevent them from settling into more severe folds. Ciraldo advises seeking out products clinically shown to increase skin elasticity, such as peptides, stem cells, and epidermal growth factors. (You can read more about the best skin-plumping topicals here.)

4.

Try red light therapy 

Finally, Song suggests dabbling in LED light therapy, namely red lights. Studies have demonstrated that red light therapy can improve collagen density, leading to fewer fine lines and overall tighter skin. 

One study, in particular, found that participants receiving red light therapy on their face twice a week for 30 total sessions experienced improved skin complexion2, skin tone, skin smoothness, and collagen density (as measured with an ultrasonographic test).

You'll want to stick with a consistent routine, but over time the results are quite astounding3. Feel free to snag Song's suggestion below, or browse these tried-and-tested red light devices

The takeaway

Bunny lines can quickly go from adorable to annoying. So consider this your sign to give the sides of your nose the attention they deserve before these small, delicate lines stick around.

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