When it comes to skincare, laugh lines are no laughing matter. Laugh lines are the vertical lines that extend from the sides of your nose, curve around your mouth, and sometimes extend to the chin. And you’re not the only one who has them; these fine lip lines are incredibly common. Your lips and surrounding skin are delicate, so wrinkles around your mouth (or marionette lines as they’re sometimes called) show up naturally as a result of talking, laughing, and having facial expressions, in general.
What’s worse, your laugh lines only become deeper and more visible with age. But just because these creases are an unavoidable part of life, doesn’t mean you can’t treat them. We’ve got the tips to help you erase the wrinkles around your mouth and prevent them from deepening.
There are two types of laugh lines; the nasolabial crease and the nasolabial fold. The nasolabial crease is the line you see between the upper lip and cheek. The nasolabial fold is the skin that hangs over that crease. Both types develop over time from aging and other lifestyle factors. The wrinkles around your mouth can be dynamic wrinkles (seen with movement) or static wrinkles (still seen when your face doesn’t move). Static wrinkles are more difficult to treat over time, where dynamic wrinkles are more common since we use the muscles around our eyes and lips all the time when smiling, blinking, etc.
Laugh lines occur due to the natural loss of volume that occurs in your face as you age. Over time, we lose collagen and elastin in your skin. Between the ages of 30 and 40, the wrinkles around your mouth become more prominent. They’re an inevitable part of the aging process and caused by the repetition of facial movements, like laughing, smiling, frowning, and other facial expressions. Your propensity for getting them is hereditary (if your mom or dad has wrinkles around their mouth, there’s a good chance you’ll develop them). But certain lifestyle factors can make them worse. Aside from genetics and aging, a number of lifestyle factors can contribute to you getting laugh lines, including-
A diet packed full of antioxidants is one powerful way to treat existing wrinkles around your mouth and prevent new ones from forming. Free radicals break down the collagen and elastin in your skin which is responsible for keeping it smooth. Neutralizefree radicals on the skin by loading up antioxidant-rich foods like berries, broccoli, carrots, and spinach. To get the most wrinkle-fighting benefits from these antioxidant powerhouses, include two to three servings of each in your daily diet.
Significant weight shifts can contribute to wrinkles around your mouth, whether it’s weight loss or gain. Maintaining your weight helps to eliminate the potential for fine lines to form. A few ways to maintain your weight include eating healthy foods, avoiding sugar and alcohol, and exercising daily.
One of the best preventative measures you can take to protect the sensitive skin around your mouth from developing wrinkles is to wear sunscreen. The sun’s UV rays are the biggest source of those skin-damaging, wrinkle-causing free radicals. But you can fight back against the sun’s UV rays with ananti-aging sunscreen. Be sure to apply your sunscreen before you leave the house in the morning and then every two hours after.
There are certain skincare ingredients to reach for when it comes to bouncy, plump skin with fewer wrinkles around your mouth. Look for products that trigger cell turnover, as well as collagen and elastin production like:
Facial exercises help to tighten the muscles in your face, reducing the wrinkles around your mouth. Not sure how to exercise your face? Try one of these-
At-home remedies can help reduce the appearance of mild lines around the mouth. But sometimes topical treatments just aren’t enough to treat those mouth wrinkles and a dermatologist may recommend one of the following in-office treatments.
One of the most commonly used anti-aging treatments and the gold standard for treating wrinkles around the mouth is the chemical peel. A chemical peel works by removing the top layer of your skin to reveal smoother, more radiant skin underneath. These are typically done on a consistent basis to help maintain results.
Another in-office treatment for reducing laugh lines is dermabrasion. This is a mechanical sanding of the skin with a specialized tool. Dermabrasion has become less popular than it used to be due to long recovery time and the possibility of pigmentation side effects. Dermabrasion is often done at the same time as surgical procedures (like a face-lift), in order to take advantage of the deeper anesthesia and long recovery.
Sometimes platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is combined with microdermabrasion, or microneedling, in a procedure known as the vampire facial. The PRP is derived from your own blood platelets processed in a centrifuge before being injected back into your skin. PRP can help create plumper-looking skin to reduce wrinkles, but you’ll likely need the procedure again after a year.
Injectable dermal fillers like juvederm, are made with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and poly-L-lactic acid, to help plump the targeted area of skin and temporarily smooth out wrinkles. Dermal fillers wear off after several months and you will need to get more injections to help maintain results.
Also administered through injections, Botox (botulinum toxin type A) works by relaxing facial muscles that might create a tight, wrinkled appearance. While this treatment is best known for forehead wrinkles, it also benefits wrinkles around the mouth.
A more aggressive treatment for wrinkles and laugh lines is laser skin resurfacing. This is an invasive treatment where a dermatologist uses high beams of light to remove the outer layer of your skin. Like other skin peeling treatments, this procedure must be repeated for a few months to see results. The skin afterward can be red, crusted, and raw for up to two weeks.
Not only will making these lifestyle changes minimize your chances of getting wrinkles around your mouth, but they’re equally beneficial to your overall health.
Don’t stop smiling! Laugh lines, smile lines, or wrinkles around your mouth, are a natural part of life and by no means should you stop smiling to try to stop them. Besides making you look more approachable,studies have found that smiling can help you feel less stressed and anxious, more comfortable in awkward situations, and happier.
