People worry about wrinkles around their eyes, but did you know these wrinkles are far less likely to make you look older or more tired than the ones around your mouth?
Wrinkles around the mouth compromise the lush, full look of youthful lips and make the mouth look more pursed. Using Botox to get rid of vertical lip wrinkles tastefully is one of the simplest ways to take years off your appearance.
Using Botox to Remove Lip Wrinkles Erases the Years
Our eyes are naturally drawn to the lips, which become a constant focus of attention when in conversation or close proximity with another person – unconsciously watching lip movements to help us understand what one another is saying.
As social creatures, humans also focus on the lips because we read their expressions to interpret how someone is feeling. And the lips are an especially precious point of communication when someone smiles, laughs, or moves toward you for a romantic, intimate kiss. So it makes sense that we want our lips to look and feel their very best.
What Causes Lip Wrinkles?
Age-related loss of collagen is the primary cause of vertical lip wrinkles. Fibrous collagen creates that full, contoured look of youthful lips. As collagen levels decrease, so does the fullness in the lips, leaving thinner lip tissue marked by more lines or wrinkles than in our 20s and 30s.
Other causes of lip wrinkles include:
- Smoking
- Unconsciously pursing the lips
- Excess sun exposure
- A genetic tendency toward wrinkles (which is usually related to higher collagen loss per year).
- Rapid weight loss
- Frowning more than you smile
There are natural things you can do to prevent lip wrinkles, minimize their appearance, or help to keep the lips looking more plump and full (more on that below). However, most are milder in effect, are temporary, and don’t hold up to the rapid pace of aging that Botox or other lip fillers do.
Botox is a temporary – but long-term – way to fade lip lines and wrinkles, resulting in a more firm, smooth lip line.
How Does Botox For Lip Lines Work?
Botox is a commercially produced serum made from the bacteria botulinum. Botox Cosmetic is the only FDA-approved treatment of its kind and is completely safe for qualifying clients when administered by licensed professionals. When used to support the natural fullness and shape of the lips, we call the procedure a “lip flip.”
Botox injections also provide a more natural and less “plump” effect than lip fillers. So Botox is the way to go if you’re interested in restoring natural lip shape and plumpness – without dramatically noticeable pouting or volume.
Typically, we recommend Botox to get rid of lip wrinkles for clients who:
- Feel their lip line fades away when they smile
- Want to restore their original lip line and volume
- Do not want to increase lip volume dramatically
- Would like to reduce the amount of gumline visible when they smile
- Prefer impermanent treatments that can be maintained as goals or preferences change
Lip flips last from three to six months, depending on how your body processes the serum.
Step One: Schedule a Consultation to Evaluate Lip Wrinkles
The first step is scheduling a consultation at a MedSpa with licensed dermatologists and estheticians. While this treatment is 100% safe, that is only when an experienced, licensed professional performs the injections.
During your consultation, we’ll look at your areas of concern. We’ll want to know more about your medical history, skincare or treatment history, and overall goals. This helps us understand which facial treatments make the most sense for your immediate and long-term goals.
To move forward with a Botox procedure, you must be:
- In good health
- Have realistic expectations
- Be free of any mouth infections, including cold sores or fever blisters
Step Two: Schedule Your Botox Lip Flip
Once you’ve decided to move forward, we’ll book your appointment. These appointments are simple and straightforward, and you can resume normal activities the same afternoon – taking care to protect those freshly injected lips.
The process is minimally invasive. Once you’re comfortably seated, we may use a numbing serum if you are particularly pain sensitive or have a needle aversion.
We’ll then perform a tiny series of injections along the lip line. We usually inject about two to four units along the upper lip and two around the lower lip. The needles are very thin, so most patients experience a slight stinging sensation that may cause their eyes to water for a minute or so.
If any drops of blood rise to the surface, we’ll blot them with cotton swabs. The entire procedure takes about 10 to 20 minutes, after which you can return home.
Step Three: Enjoy Younger, Smoother Lip Lines
You’ll notice results from your injection within the first 24 to 72 hours. Things that can support your rejuvenated lips include:
- Taking advantage of additional facial enhancing treatments that boost collagen levels and promote younger, smoother skin
- Staying hydrated
- Protecting lips from UV sun damage (wear a hat and lip balms with sunscreen)
- Using collagen-boosting serums on and around your mouth
- Laughing and smiling often
Schedule a Botox Lip Flip With Balance MedSpa
Are you ready to have smoother, fuller, and younger lips again? Then, schedule a consultation at Balance MedSpa and enjoy rejuvenating treatments backed by science in an inviting and comfortable environment.
