ageing lips be gone

Reduced lip volume, dry skin and pucker lines around the lips can age the face considerably, and that’s before we’ve even considered the nose to mouth folds and marionette lines that can add to the problem. Thankfully however, there’s now plenty that can be done to both hold back and improve the signs of ageing in this part of your face, so that you’ll be able to enjoy younger, plumper lips for longer.

Hydration of the lips is very important to reduce the signs of ageing. Dry, flaky lips are not only uncomfortable, they look thinner than their well hydrated counterparts, and it’s this thinness that makes lips appear older. The skin produces less oil as we age, and this, coupled with the fact that the lips have no protective epidermal layer, means that they’re a prime area for moisture loss.

Apart from staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of water (something we can’t emphasise highly enough) balms are a very important way of maintaining moisture in the lips. A rich moisturising balm that contains a high SPF will help the lips appear smooth, even and full. Fine lines around the lips, or the ‘smokers pout’ as it’s come to be known are mainly (although not always) caused by smoking. The lines are due to the repetitive pursing of the lips, but are one side effect of smoking.

If you do smoke, quitting is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce the signs of ageing on your lips, but anyone interested in fighting the effects of ageing already knows that smoking accelerates the ageing process considerably.

Using sunscreen as well as a collagen boosting treatment around your mouth can slow the etching effect, as will creams and gels that contain hyaluronic acid to plump up fine lines. There are a lot of such products on the market to help with this. Non-surgical cosmetic procedures can reduce the signs of ageing in the lips considerably. The lips can be injected with dermal fillers designed specifically for the lips. These dermal fillers can also be used to correct the lines around your mouth area. They contain Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring substance that we lose as we get older. Injectable dermal fillers can help both increase lip volume and lessen the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth.

Often associated with the ‘trout pout’, fillers can, in fact, be used in a variety of ways to simply support and restore the lips, hydrate and smooth them, or tweak shape and volume. It’s important to remember, however, that it’s essential that you see a qualified professional when considering dermal fillers, as they will be able to advise you on the best kind for your case.

Laser resurfacing, deep chemical peels and dermabrasion can also help considerably when it comes to the appearance of lines around the mouth. The heat generated by lasers encourages collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin, which will plump up and smooth out wrinkles, whereas dermabrasion and deep peels work by removing the top layer of the skin to reduce the depth of wrinkles and encourage the production of new, smooth skin.

Skin Southwest carry out lip peels and dermabrasion at their facial clinic in Exeter to encourage collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin around the mouth.

Call us on 01392 426285 to see how we can help reduce the Signs of ageing of the lips and surrounding lip areas.