DO YOU HAVE DEEP LINES AROUND YOUR MOUTH?
A very common part of aging, these deep vertical lines can sometimes appear more prominent than others. If you have these deep vertical lines on your face and are looking to improve their look, there’s a lot that can be done to give you a more youthful look.
WHAT CAUSES THESE WRINKLES?
In general, a combination of factors cause wrinkles and fine lines.
As you grow older, your skin becomes less elastic and less plump. Your skin also becomes drier due to decreased production of natural oils, which causes the skin to appear more wrinkled. Aging also results in fat loss, especially within the deeper layers of your skin, causing loose, saggy skin, and deep wrinkles and lines.
But can you guess what the primary cause of early wrinkling is?
Ultraviolet radiation. Exposure to UV light breaks down collagen and elastin fibers located deep within your skin. Without collagen and elastin, your skin begins to lose its strength and flexibility. The result? Saggy, wrinkled skin.
Smoking also accelerates the normal aging process of your skin, resulting in premature wrinkles. This is due to decreased oxygen flow to your skin when smoking.
Repeated facial expressions and facial movements like smiling and squinting can also lead to fine lines and wrinkles. Each time you contract a facial muscle, a groove forms under the surface of your skin. But as you age, your skin loses its flexibility and is unable to bounce back. Over time, these grooves eventually become permanent features on your face.
SO HOW DO I GET RID OF VERTICAL LIP LINES?
If you are looking to improve the appearance of deep vertical lines dramatically, consider innovative procedures that, when used together, can significantly reduce the appearance of deep lines, folds, and wrinkles. These aesthetic dermatology treatments include Juvederm, Botox, Clear and Brilliant, and IPL photo facials. Read on to learn more about these treatments.
JUVÉDERM
Juvéderm is a smooth gel filler that can reduce the appearance of lip lines around the vermillion border and produces immediate, natural results that last up to twelve months.
How does Juvéderm work? Juvéderm is a smooth hyaluronic acid gel that, when injected into the skin, smooths wrinkles and folds. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule found in the human body, and its primary function is to bind and absorb water, creating volume in the face. During the natural aging process, hyaluronic acid found in the body diminishes. Juvéderm corrects this by restoring hyaluronic acid in the skin, helping to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and folds.
Juvéderm produces immediate results that continue to improve for one to two weeks after treatment as Juvéderm softens and draws moisture into the treated areas. You can expect these results to last up to 12 months. In fact, Juvéderm is proud to be one of the only FDA-approved hyaluronic acid fillers to last up to one year with only one treatment.
BOTOX
Botox is a revolutionary prescription medication that improves moderate to severe frown lines, forehead furrows, vertical lip lines (aka smoker’s lines), and crow’s feet. It’s quick and painless with no downtime.
Botox is a neurotoxin and works by attaching itself to nerve endings. Once this happens, the neurotransmitter responsible for triggering muscle contractions, called acetylcholine, can no longer be released. To put it simply, Botox injections temporarily relax the facial muscles that underlie and cause wrinkles. This is also why wrinkles caused by sun damage and gravity don’t respond well to Botox treatments.
Botox offers real, noticeable results. Since Botox works by weakening facial muscles, you can start seeing results within three to seven days. You’ll see deep dynamic wrinkles gradually improve over time, in addition to the early effects seen shortly after treatment. These results will continue to improve, until about two weeks after the procedure, which is when your injectables will reach maximum efficacy. The effects of Botox will gradually wear off over the next three to four months, and the wrinkles will need to be treated again.
Botox can also relax vertical lip lines when injected into the muscle above the upper lip.
IPL PHOTO FACIALS
IPL photo facials use broad-spectrum light to improve the appearance of unwanted dark spots, freckles, facial redness, broken blood vessels, and sun damage.
IPL photo facials work by using a broad-spectrum light source that penetrates multiple layers of skin. This type of photo facial primarily targets the lower layers of skin (dermis) while leaving the top layers of skin (epidermis) unaffected. The heat generated from the light promotes healing of the skin within, treating a number of different dermatological issues.
IPL photo facial treatments call for 6-12 treatment sessions spaced 4 weeks apart to obtain desired results. In some cases, those results can be seen after only the first treatment! And skin continues to improve with each successive treatment.
CLEAR + BRILLIANT
Clear + Brilliant can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles by rejuvenating the skin from the inside out. The lasers in the Clear and Brilliant device punch microscopic holes in the skin which the surrounding skin then works to repair. This increases collagen and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. When coupled with the above treatments, this is a very effective way to reduce any unwanted fine lines.
