Moist, luscious, plump lips have been coveted by women throughout history. Unfortunately, most of us are not genetically blessed with these lips. Luckily, skin care science has given us plenty of methods to improve the look of our lips.
What Women Want
We all want beautiful, full, supple, kissable lips. No matter what age, our eyes and lips are the two most distinguishable features people are drawn to. While lip shape and fullness are mostly under control of our genetics, we can take steps to improve a perfect our pouts. As we age, lip volume decreases due to loss of collagen. This volume loss can also result in wrinkle formation around the lips. Because the skin of the lips is thinner, lips age more rapidly than the rest of our faces.
Three Secrets of a Beautiful Pout
Hydration
Look for products containing those key ingredients. Hyaluronic acid, naturally occurringin our skin, pulls water towards it, making lips plumper. Using products with biomimetic amino acids boosts natural hyaluronic acid and collagen production. Barrier enhancing agents, such as ceramides, stearic acid, palmitic acid and cholesterol trap moisture in the tissue, not allowing it to escape as easily as it otherwise would. Occlusive agents, such as squalene, olive oil, mineral oil and silicone cover the skin surface to prevent water loss. All these ingredients increase hydration, which naturally creates fuller looking, more supple lips.
Repair
Ideally, any product that is applied to the lips will also help to repair cells that have been damaged by the environment or by the natural processes of aging. Damage from free radicals causes visible wrinkles and poor texture. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, ferulic acid and vitamin E, neutralize free radicals and help cells to repair themselves. Growth factors are long-chain proteins that our cells need to function properly. Using lip products that contain growth factors helps to repair damage and to restore collagen and elastin that have diminished during the aging process.
Protection
The most effective way to prevent future damage is to keep the lips protected from UVA and UVB rays. Sun protection should be worn year-round and both indoors and out. UVA rays are the ones most responsible for skin aging, and they are not affected by cloud cover, altitude or time of the year. For best protection, we recommend physical sun blocks. Physical sun blocks reflect the UV rays and stay effective until they are physically removed from the skin. These ingredients include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and Ecamsule. They should be re-applied after eating or drinking. Chemical sunscreens are broken down by our bodies about two hours after application, therefore need to be reapplied more frequently. Chemical sun block ingredients include PABA, avobenzone, homosalate and oxybenzone.
Don’t Neglect Lifestyle
To achieve optimal lip health, you should follow a lifestyle that promotes healthy skin in general. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying well hydrated, refraining from smoking and other skin pollutants will enhance your results. When all of these are combined you will be rewarded with beautiful, moist, lush, plump and kissable lips.
Lip Enhancement
Topical Volume Enhancers
There are multiple options for women wanting fuller lips. The simplest and most cost-conscious method is to apply lip plumping products. A quality lip plumper should not only increase lip volume, but contains products that boost hydration, repair damaged cells and protect from future damage. Most lip plumping products work by causing mildinflammation, which increases blood flow, resulting in some swelling and, thus, increase in volume. Peppermint and cayenne pepper are common plumping ingredients. Increase in volume from plumpers is temporary, but improving overall lip health will bring about long-term enhancement.
Injectables
Neurotoxins
Neurotoxins, such as Botox, Xeomin or Dysport, can be used perform a “lip flip.” Small amount of toxin is injected right above the upper lip, which causes a slight upturn of the lip. This usually lasts about three months. This is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to achieve a subtle effect of extra volume. There is usually no down–time, and the results are visible about a week after injection.
Filler
For women who desire more volume, a longer-lasting solution or struggle with lines above and below the lips, filler is the best choice. Hyaluronic acid fillers work much like a sponge, absorbing water and filling up the space. Fillers also stimulate collagen production, which over time will help with improving lip volume. Lip filler peak effect is seen in about 7-10 days and lasts about 10-12 months. Well applied fillers don’t make the lips look significantly larger, instead they appear fuller and well defined. Usually, one syringe of lip filler will give a natural, but noticeable improvement in the fullness of the lips. For a marked increase in lip size, multiple syringes may be necessary. It is common for the lips to swell and appear bruised for several days after the filler injection.
