If you’ve recently searched ‘best wrinkle treatments,’ you’ve probably noticed that every list says something a little different, and none of the suggestions you see are tailored to your specific skin goals. Thankfully, though, finding the right solution is much simpler than the internet makes it seem.
Wrinkles are generally treated in two ways: building collagen so skin stays firm, or relaxing the lines themselves to fade them while keeping your facial expressions naturally you. The right path depends entirely on your specific skin, timeline, and budget. At BodyLase, our team across Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Clayton is here to help you evaluate your options and build a plan tailored to your goals. To help you get started, we’ve broken down the top wrinkle treatments in the Triangle below, comparing options like Botox®, fillers, and microneedling.
What Actually Causes Wrinkles?
Wrinkles come down to two primary causes. First, there’s the natural loss of collagen and elastin, the essential proteins that keep your skin firm, thick, and springy. As we age, production slows down, making skin thinner, less resilient, and wrinkle-prone over time.
The second cause is repeated muscle movement. Every time you smile, squint, or frown, the muscles contract, folding the skin in the same places over time. After years of those expressions, those folds gradually etch into lines that stay visible, even when your face is completely relaxed.
Why does this difference matter? Simple. Lost collagen and repeated movement require entirely different solutions. Some wrinkle treatments focus on rebuilding that lost support structure, while others focus on softening active lines by relaxing the muscles underneath. Understanding which root cause you’re addressing makes choosing a fine line and wrinkle treatment much easier.
What Are the Two Main Ways to Treat Wrinkles?
The first category of wrinkle treatments to consider are collagen-building treatments. These options work beneath the surface, usually over a series of sessions, to stimulate your body’s natural renewal process.
- Microneedling creates controlled micro-channels in the skin that stimulate collagen production, improving overall texture and smoothing early fine lines.
- RF microneedling combines traditional microneedling with radiofrequency heat, delivering energy deep beneath your skin’s surface. This deeper reach stimulates collagen in the structural layers of the skin (or the dermis), helping firm deeper wrinkles while tightening and lifting sagging areas.
- Thermage FLX® uses radiofrequency deeper in the dermis to stimulate collagen and elastin across a larger area. It’s one of the best treatments to use if you’re looking to address your skin’s overall firmness rather than targeting just one specific crease.
The second category of wrinkle treatments to consider are movement- and volume-related treatments. Rather than working across the whole face, these options focus on smoothing specific lines and creases.
- Neuromodulators like Botox and Daxxify temporarily relax the underlying muscles causing your skin to crease. These treatments help keep lines from forming or deepening, especially in high-movement areas.
- Dermal fillers work differently than neuromodulators, adding fullness beneath a deep line or crease. Once injected, their plumping effect immediately lifts the skin from below to restore smoother, fuller contours.
Below, our experts have put together a breakdown of each treatment, how it works, and when you should consider using it in your treatment plan.
| Treatment | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Botox and Daxxify (Neuromodulators) | Relaxes the muscles that crease the skin | Movement-driven lines, like frown lines and crow’s feet |
| Microneedling | Creates micro-channels that stimulate collagen production | Surface fine lines, uneven skin texture, and correction of early signs of aging |
| RF Microneedling | Pairs microneedling plus radiofrequency heat, stimulating collagen production and tightening at deeper levels of the skin | Fine lines, deeper creases, and correction of mild laxity (loose skin) |
| Dermal Filler | Adds fullness beneath the line to plump the skin and fade its appearance | Deeper lines and creases |
| Thermage FLX | Provides radiofrequency energy deep in the dermis to stimulate collagen and elastin | Correction of laxity and building/rebuilding your skin’s foundational collagen |
Top Fine Line and Wrinkle Treatments in Raleigh, Cary & the Triangle
When it comes to fine lines and early wrinkles, finding what works best comes back to that same simple idea: treating the cause, not just the symptom.
- For Expression Lines: If your main concern is creasing around your eyes (crow’s feet) or forehead when you smile or frown, a light touch of Botox or Daxxify is usually the most direct fix. It smooths the active creasing within 10 to 14 days, keeping the lines from deepening while keeping your expressions looking true-to-you.
- For Early Texture & Crepeyness: If you’re noticing a subtle loss of bounce or fine, shallow lines that linger even when your face is relaxed, you’d likely benefit from microneedling or RF microneedling treatments. A short series of 4-6 sessions rebuilds your skin’s foundational collagen so it stays thick, smooth, and resilient, helping keep wrinkles and laxity at bay.
What’s the Best Treatment for Deeper Wrinkles?
If you’re noticing lines that remain even when your face isn’t moving, you’re likely dealing with deeper wrinkles. Common spots deeper wrinkles form include smile lines around the mouth (known as nasolabial folds), or lines running down toward the chin (marionette lines). Since these come from lost structural support under the skin, softening them usually looks like restoring lost volume, building deep collagen, or a little bit of both.
For instant smoothing in those specific spots, dermal fillers are the go-to. Unlike energy treatments that build results over time, filler works on the spot, lifting deep shadows and giving you an immediate visible result that lasts anywhere from several months to over a year.
If you’re looking at broader loss of firmness across your lower face, however, you may want to consider a collagen builder treatment, like RF microneedling or Thermage FLX.
Since most wrinkles stem from a combination of collagen loss and muscle movement, combining treatment types may be the best strategy. For example, pairing a collagen-building service like RF microneedling with an injectable like Botox lets you restore skin firmness overall while keeping lines smooth. Your highly-trained BodyLase provider will walk you through your specific treatment recommendations during your free consultation, helping you choose the best possible treatment for your needs.
How Do You Choose the Right Wrinkle Treatment for You?
Choosing the right wrinkle treatment isn’t about fitting your skin into a pre-made templated treatment plan, or feeling pressured into a dramatic transformation. It’s about giving your skin the specific support it needs, whether that means refreshing your skin’s foundational collagen, softening tensed muscles, or restoring subtle volume to your natural contours.
That’s why, when you sit down with our team in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill, or Clayton, there’s no guesswork, generic treatment plan, or hard sell. Our highly trained providers will look at your skin, listen to what you actually want to achieve, and design a tailored, step-by-step approach that meets your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrinkle Treatments
What Is the Best Treatment for Wrinkles?
There’s no single best treatment for wrinkles, because the right one depends on the wrinkle. Movement-driven lines respond best to Botox or Daxxify. Surface texture and early lines respond to microneedling or RF microneedling. Deeper lines usually need dermal filler, and broader areas with loose skin respond well to Thermage FLX. Most people do best with a combination matched to their skin by a provider.
Can Botox Remove Wrinkles?
Botox softens wrinkles caused by muscle movement rather than removing them outright. By relaxing the muscles behind expressions like frowning and squinting, Botox smooths dynamic lines on the forehead, between the brows, and around the eyes.
Does Microneedling Help With Wrinkles?
Microneedling helps address fine lines and early wrinkles by stimulating the skin to produce more collagen. This process firms and smooths surface texture over a series of treatments. It works best to address fine lines and skin quality concerns rather than deep creases, and it pairs well with a neuromodulator for deeper creases or lines in high-movement areas.
What’s the Difference Between Microneedling and RF Microneedling?
Standard microneedling uses fine needles to spark collagen at the surface. RF microneedling adds radiofrequency energy that reaches deeper, for stronger collagen-building and mild tightening. RF microneedling suits deeper creases and mild loose skin (laxity). Both run as a series of 4-6 treatments. We’ll help you decide which one fits your skin.
How Long Do Wrinkle Treatment Results Last?
It depends on the treatment. Botox typically lasts about 3 to 4 months, and Daxxify often lasts longer, around 6 months on average. Dermal filler holds for several months to over a year, depending on the area. Collagen treatments like microneedling and Thermage build results that develop over a series and are maintained with periodic sessions. Individual results vary.
Ready to Find Your Best Wrinkle Treatment?
Smooth, supple skin starts with a plan designed around you. Schedule your free consultation at any of our four Triangle locations, and our team will sit down with you to build a personalized approach tailored to your needs.