Lip lines; many people get them and most try to ignore them. The thing is, the mouth is such a critical point on the face that this is simply impossible. If you are a certain age or are a smoker, you may be familiar with the fine vertical lines running from your lips outward. These lines seem to trap lipstick. They blur the definition that we expect to see. They can create self-consciousness. They don’t have to. Here, we will discuss why some people get noticeable lip line and what can be done about this cosmetic concern.
What Causes Lip Lines?
Lip lines are much like the other lines and creases we eventually see on the face. They are similar to the crow’s feet that form at the outer corners of the eyes in that they develop in delicate, thin skin in an area that moves many times during the day. Like other wrinkles, lip lines are also related to the loss of collagen, elastin, and volume in a localized area. Aside from age, there are additional factors to be aware of. These include:
- Your lips move every time you speak. The skin around the mouth stretches a little every time you chew or laugh. Temporary wrinkles form around the lips every time you drink through a straw or pucker up for a sweet kiss.
- Volume loss. With age, we naturally lose some of the volume that plumps the lips. This is due to a loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid.
- Sun exposure. Sunshine is welcoming and also impossible to avoid. Sunshine is good for the body. It also poses a few hazards. Sun exposure depletes the skin of the collagen that is needed for tissue firmness.
Can Lip Lines be Prevented?
We see various factors that contribute to lip lines. Some are controllable; some are not. For example, we cannot stop the aging process. We cannot halt the loss of collagen and elastin and hyaluronic acid. We can, however, slow these losses with certain strategies, such as:
- Not smoking
- Not drinking through straws
- Wearing SPF 15 or higher lip balm
- Exfoliating the lips once a week using a gentle sugar scrub or professional product
- Hydrating the lips daily with a hyaluronic acid serum or balm
Treating Lip Lines
At some point, it may become necessary to correct lip lines. We can help. Our center offers a few potent solutions for this problem, including:
- Botox injections for the prevention of lip lines.
- Botox injections for the correction of lip lines.
- Dermal filler injections to boost the volume and definition of the lips.
- Microneedling treatments to stimulate collagen production.
- Laser skin resurfacing to accelerate cellular turnover and promote collagen remodeling.
The skin around the mouth is bound to change in time. There are options for postponing and treating these changes. To learn more, call 484-322-5316.
