How to get rid of golgo lines｜Doctors explain the causes, treatment, and home care.

"I want to know what causes Golgo lines and how to get rid of them."
"I struggle with Golgo lines that make me look tired and older than I am."

Hello. I am a doctor at the cosmetic dermatology practice Smart Skin Clinic.

Do you have questions or concerns like these about Golgo lines?

In this article, we take an expert look at "Golgo lines," which can cast a negative impression over the whole face, explaining in detail what causes them along with at-home care and treatment options.

If you would like to know specific ways to get rid of Golgo lines right away, you can jump directly to the at-home care or treatment sections from the table of contents.

Supervisor Information

Group Chief Director, Smart Skin Clinic Group

IshiiIshii KotaKota

Career

Graduated from Juntendo University School of Medicine

Worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital and affiliated facilities

Worked at a major aesthetic clinic in Tokyo

Affiliations / Qualifications

Board-certified specialist, Japan Surgical Society

Board-certified specialist, Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine

What are Golgo lines?

Golgo lines area common name for the straight lines that run diagonally from the inner corner of the eye toward the center of the cheek.This is the common term used to refer to them.The name became established from the distinctive lines etched into the face of the main character of the manga "Golgo 13."so it does.

Their formal name is the mid-cheek groove—that is, the hollow that forms in the center of the cheek. This groove refers to the depression created in the skin by the ligaments that connect the cheekbone to the skin.

Beneath the skin of the cheek lies fat, below that muscle, and deeper still, bone. When the groove of the ligament connecting the underlying bone to the skin becomes prominent, it appears as a Golgo line.

Causes and mechanisms behind Golgo lines

So how do Golgo lines form?

You might picture them as something that appears due to aging or lifestyle habits, but in fact some people are simply born prone to developing Golgo lines.

To begin with, they are not caused by any single factor; rather, several factors act in combination. Let us explain some of these factors.

Loss of skin firmness and elasticity

When the skin loses its suppleness due to various factors such as aging, UV rays, and damage from dryness, Golgo lines become more visible.

As components that make up the skin—such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin—decrease, skin firmness and elasticity decline.

Ligaments are also elastic tissues composed mainly of collagen. Facial ligaments anchor the skin and other tissues to the bone, helping to maintain the facial contour and support the facial muscles. When ligaments deteriorate, they can no longer hold up the tissues and become loose.

Loss of facial fat

When facial fat is reduced due to aging or excessive dieting, Golgo lines become more visible.

The fat beneath the skin shapes a smooth facial contour. As the fat around the eyes and cheeks that once lifted the skin is lost, Golgo lines become more prominent and the excess skin begins to sag.

Weakening of the facial muscles

As the facial muscles weaken, hollows form between the muscles and the ligaments, making Golgo lines more visible.

For example, the following muscles lie around the Golgo lines.

• Zygomaticus minor and zygomaticus major: muscles that support the cheeks
• Orbicularis oculi: the muscle around the eye
• Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi: the muscle that moves the cheek and the side of the nose

Muscles waste away when they are not used. If you do not move your face, the facial muscles grow weaker. When muscles move, circulation is stimulated and the skin cells receive the oxygen and nutrients they need; when they go unused, circulation declines, the skin's nourishment suffers, and firmness and elasticity are affected.

It is said that only about 20–30% of the facial muscles are used in daily life, and prolonged lack of expression or continuous mask-wearing can lead to further weakening of these muscles.

Note that muscles begin to decline with age from the late 20s. This is because, as muscle is renewed, the rate at which new muscle is synthesized can no longer keep pace with the rate at which old muscle is broken down.

Eye strain

Overworking the eyes through computer and smartphone use can make Golgo lines more likely to form, as a result of eye strain.

The muscle that adjusts the eye's focus is the ciliary muscle. It relaxes when you look into the distance and contracts when you look up close. If the ciliary muscle stays tense from constantly focusing on things nearby, the result is stiffening of the nerves and muscles around the eyes and cheeks.

Tired eyes also disturb the autonomic nervous system and lower the overall condition of the skin.

Poor circulation

When circulation worsens, the skin's metabolism slows and its firmness and elasticity decline, leading to Golgo lines.

Blood delivers nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Factors that impede circulation include lifestyle habits such as getting chilled, lack of sleep, smoking, and excessive stress. Eye strain and dry eye can cause poor circulation around the eyes, near the Golgo lines.

Lack of moisture

Dryness invites all kinds of skin trouble, Golgo lines among them.

Sebum and sweat form a film on the skin's surface to protect it, but when moisture is lacking, the barrier function declines. In a dry state, the skin becomes more susceptible to external damage such as UV rays and dust, leading to the deterioration of collagen and elastin.

Disrupted lifestyle habits

When your lifestyle is out of balance, the skin's underlying resilience declines, creating conditions in which Golgo lines readily form.

For example, have you ever felt that your skin was in poor condition from lack of sleep? Sleep is when growth hormone is secreted—the time for producing new cells and building beautiful skin.
In addition, an unbalanced diet can leave the skin short of the nutrients it needs for renewal. Poor posture causes blood and lymph to stagnate around the face, neck, and shoulders. Excessive stress makes the sympathetic nervous system dominant, impairing circulation and disrupting the turnover cycle. The nicotine and tar in tobacco are known to accelerate skin aging.

Inborn bone structure and the way subcutaneous fat is distributed

Even without aging or eye strain,"You're young, but you have Golgo lines."some people fit this description. Those who have Golgo lines from a young age are more likely to see them worsen with aging and lifestyle habits.

People with the following characteristics tend to be born prone to developing Golgo lines.

How to reduce and prevent Golgo lines through at-home care

Golgo lines cannot be erased instantly with at-home care, but there are things you can do to help prevent them from worsening.

Here we introduce how to perform at-home care, along with some precautions.

Skincare

The causes of Golgo lines are complex and cannot be solved by cosmetics alone.
However, proper skincare helps curb the loss of skin firmness and elasticity that causes Golgo lines.

First, take a look back at your own skincare routine.

Every step of the skincare routine has a purpose. In particular, if eye and lip makeup or sunscreen are not fully removed, if there is not enough milky lotion or cream, or if care is not appropriate to your age, the skin becomes more susceptible to damage.

As a general rule, handle the skin gently and carefully, without rubbing or patting hard.

Thorough moisturizing and UV protection

Among all skincare steps,moisturizing and UV protection are especially important..

Typical moisturizing ingredients found in cosmetics include hyaluronic acid, collagen, ceramide, and squalane. All of them work to hold water and to seal it in against evaporation, thereby maintaining moisture within the skin.

UV rays reach the skin all year round, passing even through windows. Reapply sunscreen frequently, and protect against UV rays with a parasol and sunglasses.

Massage

The effect of massage is to relax the muscles and improve blood and lymph flow. As the necessary nutrients are delivered to skin cells, unwanted waste is eliminated, and the muscles regain firmness, you can expect Golgo lines to become less noticeable.

Massage instructions can be found in various books and websites. Choose one supervised by an expert. However, rubbing too hard or handling the skin incorrectly can lead to blemishes, dullness, and wrinkles. Apply oil or cream to reduce friction as you try it.

Facial Muscle Training

There are many ways to train the facial muscles, but simply forming large, precise "a-i-u-e-o" mouth shapes can move the cheek muscles around the Golgo lines. That said, moving only your lips will not be effective. To stimulate circulation around the eyes, it can also help to move your eyes up, down, left, and right.

Alternatively, there are facial devices that move the facial muscles using electrical stimulation known as EMS. When they are not medical devices, dramatic effects are not to be expected, but they can reach facial muscles that are hard to move on your own.

The simplest approach is to use your facial expressions in daily life. Actively talking with others and finding more chances to laugh are also recommended.

For truly getting rid of Golgo lines, aesthetic medicine

"I want to know how to eliminate Golgo lines at their root."
"I want faster results than at-home care can offer."

For those who feel this way, aesthetic medicine is recommended.

Below is a summary of representative treatments for Golgo lines.

	Juvelook Volume (Lenisna) Injection	Shopping Lift	Gouri Injection	profhilo injection	PRP injection	Excision lift (facelift)
Treatment description	Injects a formulation combining non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and polylactic acid	Insertion of ultra-fine dissolvable threads made primarily of PDO (polydioxanone)	Injects a liquefied formulation of PCL (polycaprolactone)	Injects a formulation combining high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid	Injection of PRP extracted from your own blood, combined with growth factors	The skin is incised and excess skin is removed
Effect	Promotes collagen production and improves firmness and radiance	Promotes collagen and elastin production, provides a natural lift, and improves skin firmness and radiance	Promoting collagen production	Moisturizes, improves firmness and elasticity, and adds natural volume	Promotes collagen and elastin production and improves skin thickness	Lifting and rejuvenating the entire face, including the Golgo lines
When the effect appears	After 2 to 3 weeks	Gradually, starting immediately after the treatment	Gradually from a few days later	A few days to a few weeks later; peaks after about one month	2–4 weeks later, with a peak at 3–6 months	Immediately after treatment
Duration of effect	1 to 2 years	1 to 1.5 years	6 months to 1 year	6 months to 1 year	5 years	5 to 10 years
Downtime	24 hours / pain, redness, swelling, bruising	A few days / mild swelling, redness, and bruising	24 hours / redness, bumps, bruising	24 hours / puffiness, redness, swelling, bruising	A few days / mild swelling, redness, and bruising	2–3 weeks / swelling, bruising, and a sensation of tightness

Juvelook Volume (Lenisna) Injection

Juvelook Volume (Lenisna) is an injectable that combines non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid with polylactic acid (PDLLA).

Its particles are larger than those of Juvelook, working deep within the skin and offering added volume. It promotes the production of collagen and elastin, helping to make deep wrinkles such as Golgo lines less noticeable.

Shopping Lift

The Shopping Lift is a non-surgical treatment that inserts dissolvable threads into the skin.
As the threads are absorbed, collagen is produced, offering long-term improvement of wrinkles and sagging such as Golgo lines and a natural tightening effect.

Gouri Injection

Gouri injection is a liquefied injectable formulation containing PCL (polycaprolactone).

PCL is used as a medical suture material; as it gradually breaks down within the body, it promotes collagen production over a long period, giving the skin firmness and elasticity. It is also effective for deep wrinkles such as Golgo lines.

profhilo injection

A high concentration of high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid works over a wide area deep in the skin to restore elasticity.

It is effective for sagging and wrinkles such as Golgo lines and helps rejuvenate the skin overall. It provides a natural lifting effect with a relatively long duration.

 PRPInjection

This is a form of regenerative medicine using a preparation made from the patient's own blood—PRP (platelet-rich plasma)—with added FGF (a growth factor for the fibroblasts that produce collagen and other components). It can offer long-term benefits for improving wrinkles, including Golgo lines, and for skin rejuvenation.

It is recommended for those who are hesitant about surgery or the injection of foreign substances, or who are concerned about allergies.
At our clinic, we customize the PRP concentration and injection volume for each patient.

For more on PRP injections, please also see the following article.

Excision lift (facelift)

This is a surgery in which an incision is made in the skin to lift sagging tissue.
By removing excess skin and tightening the skin and muscles, deep wrinkles and sagging along the Golgo lines are resolved all at once.

The effect lasts longer than other procedures, but the downtime is longer, and scars remain in inconspicuous areas along the hairline.

What you can do to enhance the prevention and treatment of Golgo lines

Even after treating Golgo lines, the effect is not permanent. Because aging cannot be stopped, regular maintenance is necessary. To maintain the results as long as possible and to keep new Golgo lines from forming, do what you can.

Choose a clinic you can trust.

Treatment of Golgo lines is elective (self-pay) care. Fee structures differ depending on the clinic and the treatment. And because the effect is not permanent, choose your clinic with repeat treatments in mind.

Note that treatment approaches and areas of expertise differ from clinic to clinic. Clarify your concerns before your consultation, discuss anything you are unsure about in advance, and proceed with treatment only once you are satisfied.

Improving lifestyle habits

No matter how much care and treatment you receive, it will not be as effective if your lifestyle is out of balance. Keep the following in mind and work to improve your daily habits.

To get rid of Golgo lines instantly, use makeup

It takes time for the effects of skincare and lifestyle improvements to appear. When you cannot get treatment right away or want to hide Golgo lines instantly, makeup can help cover them.

For liquid concealer, choose one slightly lighter than your skin tone, sheer, and with good coverage. Having several solid concealers to match the color of your blemishes is handy. Using highlighter to draw the eye upward also makes Golgo lines less noticeable.

What treatments can remove Golgo lines?

Treatments to address Golgo lines include, for example, Juvelook Volume (Lenisna) injections, PRP therapy, and Gouri injections.

What skincare products do you recommend for concealing Golgo lines?

Covering the area with concealer is recommended. Combining it with primer and highlighter can also help.

At what age do Golgo lines start to become noticeable?

Some people are prone to noticeable Golgo lines from birth due to their bone structure or skin characteristics, but they tend to become more prominent with age and lifestyle habits.

For concerns about Golgo lines, turn to Smart Skin Clinic

Have your questions and concerns about Golgo lines and how to reduce them been answered?

At Smart Skin Clinic, an aesthetic dermatology clinic, we focus on high-quality formulations while keeping costs down. We take pride in our skin-nurturing injections—a hallmark of aesthetic dermatology—that improve the skin without the use of a scalpel.

If anything is on your mind about how to address Golgo lines or whether they can be treated, don't struggle with it alone—let's work through it together. Please feel free to reach out for a free consultation.