Wrinkled skin is a normal part of aging and can occur throughout the body and face. Lip wrinkles, those deep creases around the mouth, can be especially distressing when they appear, as the mouth is a focal point of the face. Lifestyle choices can play a role in lip wrinkles. Altering habits, such as smoking and sun exposure, can help minimize skin damage around the mouth, a condition called perioral wrinkles.
Quit Smoking
Smoking can accelerate the formation of wrinkling around the mouth lips, according to the Mayo Clinic. The reasons for the damage are twofold–the effects of smoke on the body and the position of a smoker’s lips. Nicotine negatively affects the way the body circulates blood to the skin and restricts the level of oxygen and vitamins that the skin needs to stay healthy and smooth, including elastin and collagen. The continuous lip-pursing during smoking can also cause perioral wrinkles. Quitting smoking can be a cure for lip wrinkles, though some fine lines that have already formed may not be eliminated.
Sun Protection
Wrinkles around the mouth and lips can be a form of skin damage that comes from long hours in the sun. The sun’s UVA and UVB rays can cause the skin’s support system–collagen proteins and elastin–to break down. When these two substances are lacking, the skin begins to sag and wrinkles may form. Wearing sunscreen around the mouth–a sweat-proof stick formula may work best for the lip area, as well as a lip balm with SPF–and sheltering the face from the sun can help prevent future wrinkling of the lips.
Hydration
Hydrating the entire body, as well as the wrinkled lip areas, can be a cure for creases and lines. One reason for wrinkles is that the cells have become dehydrated and shrivel. You want to plump the skin cells back up, making the skin look smoother and softer. Topical hydration of the wrinkled areas through moisturizers and ant-aging lotions may also help reduce the appearance of lip wrinkles. Products with retinoids and alpha hydroxy acids may be beneficial to perioral wrinkles, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cosmetic Procedures
Cosmetic procedures, such as laser resurfacing or facial fillers, can be a more permanent cure for lip wrinkles, according to Joanna Day, M.D., a dermatologist based in Vancouver, Canada. Laser resurfacing removes the outermost layers of the dermis, which contain the wrinkles, leaving smoother skin around the lips. Cosmetic fillers use collagen, Botox or other substances to fill out the wrinkled areas and eliminate creases.
