The first thing people notice when they look at your face is usually your eyes and your lips. While most of us want our lips to look plump, full, and luscious, that isn't always possible.
Naturally, everyone's lips have some level of creasing (it's just how our lip skin is when we're born!), but these creases can become deeper and more numerous as time goes by. If you're worried about signs of skin damage around the mouth and want to know how to treat lines around the lips naturally, then read on!
The Skin on Your Lips is Unique
The skin on your lips holds a unique position, bridging the gap between the regular skin of your face and the mucous membrane of the mouth. This area and the wrinkles that form there are distinctive because the skin here is only 3 to 5 layers thick, significantly thinner than the rest of your facial skin. This thinness allows the blood vessels to be more visible, giving your lips their red hue, or even a blue tint when you're cold.
As a natural part of the aging process, similar to the skin on your face, this already thin skin gets even thinner. This is primarily due to a decrease in collagen production, a vital protein that keeps your lips soft and full. As collagen levels drop, the decrease in volume leads to perioral and upper lip wrinkles becoming more apparent.
Furthermore, the orbicularis oris muscle, which encircles your mouth, plays a crucial role in your facial expressions. Over time, the repetitive movement of this muscle deepens nasolabial folds and other facial lines. Notably, factors such as loss of facial fullness and the effects of gravity, especially with sun damage or weight loss, can exacerbate the appearance of these folds.
Additionally, your lips face the challenge of sun exposure, which accelerates cellular degeneration. Clinical studies have demonstrated that UV rays and free radicals notably reduce collagen levels, contributing to increased dryness and more pronounced wrinkles, a condition often referred to as photoaging. This interconnected play of natural aging, environmental factors, and facial anatomy collectively contributes to the changes observed in the skin of your lips over time.
Types of Lip Wrinkles
Just like your lips themselves, lip wrinkles also come in all shapes and sizes. Let's break down the most common types:
Vertical Lip Lines:
Vertical lines are fine lines that appear around the mouth, predominantly above the upper lip. Also known as lipstick lines, these are the ones where lipstick tends to settle in. These lines are a common sign of loss of collagen and can be accentuated by repetitive mouth movements such as puckering or smiling.
Straw and Smoker Lines:
Ever notice those little lines that look like they're from sipping through a straw? Those are straw lines, caused by repeatedly pursing your lips. Similarly, there are smoker's lines – and no, you don't have to be a smoker to get them. These are vertical lines around your mouth also formed from pursing your lips. Both of these are dynamic wrinkles, exasperated by all the facial expressions we make daily.
Marionette and Smile Lines:
Moving beyond the lips, marionette lines run downwards from the corners of your mouth and often get more pronounced due to loss of volume in the face, repeated facial expressions, and decreased production of collagen and elastin over time. Smile lines, on the other hand, are the happy evidence of lots of smiling and laughing over the years. Even though marionette and smile lines aren't on your lips, they definitely play a part in the overall look of your lip wrinkles.
Whether it's upper lip lines or these vertical ones, each type tells a story about your lifestyle, habits, and just the normal aging process. Though these wrinkles feel like a permanent fixture, there is an array of common treatments to reduce the appearance of fine lines and lip wrinkles.
Common Treatments
When tackling lip wrinkles, there are many treatments to consider. Collagen induction therapy, also known as microneedling, and various cosmetic procedures, like lip fillers and injectable dermal fillers, are popular. These cosmetic treatments can offer quick results, but it's important to weigh the potential side effects.
That's why natural treatments are often the best choice. They're less invasive, focus on boosting the body's own collagen production, and maintain lip health holistically. Plus, they avoid the frequent maintenance, cost, and side effects associated with cosmetic procedures. In the long run, natural methods not only improve the look of your lips but also their overall health.
How to get rid of lip lines and wrinkles naturally?
To improve the appearance of lip lines and wrinkles, a few simple lifestyle changes can do wonders.
- Hydration: First thing’s first, hydration is key. Amp up your water intake to keep your lips and skin happy. Not sure if you're drinking enough? A quick urine color check in the morning and before bed can tell you a lot – aim for clear or light yellow. You can even use a half-gallon water bottle as a great visual reminder to sip throughout the day.
- Alcohol: Now, let's talk about what to avoid. Alcohol and sugar, they're not your friends when it comes to smooth lips. Both can leave your skin feeling more Sahara than spa, leading to lip wrinkles. So, better to skip them and stick to water.
- Sun Protection: Additionally, sun protection is huge. Protect your pout from UV damage with an SPF lip balm and maybe rock a chic, wide-brimmed hat for some extra coverage.
- Smoking and Using a Straw: Both smoking and drinking from a straw can cause wrinkles around your mouth, due to the repetitive dynamic muscle movements of the lips. In addition, the chemicals in cigarettes are known carcinogens and can weaken the collagen in your skin which causes premature aging and lip wrinkles.
- Diet: Eating healthy is always in style. Fruits and veggies are like a secret weapon for maintaining healthy skin, packing a punch against those wrinkle-causing free radicals.
- Exfoliation: Don't forget to exfoliate. A gentle brush or sugar scrub on the lips can work wonders, especially during those dry winter months. Follow up with some nice natural oils for a moisture boost.
- Lip Balm: Lastly, keep a vitamin E lip balm handy. It's like a little magic wand for keeping those lip lines at bay, by locking in moisture and preventing water loss from the lips.
These lifestyle changes can work wonders, but what about some more targeted treatment plans?
Lip Care with Frownies
At Frownies, we're dedicated to offering natural solutions specifically for combating lip lines. Our range of products is specially formulated to effectively treat this area. Frownies is your trusted partner in achieving a smoother look around your lips, at any age! Let's dive into some specific products that are designed to rejuvenate and care for this delicate area.
Frownies Facial Patches for Corners of the Eyes and Mouth
Frownies Facial Patches for the Corners of the Eyes and Mouth are made of the same weighted kraft paper with water-activated, plant-based adhesive as Frownies Facial Patches for Forehead & Between the Eyes, the Original Wrinkle Patches.
Frownies for the Corners of the Eyes and Mouth are perforated to create shapes specifically designed to target smile lines around the lips and crows feet around the eyes.
When it comes to smoothing lines around the mouth, Frownies Facial Patches can only smooth static lines caused by tension in the facial muscles. While many users successfully smooth smile lines and marionette lines temporarily, it is important to remember that Frownies Facial Patches do not treat a loss of volume in your face, and they do not tighten loose skin or lift sagging skin.
Frownies Gentle Lifts
Frownies Gentle Lifts are specifically designed to fit above and below the lips to smooth lip lines and lip wrinkles.
Frownies Gentle Lifts are a small self-sticking soft cotton lined patches. The Gentle Lifts facial patches are made of the same weighted paper as the Original Wrinkle Patches with the addition of a stiff splint and self-sticking adhesive, similar to the adhesive of a band-aide.
Frownies Gentle Lifts are the perfect option for smaller areas of the face that the Frownies Original Wrinkle Patches are too big to address.
Similar to the Frownies Facial Patches, Gentle Lifts are breathable because of the cotton lining and soft edges making Frownies Gentle Lifts a gentle spot treatment for softening fine lines and wrinkles.
Just like the original Frownies Facial Patches, there are no active ingredients in the Gentle Lifts; they work according to the same mechanical process as the original Frownies Facial Patches. And just like the Original Wrinkle Patches, you can use your normal skincare under Frownies Gentle Lifts.
Products for Everyday Care
In addition to wrinkle patches, Frownies offers a full skincare line focused on plant-based and non-toxic ingredients.
Frownies Skin Serum
Frownies Skin Serum contains 10 noncomedogenic plant-based oils that do not clog pores.
Specifically, oat oil contains whole form tocopherols, commonly known as vitamin E. Vitamin E has sun-protective benefits as it absorbs UV rays.
Additionally, grape seed oil is high in polyphenols which stimulate the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin.
Fatty acids found in grape seed oil, including palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linoleic acid, have been shown to improve the skin’s texture by decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and minimizing the appearance of acne scars.
Frownies Apple Stem Cell Serum
In 2022, Frownies expanded its skincare line beyond its wildly popular original wrinkle patches to include Frownies Apple Serum with plant-based stem cell technology.
The stem cells in Frownies Apple Stem Cell Serum Stem are harvested from the Uttwiler Spätlauber apple, native to Switzerland and known for its amazing longevity attributed to its unique stem cells. These stem cells have been shown to provide extensive benefits to the skin, specifically around the eyes and mouth.
In research, these apple stem cells have been shown to:
- Reduce wrinkle depth in the crow’s feet around eyes
- Improve skin smoothness as shown in digital images
- Stimulate the proliferation of skin stem cells
- Protect skin stem cells from UV radiation damage
- Maintain function of skin stem cells even in advanced age
Frownies Apple Serum has a silky texture which absorbs into the skin quickly and may be applied under Frownies Facial Patches Corners of the Eyes and Mouth or Frownies Gentle Lifts.
Supple Skin Head to Toe
At Frownies, we're all about embracing full-body pampering, and we believe your lips deserve just as much attention as the rest of you! Often overlooked in regular skincare routines, your lip care is an essential part of any beauty routine. By choosing high-quality products and adopting natural, preventative care strategies, you're not just taking care of your lips; you're taking care of you. Invest in our specially formulated products, and watch as you gradually kiss lip wrinkles goodbye. Let's give your lips the love and care they need to stay smooth and supple!
Article reviewed on 01/11/2024 by:
Kat Wright has devoted over four decades to the field of alternative wellness. She has embarked on an impressive journey, earning certifications as a Nutritional and Wellness Coach and achieving Naturopathic Doctor Certification from Trinity College of Natural Health. Furthermore, she holds a Masters of Science in Holistic Nutrition and Wellness from Clayton College of Natural Health. Kat is not only a published author but also steadfast on her own wellness journey, consistently practicing yoga and living in harmony with the principles of well-being.