Chances are if you're reading this then you know all about the lines and wrinkles that form around the lips and mouth—what they are and how frustrating those little pout lines can be. Whether you’re in search of a remedy for your lips, wrinkles around the lips or wrinkles above the lip, you’re in the right place.
Also known as lip lines, lip wrinkles are fine lines that form around the upper and lower lip, or at the corners of the mouth. They can often be referred to as smoker lines and accordion lines.
Lip lines can be fine, or deep and more pronounced. They tend to form and can become pronounced as you get older. Lip wrinkles can cause lipstick to settle into fine lines or bleed from the lip line and can be difficult to conceal.
At Caci we’re all about embracing ageing gracefully - that is, on your terms and how you want to look and feel! if lip wrinkles are something you want to avoid getting or minimise once you have them, we’re here to help. We’re giving you the down-low on how the causes, treatments and tips for prevention. Pucker up and get ready to bid adieu to lip wrinkles.
In this guide we cover:
Causes of Lip wrinkles
Best ways to treat lip wrinkles
Tips for preventing lip wrinkles
Find the right treatment for lip wrinkles as Caci
Causes of Lines and Wrinkle on and Around the Lips
Lip wrinkles can form for a number of reasons.
Decrease in collagen production
As we age our skin produces less collagen. As collagen production declines, our skin is prone to becoming thinner and less elastic, contributing to wrinkles. In fact, from the age of 25 years old, your collagen begins to deplete. While there is nothing we can do to stop this, we can support our collagen production with in-clinic treatments and at-home topical solutions.
Dry skin
As we age, dry and chapped skin starts to become more common. Ageing skin produces less oil, and is less resilient to the elements. Changes in temperature such as in winter and summer can lead to chapped lips, which can contribute to lip wrinkles too. Hydration is a key factor in helping to prevent the development of wrinkles and as well reducing the appearance of existing lip wrinkles.
Sun exposure
The sun and its harsh UV rays can be responsible for skin damage and premature ageing, a big culprit when it comes to lines and wrinkles, not just in the lip area. Sun damage and correlated dehydration can cause new and deepen existing wrinkles both on the lips and elsewhere on the face.
Smoking and vaping
As we mentioned earlier, smokers' lines have that name for a reason. Nicotine and chemicals used in vaping can contribute to skin ageing, breaking down the collagen in the skin. The repeated sucking or pursing motion made from smoking and vaping may also lead to developing lines around the lips.
Facial movements
Enough said. The pouting of lips as part of a repeated expression like kissing your significant other or enjoying a cold cocktail with a straw can lead to lines over time. Given these are things we’d like to keep on doing, we’re looking for treatments to help prevent and slow down this cause.
Best ways to treat the lines and wrinkles on the lips and immediately around the mouth
Thankfully there are lots of ways to treat upper lip lines and wrinkles around the lips, both as they start to form and when they are well established.
Dermal Lip Filler
Lip Filler can be a great option to treat and help remove the appearance of lip wrinkles. Dermal Filler is an injectable gel made from hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring substance in your skin. At Caci, our qualified and highly trained Registered Nurses administer the filler, which involves a quick injection process into the targeted area. Once injected, the substance instantly plumps up the lips, helping to give the lips a more youthful appearance. At Caci, we use a range of dermal fillers designed to treat lips that still leaves you with a natural look (or bold if that's what you're after!). Check out other lip filler myths we’ve debunked here.
Smooth out ‘Smokers Lines’
Upper, vertical or peri-oral lip lines are often referred to as 'smokers lines'. These are lines just above your top lip, under the nose. At Caci we use a dermal filler placed into these superficial lines giving these delicate lines a 'soft and natural fill' effect without overpowering the upper lip area or any lumps or bumps.
Facial Peels
A resurfacing peel isn’t just great for your face, your chemical peel can help to focus on fine lines and wrinkles, around the face and in other areas too! Peels at Caci can help address upper lip wrinkles. The chemical solution works to remove the outer layer of the skin revealing new skin that is often more smooth and less wrinkled in appearance. Regular chemical peels or dermabrasion treatments like Microdermabrasion or Hydradermabrasion are great options to help reduce the appearance of lip wrinkles in or around the mouth and upper lip.
Microneedling
Microneedling has been medically proven to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the lips and face while improving skin elasticity and uneven skin texture.
At Caci, the Exceed Microneedling device is FDA approved and clinically proven to treat fine lines, wrinkles and acne scars. It works by stimulating collagen synthesis for building new collagen. Microneedles penetrate the skin, triggering the body’s natural healing response resulting in a boost in collagen production—resulting in stronger, clearer, healthier and firmer skin.
Discover more about Microneedling results here!
Fractional Co2 Laser
Fractional Co2 Laser, our most advanced skin treatment at Caci uses a laser that passes pulses of light down through to the deeper layers of the skin, causing controlled damage to the cells below and triggering the skin's natural healing processThis process allows the cells in the deep layers around lips and other areas of the face to be trained to grow back stronger, firmer, and faster, so the skin becomes smoother, tighter, and more even in tone. Fractional Co2 Laser can treat lip wrinkles around the lips but it cannot treat the lip itself. Dermal Lip Filler can be used to address lip wrinkles directly on the lips.
Tips for preventing lip wrinkles
Stop smoking
Nicotine breaks down collagen and ages you faster. It might be hard to hear, but no matter the way you look at it, smoking is bad for your skin.
Avoid straws
It might seem obvious, but using straws less can help to prevent lip wrinkles. The constant pursing of the lips is what will continue to develop those dynamic lip wrinkles into static lip wrinkles. Say no to plastic straws for the environment AND your lips.
Always wear sunscreen
Would it be advice from us here at Caci if we didn’t mention SPF? Preventing UV damage is important for preventing premature ageing, and that includes your lips and upper lips. Upper lips are more prone to sweat and sunscreen is likely to be wiped off when wiping your mouth or eating, so ensure you re-apply with one of these sun protection favourites.
Try Anti-Wrinkle Injectables
As we mentioned above, dermal filler treatments are an effective treatment for lip wrinkles, as it relaxes the muscles that lead to line forming movements or fills and smooths the lines! Book a free consultation with us to discuss anti-wrinkle treatments for lip lines on our Amerase Cosmetic Injectables membership and payment plan.
Up your collagen intake
Lip lines are caused by a reduction in collagen as we age. Give your body a helping hand by upping your collagen intake to support in-clinic treatments and skincare. At Caci we swear by regular treatments and topical skincare to get your collagen boost!
Invest in a good skincare routine
Skincare can go a long way in preventing fine lines and keeping skin hydrated and plump. Look for products like retinol and exfoliators that encourage cell turnover too.
Other products to defeat lip wrinkles:
Derma rolling at home
Also known as at-home micro-needling, derma rolling involves using a small handheld device covered in very fine needles to create tiny pinpricks in the skin. The difference between clinical Microneedling treatment and an at-home version such as derma rolling is that the needles on a derma roller are much smaller than those used in the clinic at Caci, and we also combine our Microneedling treatment with a personalised serum to absorb deeper into the skin.
At-home derma rolling does have its benefits when it comes to upper lip wrinkles by stimulating collagen and elastin production as well as helping the penetration of serums like Murad’s Rapid Collagen Infusion. It’s important to note that derma rolling should only be used on the skin around the lips, not on the lips directly. Get our how-to on using a derma roller here.
Find the right treatment for lip wrinkles as Caci
There are so many options when it comes to reducing the appearance of lip lines and wrinkles.
As with any treatment, it’s important to see the professionals. You’ll want to ensure that your treatment is performed by a trained expert in a safe and hygienic environment and you’re buying skincare that works.
At Caci, our membership options mean you can get varied treatments without the guesswork—we work with you to get the best result so you feel confident in your skin. Book a free consultation today to get personalised advice—no strings attached! Treat your skin right with a personalised membership and payment plan at Caci.
How it works
Book a free consultation
To ensure that you get the best possible results, you will have a free consultation before your treatment, where you can discuss and explain the type of result you’re hoping for. You may wish to bring photos along to this consultation if you have an example of your desired result for your lip enhancement.
Get started and book a free consultation
Agree on the best approach to treat your lips, lines and wrinkles
Depending on what you’re trying to achieve, our team will personalise a treatment plan to suit you. It may be lip filler, a lip flip as well as other advice including skincare! This will also give you an idea of how much things will cost, and what to expect. At Caci, we make paying for treatments and skincare a breeze, with payment options available, as well as Amerase®, a cosmetic injectables membership.
Goodbye lip lines!
If you decide to proceed, the team will book you in for your treatments. We’ll make sure you feel confident about what happens at a treatment, how to prepare and what you need to know about aftercare. See ya later lines and wrinkles.
Botox® is a Prescription Medicine containing 50,100 or 200 units of clostridium botulinum Type A toxin complex for injection. It is used for the treatment of frown lines, crows feet and horizontal forehead lines. It should be administered only by trained medical professionals. Cautions: people with defective neuro-muscular transmission disorders, presence of infection at site of injection, glaucoma, pregnancy and lactation. Possible side effects include headaches, pain, burning or redness at injection site, local muscle weakness including drooping eye lids, lack of feeling & nausea. Talk to your specialist about the benefits/risks of this procedure or if you have concerns or side effects. Note: Botox® treatment lasts about four months and after this time further courses of treatment may be necessary. Speak to your specialist about your own situation”. A charge applies. You will need to pay for treatment Allergan, Auckland
XEOMIN® Incobotulinumtoxin A) 50, 100 Units is a Prescription Medicine. Indications: In adults, for the treatment of cervical dystonia; blepharospasm; spasticity of the upper limb; upper facial lines: glabellar frown lines, lateral periorbital lines (crow’s feet), horizontal forehead lines. XEOMIN®has both risks and benefits, consult your doctor if XEOMIN® is right for you. Further information on the risks and benefits of XEOMIN® can be found in the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) available from https://merzaustralia.com.au/patientinformation/aesthetics/products/ or www.medsafe.govt.nz or by calling 0800 822 310. Use strictly as directed. If symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your doctor, pharmacist or health care professional. Common side effects include: Headaches; nausea; tenderness, swelling, redness, numbness or bruising of the skin; dry eye; heavy feeling of eyelid/eyebrow/forehead; face/brow not symmetrical, dropping eyelids/eyebrows. Serious side effects are rare and include allergic reactions. XEOMIN® is an unfunded medicine, prescription charge will apply. Normal doctor charges will still apply.For further information, consult your doctor or refer to the Consumer Medicine Information available at: www.medsafe.govt.nzPharmacy Retailing NZ Limited t/a Healthcare Logistics (HCL), 58 Richard Pearse Drive, Mangere, Auckland
Botulinum toxin injections are prescription medicine for the treatment of frown lines , horizontal forehead lines and crow’s feet round the eyes. Botulinum toxin injections have risks and benefits. Ask your doctor if botulinum toxin injection is right for you. If you have side effects, see your doctor. You will need to pay for your botulinum toxin injection and clinic fees will apply. For details on precautions & side effects consult your doctor or go to www.medsafe.govt.nz . Botulinum toxin injections lasts about 4 months and further courses of treatment may be necessary. Should only be administered by trained medical professionals.
