SMOKERS LINES
SMOKERS LINES
Smokers lines are a common concern for men and women. Known by various names from barcode lines to perioral lines, they tend to form after long term smoking habits affect the skin and cause it to crumple around the mouth, leaving the person with numerous small lines radiating from the lips.
Bear in mind however that plenty of non-smokers suffer from these lines as well. It’s all a matter of lifestyle and genetic predisposition. Unfortunately, these common lines can form in multiple areas around the mouth making them difficult to conceal. They also act like blotting paper for any lipstick or glass that you may add to your lips, drawing the pigment away and giving an imprecise line to your makeup.
What causes smoker lines?
Smoking is the easy guess but as we said, there are many more factors at play here. Anything like smoking which accelerates the breakdown of collagen in the skin will promote the formation of the barcode pattern around the mouth.
Bear in mind that any facial movement which folds the skin along these lines will make them worse. So pursing your lips, whether to drink from a straw or smoke a cigarette or even whistle, all these actions will accentuate the problem.
As we all know, time degrades our skin’s ability to reform and reshape after movement. Repeated sun exposure either on the beach or in a salon lets UV A rays penetrate and damage the skin further – try to avoid too much sun if you can.
HOW DO I GET RID OF SMOKERS LINES ?
HOW DO I GET RID OF SMOKERS LINES ?
How do I get rid of smokers lines ?
Don’t forget to take the easy steps first to improve your personal and dermatological health. As mentioned, cutting down sun exposure and smoking are great ideas. Making sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day will also hydrate your skin from the ground up.
Application of a good, quality moisturiser should also help minimise the appearance of small wrinkles. This can help offset the loss of collagen that begins in your 20s, and continues at a rate of 1% every year. This loss deflates the lips, pulling the excess surrounding skin into the folded line appearance.
For some women however, even after self care and moisturising, the many wrinkles of smoker’s lines still persist. This is where dermal lip fillers come into play. Treatments like Botox are not as appropriate as they stiffen the expression and are difficult to change after treatment.
Using natural hyaluronic which is broken down by the body can give the lips a natural, fuller and more youthful appearance. Filling out and expanding the lips pulls the skin out to its original position, decreasing the depth and appearance of smoker’s lines around the mouth.
At TheLondonFacialCare our treatment of smokers lines is more bespoke than simply injecting some filler. As we detail here [link], a combination of dermal filler and threads are used to fine tune the treatment to your needs.
This combination of treatments is more effective as it promotes the growth of your skin’s blood supply and collagen structure. These in turn smooth out and replenish the skin, minimising the appearance of any smoker’s lines.
It is always best to go to an experienced practitioner who can use their skill to create a subtle and beautiful look, rather than an over done and fake appearance.
Pretreatment ideas
Don’t forget if you want to come for treatment that you can help yourself by cutting down on smoking and tanning. If you are going on holiday or will be out in the elements for any length of time, make sure your makeup has a good SPF or you turn to sunscreen to help protect your skin properly.
Obagi is offered at our clinic, a premium sun protection cream with an elegant matte finish. It is a broad spectrum, SPF 50 product with none of the thickness or greasiness of your usual sunscreen.
Even less obvious habits like pouting, whistling and drinking through straws. Exfoliate your skin regularly as it is well known as a good way to prevent and reduce wrinkles alongside keeping hydrated. Taking some care for your skin will go a long way in ensuring that the results of any treatment are maintained for as long as possible.
To keep yourself motivated, remember that any holistic activity like cutting down on smoking or staying hydrated not only benefits your skin, but your mind and general health too!