What causes lines around the mouth?
Age, sun, smoking and lip muscle. You can change two of them. In a 4.5-year trial, daily sunscreen users showed no detectable increase in skin ageing on the back of the hand.
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What causes lines around the mouth?
Mostly four things. A review of the research names genes, natural ageing, sun and the muscle that circles your lips.
That muscle moves every time you talk, eat or pucker. Fold a sheet of paper on the same line enough times and a crease stays, even when it lies flat.
With age, skin also changes and the bone under it shrinks. Another review adds unhealthy habits to the list.
| Cause | What it does | Can you change it? |
|---|---|---|
| Genes | Play a part in how lines form | No |
| Natural ageing | Skin changes and bone shrinks | No |
| Lip muscle | Folds the skin into lines | Not without a clinic treatment |
| Sun | Adds to lines on exposed skin | Yes, with daily sunscreen |
| Smoking | Linked to more lip wrinkles | Yes, by stopping |
Sources: Pascali 2018; Morera Serna 2021; Okada 2013
Fine lines on the lips are different from the deeper folds that run from nose to mouth or down from the corners. Look in a mirror and note which ones you have before you spend anything.
Which causes of lip lines can you change?
Those two are sun and smoking.
In an Australian trial of 903 adults under 55, the daily sunscreen group showed no detectable increase in skin ageing after 4.5 years. That was measured on the back of the hand, not the mouth. Their skin aged 24% less than in people who used it when they chose.
Smoking was studied in 79 pairs of identical twins. Same genes, so the gap points to the smoking.
| Area | Smoking twin vs non-smoking twin |
|---|---|
| Upper lip wrinkles | Worse |
| Wrinkles on the red of the lower lip | Worse |
| Folds from nose to mouth | Worse |
| Lower lip lines when puckering | No clear difference |
| Crow’s feet and forehead lines | No clear difference |
Source: Okada 2013
Even a 5-year gap in smoking can make a noticeable difference to how a twin’s face ages. The NHS says when you quit, more oxygen reaches your skin, making it brighter.
Your next step: see what helps people stop smoking, and read what sunscreen does for skin ageing.
Upper lip wrinkles home remedies: what works?
Sunscreen stops new damage. Retinol, a form of vitamin A in skin creams, is the home option with trial evidence for fine wrinkles.
In 36 people with an average age of 87, a 0.4% retinol lotion on one arm improved fine wrinkles over 24 weeks. A plain lotion on the other arm did not.
On the face, 0.1% retinol for a year improved fine lines at the eyes by 44%. That trial was run by a skincare company.
Neither trial looked at lip lines. No cream for smokers’ lines has been tested in the studies we found.
Your lip lines plan at home
- Put SPF 30 or higher with 4-star UVA on your face every day, including round your mouth.
- Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours when you’re out in the sun.
- Stop smoking, with free NHS support if you want it.
- Start with the mildest retinol you can find, every other night, and build up slowly.
- Skip retinol if you’re pregnant.
- Skip retinol if your skin is dry or prone to allergies, and ask a skin doctor first if it is very red or inflamed.
Sources: NHS: sunscreen; NHS: quit smoking; AAD: retinol
New to it? Our retinol for beginners guide covers how to start without sore skin.
What is the best treatment for lip lines?
No single treatment wins. A review of lip and mouth fillers found no agreement on the best material.
| Treatment | What it is | What the evidence says |
|---|---|---|
| Botulinum toxin (such as Botox) | An injection that weakens the muscle | 65 trials, only 2 around the mouth |
| Dermal filler | A gel injected under the lines | Several gels are used. No agreed best filler. |
| Mild chemical peel | A liquid that removes the top layer of skin | Listed by reviews as an option |
Sources: Cochrane 2021; Pascali 2018; Morera Serna 2021
Most botulinum toxin trials treated frown lines. A Cochrane review found just 2 of 65 treated the mouth area.
Before you start, count the cost of aftercare and any repeat treatments you may need to keep the look.
How to choose who treats your lip lines
This matters more than the brand. The NHS warns filler problems can be serious, including infection, nerve damage and blindness.
Under 18? In England it’s against the law to give you either injection for looks.
Before you book an injection
- 1
Check the register
Look for the JCCP or Save Face registers, which list checked practitioners.
- 2
Ask three things
The product name, where it came from, and their training.
- 3
Consultation first
Botulinum toxin needs a prescriber, such as a doctor or nurse.
- 4
Take time
Do not pay until you’ve had a consultation. You should be offered a cooling-off period after it.
Sources: NHS: choosing a practitioner; NHS: before a procedure
Fillers don’t always need a prescription, so check who’s doing it. Avoid people who only did a short course.
The NHS also says to avoid group events with alcohol, online vouchers, treatments in homes or hotels, and people who only advertise on social media.
Your next step: look up anyone you are thinking of booking on the JCCP or Save Face register before you pay anything.
When to speak to a GP
See a GP or dentist if you notice any of these:
- a lump on your lip, in your mouth, on your neck or in your throat, or weight loss without trying
- a mouth ulcer that has lasted more than 3 weeks
- a red or white patch in your mouth
- pain in your mouth that’s not going away, difficulty swallowing or speaking, or a hoarse (croaky) voice
Had a botulinum toxin injection in the past 4 weeks? Call 999 if your eyelids droop, it’s hard to swallow or speak, you cannot move part of your body, or you have severe difficulty breathing. Don’t drive yourself to A&E.