Ever wondered why heavy smokers have unsightly lips—vertical wrinkles, fine lines, discoloration, and so on?
Well, smoking doesn’t only disintegrate the liver or cause skin cancer, but it has negative effects on the pout as well. Smoking can easily fast track the aging process of your skin by causing wrinkles.
It comes at a close second to age with regards to facial wrinkling in both and women. On average, it takes 10 years for this to happen but it can be shorter if you are a chain smoker.
There are reasons why people get wrinkled lips from smoking. For starters, nicotine (the toxic substance found in tobacco) is notorious for narrowing the skin’s blood vessels. This scenario compromises blood flow with the result being fewer nutrients and blood flow to the skin.
Secondly, other chemicals found in cigarettes have also been known to impair collagen production. Less collagen is trouble for the skin. Lastly, the very act of puckering the lips in a bid to handle the constant heat exposure leads to wrinkling as well.
Thankfully, there’s something you can do to repair a wrinkled lip:
Dermal Fillers
To reduce the appearance of wrinkles or eliminate them altogether, people often resort to dermal fillers. A filler is a volume building and hydrating fluid injected on the skin’s epidermis using a tiny needle.
It is a rather sensitive procedure that requires the services of a qualified practitioner. Too much of the filler will certainly lead to a rather unnatural look.
Acid Peels
According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, chemical peels can also be utilized to reduce wrinkles and fine lines from smoking.
Typically, a body-friendly alpha hydroxyl acid is applied on the lip area, left to blister and finally peel off to reveal a fresh, and rejuvenated skin underneath.
Use Of Strong Moisturizers
By now, you probably know that moisture is a very important element of the skin. Using a rich moisturizer is a simple and effective strategy of reversing the effects of smoking on your pucker.
Powerful hydrating elements such as tretinoin may enhance the production of collagen which in turn reduces the appearances of wrinkles. Grab a powerful moisturizer with Retin-A and a broad spectrum SPF for better results.
Laser Resurfacing
This is another popular cosmetic procedure for eliminating a number of skin irregularities such as acne scars, wrinkles, and blemishes. The concept is centered around eliminating old and damaged skin.
A doctor exposes the skin to concentrated light beams on the affected area and peels it one layer at a time. In certain scenarios, a laser resurfacing is done after fat grafting and using temporary fillers.
Botox
Finally, an injected medication such as Botox can be used to both relax muscles and reduce fine lines on the lips.
This technology works by inhibiting nerve cells from reaching the muscles of the problem area. As a result, muscles will not move much, masking the appearance of underlying wrinkles.
There’s hope for treating a wrinkled pout. Often, a doctor will combine some of the strategies herein to increase your chances of having an attractive lip. However, the best advice is to stop smoking.
If not for the health of your pucker, do it for your overall health and wellbeing.