May 1, 2013

Beauty and Your Mouth

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By Devon Monache


Your mouth does a lot: singing, smiling, kissing, speaking, laughing... As the years go by, these activities all take their toll.

The first place many women start to see wrinkles and lines is around their mouth. The skin here moves as much as any skin on the face, bending and folding as we exploit its many uses. The lower half of the face is often damaged more by sun, even for those who take care to use sunblock, visors and hats. Wrinkles are inevitable with all these factors.

It is unfortunate that, when someone looks at you, they first notice your mouth and eyes. Add in a brightly colored lipstick to draw even more attention to the area and those little lines start to become a bigger problem. Most people find that the changes radiate from the mouth toward the cheeks and chin, and as collagen is lost, the jawline becomes soft and saggy.

You've heard the downsides. Thankfully, we have some remedies.

Traditionally, cosmetic practitioners have had less tools to deal with problem areas around the mouth. Surgery such as a face lift can't change the quality of skin around the mouth, often leaving this area wrinkled in glaring contrast to an otherwise taut face after a well done procedure. Botox in small quantities can help reduce aggressive lip pursing, but can't treat etched in lines and wrinkles.

As we age, our rate of collagen production slows. Collagen breaks down even faster as the years of sunshine and other environmental damage add up. This is what eventually causes wrinkles and loose skin. Voluminous lips become a thing of the past. To begin to address the problem, we must avoid UV damage from the sun, keep the body hydrated and nourished, and use omega-3 supplements as well as antioxidants. Fortunately, subtle amounts of filler can help restore natural contours, and gently smooth some fine lines.

Studies show that voluminous lips can affect perception of a woman's age as much as wrinkles can. Lip volume begins to decrease once we are in our mid-30s. Most patients want to know how to achieve voluminous, natural lips without going overboard.

An experienced injector will add filler gradually, giving the mouth a natural, full look. We want to avoid unattractive 'platypus lips'.

It is important to know one's personal limits. Small lips can only be changed so much.

Filling the lips is not the only consideration. One must look at the lips in relation to the entire face. Not every technician is able to do this in an artful way, and not everyone comprehends facial anatomy. It is vital to find an injector with experience and artistic talent.




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