Upper Lip Lines or Lip Wrinkles – Causes, Removal and Treatment – Auckland NZ

It is a cruel twist of fate, that upper lip lines tend to be more common in women. Females have a thinner dermis (the supporting structure of the skin) than men, and as such, are more prone to upper lip lines, especially after menopause.

Ageing tends to cause volume loss at all levels of the face from the surface of the skin right down to the bones. The skin becomes less elastic and dewy looking due to loss of collagen and elastin in its supporting dermis. The maxilla (upper jaw bone) shrinks too meaning less support to the tissues overlying it. Less support from beneath means more upper lip lines and thinner lips.

Repeated movement of our mouth facial muscles with eating, drinking, talking, whistling etc. can contribute to the formation of upper lip lines.

Smoking is a double edged sword. The pursing action of the lips that is performed repeatedly while smoking, but perhaps more importantly the damage to the skin from smoking, means more upper lip lines. Even though they are called ‘smoker’s lines’, unfortunately, it is not uncommon to see upper lip lines in people who have never smoked too.

Last, but definitely not least is sun exposure. The more sun damage that you have experienced over your life, and the fairer your skin type, the more likely you are to experience upper lip lines.

At Palm Clinic, we have several modalities to address upper lip lines, which we will discuss below.

To optimise results, one, or a combination of dermal filler, Fraxel laser resurfacing or Dermapen, and medical grade skin care as prescribed by your Palm Clinic cosmetic team will soften, and improve upper lip lines.

Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers for Upper Lip Lines/ Lip Wrinkles

To address the volume loss described above, hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can be injected beneath the fine lines and into surrounding structures (including the lips, nasolabial folds and marionettes) to provide support and hydration to the skin. Dermal Fillers will usually soften rather than completely eradicate upper lip lines. So that the result looks natural, we must limit the amount of filler we put in this area, to avoid a ‘monkey muzzle’ appearance.

Fraxel Laser Resurfacing

This clever laser ‘resurfaces’ the skin, kicking off a healing response that stimulates collagen production and results in a smoother, more radiant skin. Read more about Fraxel laser here.

Dermal Needling (Dermapen)

This is a gentler version of the Fraxel above. Instead of using laser, the skin is damaged in a controlled way with very fine needles. Again, collagen production is stimulated, over time leading to an improved texture to the skin. The benefit of dermapen is less down-time, but it will take more treatments than Fraxel to attain the same results. Read more about dermapen here.

Medical Grade Skincare

Our skin therapist will assess you and create a tailored plan of medical grade skincare with active ingredients to optimise the health and resilience of your skin that you can use at home.

Some key ingredients are:

• Vitamin A which speeds up skin cell turnover, improving pigmentation and skin texture.
• Vitamin C to promote collagen growth.
• A quality sunscreen to protect your skin from further sun damage.

She will also prescribe medifacials or chemical peels to optimise your desired results.

See photos of lip lines before and after treatment below:

If you’d like to reduce the aging effect of wrinkles and lines, the team at Palm Clinic, Auckland NZ can help. We’ll provide a treatment plan that delivers the best results for your budget. Our aim is always to achieve natural-looking results that will ‘freshen’ your face and create a more youthful appearance.

Experienced Doctors, Nurses and Beauty Therapists

Because Palm Clinic Auckland, NZ is a highly experienced team of doctors, nurses and advanced beauty therapists you can be assured you will receive the best possible advice about wrinkles and lines coupled with the best technology and training to assure optimum ‘natural’ results with maximum safety.