Dynamic wrinkles are the lines that appear when you make a facial expression—frowning, squinting, smiling or raising your brows—and soften or disappear when your face is at rest. They are caused by the repeated contraction of the muscles beneath the skin, and they are the classic target for botulinum toxin, which relaxes those muscles to smooth the lines.
At a glance
- What they are: Lines that appear with facial expression and fade when the face relaxes
- Cause: Repeated contraction of facial muscles folding the overlying skin
- Common examples: Forehead lines, frown lines (glabella) and crow’s feet
- Vs static wrinkles: Static lines remain visible even at rest
- Over time: Dynamic wrinkles can become static as skin loses collagen and elastin
- First-line treatment: Botulinum toxin; static lines may also need filler or resurfacing
What are dynamic wrinkles?
Dynamic wrinkles are expression lines. Every time a facial muscle contracts, it folds the skin above it; repeated thousands of times over the years, those folds begin to show as lines whenever the muscle is used.[1][2] The defining feature is that they are movement-related—visible when you express and easing when your face is relaxed. They are a completely normal part of an animated, expressive face.
Common examples of dynamic wrinkles
The most familiar dynamic wrinkles sit in the upper face: horizontal forehead lines from raising the brows, the vertical frown lines between the brows at the glabella, and crow’s feet fanning from the outer corners of the eyes when you smile or squint.[1][4] These are exactly the areas most commonly treated with muscle-relaxing injections.
Dynamic wrinkles vs static wrinkles
The key contrast is with static wrinkles, which are visible even when the face is completely at rest. Early on, expression lines are purely dynamic; but with time—and as the skin loses collagen and elastin—those same lines can become etched and remain when the face is still.[2] Many people have a mix of both, and telling them apart is what guides the right treatment approach.
How dynamic wrinkles are treated
Because they are driven by muscle movement, dynamic wrinkles respond best to botulinum toxin type A, which temporarily relaxes the specific muscle so it creates less of a fold.[1][3] Botox is Health Canada–authorized for frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet, and related products such as Dysport and Xeomin are used similarly.[4] At Revel, this is offered through our neuromodulator treatments. Results build over about two weeks and typically last three to four months.[1]
When dynamic wrinkles become static
Once a line is etched at rest, relaxing the muscle alone may soften it but not fully erase it. At that stage, the skin’s own quality needs addressing too—dermal filler can support a deep static crease, while resurfacing and collagen-building treatments improve the surrounding skin. Often the most natural result comes from combining a muscle-relaxing injection for the dynamic component with skin-focused care for the static one.
Can you prevent dynamic wrinkles?
You can’t—and wouldn’t want to—stop expressing, but you can slow how quickly dynamic lines become permanent. Daily broad-spectrum sun protection is the most effective preventive step, since UV accelerates collagen breakdown, and supportive topicals such as retinoids help maintain skin quality. Some people also choose to start muscle-relaxing treatment earlier to limit how deeply the lines set in over time, an approach best discussed with a qualified clinician.
Related glossary terms
- Static Wrinkles
- Botulinum Toxin Type A
- Botox
- Crow’s Feet
- Glabella
- Collagen
- Revel: Neuromodulator Treatments
Clinical & editorial sources
- Padda IS, Tadi P. Botulinum Toxin. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; updated 2023 Nov 6. NBK557387
- Periorbital Botox: How to Treat Crow’s Feet (dynamic vs static wrinkles). Harley Academy. harleyacademy.com
- DermNet. Botulinum toxin. DermNet (New Zealand). dermnetnz.org
- AbbVie Corporation. BOTOX COSMETIC (onabotulinumtoxinA) Product Monograph. Health Canada–authorized labelling. abbvie.ca
This glossary entry provides general educational information and does not replace an individual clinical assessment or medical advice.
Clinically reviewed by: Leah Zawawi, RPN | Medical Aesthetics & Injectables.
Last reviewed: August 2026.