HELP! I Hate the Wrinkles Around My Mouth.

September 15, 2021

Wrinkles around the central lip area are called vertical rhytids and we all hate them, right! They can be very difficult to fix. Even with a facelift, it only pulls this area laterally and the dissection does not and cannot extend into the lip area.

But don't lose hope! We have options.

Why these wrinkles happen will vary from person to person but the main causes are:

• repeated facial expressions (i.e. pursing lips, puckering)
• aging
• sun damage
• smoking
• poor hydration
• poor nutrition

Here's some preventative tips: (Doing many of these before they show up can counter or delay the aging process.)

• wear sunscreen daily
• avoid over exposure to sun
• don't smoke
• drink lots of water
• avoid excessive caffeine
• get quality sleep
• avoid stress
• avoid magnesium deficiency
• improve diet by including carotenoids, tocopherols, and flavonoids, vitamins, essential omega-3-fatty acids
• perform regular fascia release with self-massage to release the area around the mouth
• use facial devices to maintain blood circulation

Potential treatments: (Always ensure any invasive work is performed by board certified plastic surgeon and/or licensed esthetician.)

• use topical products AM/PM with high performance ingredients
• choose topicals with PLLA to boost collagen
• choose topicals with ingredients skin recognizes to restore homeostasis
• perform regular exfoliation in this area
• microneedling
• chemical peel
• fascia release with Anma, self massage, and technology to release facial expression lines
• fat transfers (micro liposuction from the abdomen as a source of the fat cells injected in lip crevices)
• laser treatments (average cost $2,124 for ablative and $1,114 for non-ablative (e.g., Fraxel)
• dermal fillers - do your research to determine which is best for you
• Botox - carries risk of decreased lip movement (unnatural look)

The bottom line to improving the lines around the mouth is, it will be a combination of the above preventative steps and treatments performed on a consistent basis that gets results.

Remember, even if you choose invasion options, you will still need to maintain the area with a good skincare routine to avoid the return of these pesky wrinkles.

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