Smoker lines can be treated by using precise administration of Botox®* injections into the fine dynamic facial muscles around the mouth. These anti-wrinkle injections can be used to prevent lines from developing/deepening, or to soften existing lines.
Another means of improving the appearance of smoker's lines is preventing the muscle contractions that cause them with Botox, Dysport or Xeomin. Best for lines that are not yet visible while the mouth is at rest, these injectable toxins can prevent smoker's lines from becoming etched into the skin.
Botox can be a good choice in people whose lip lines are there on movement but not on rest, and so who would respond well to a very light dose of Botox. Instead, in most cases, to smooth out lines around the mouth the most popular option is dermal fillers.
The injections are placed in the area where the smokers lines are, close to the red border (vermillion border) of the lip. The injections sometimes also cause a slight eversion of the border of the lip, i.e. the lip can look slightly fuller. The muscles are injected. It takes about 30 seconds.
How Many Units of Botox for Smokers Lines? Generally, around 8-20 units of Botox are used to address smoker lines. Around 1-3 units of Botox is used per injection spot, which totals to generally around 15 units.
Botox can be a great option to subtly treat “smoker lines” or “lipstick lines”. A small amount of Botox, usually 2-6 units is injected into the area above the upper lip to soften the muscle from making the pucker expression. With repeated treatment over time it can continue to soften out those lines.
Smoker lines can be treated by using precise administration of Botox®* injections into the fine dynamic facial muscles around the mouth. These anti-wrinkle injections can be used to prevent lines from developing/deepening, or to soften existing lines.
When will I see the effects? You should start to see/feel the effects of Botox and Azzalure around your lips after 3 to 5 days, but it typically takes up to 2 weeks before the full effect is achieved.
Skin Care for Smoker's Lines
The best results for lip lines will be with the use of retinol or one of its more powerful cousins like tretinoin (Retin-A). This puts the skin into overdrive and increases thickness and skin quality, and it plays well with the other modalities we discuss in this post.
Filler at 'smoker's lines' can last between 6-12 months. The longevity of results may vary depending on each individual's metabolism of the product and lifestyle factors. Gradually, results will begin to diminish, and at any point you are welcome to return for a 'top-up' treatment to restore your desired look.
Most cosmetic providers can administer around 4 to 6 units of Botox for reducing the appearance of smokers lines. Unlike the common treatment areas like forehead lines and crow's feet that typically need more Botox injections, the upper lip area requires only small amounts of the injectable to be effective.
The skin will generally go back to normal after you have finished smoking a cigarette. But the effects of smoking combined with repeated movements plus time can cause those lines to become permanent.
Dermal fillers offer the most effective non-surgical method for treating smokers' lines and it usually only requires a very small volume of the product injected into precise locations along the vermilion border (lip line) to correct the appearance of smokers' lines.
The great news is your lips will generally return to normal a few weeks after you stop smoking.
Botox temporarily relaxes the part of the muscle over the upper lip, causing the lip to roll slightly upward so it appears more voluminous and defined. This muscle relaxation can also help smooth vertical lines around the lips.
The cause of these lip lines is due to thinning of the skin around our mouths and losing the strength of the natural white roll of the lip border, where the lip transitions from the pink color of the lip to the normal facial skin.
Try filler: Getting wrinkles fillers is one of the quickest ways to get rid of lip lines. Certain fillers, such as collagen fillers and hyaluronic acid fillers, yield immediate results.
Filler is great for people who have experienced a loss in volume over time or for those simply born with thinner lips. Concerns such as vertical lines around the corners of the mouth or towards the inside of the lips are better treated initially by Botox as these are a “dynamic” issue caused by muscle movement.