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.
Using a retinol or retinoid cream can help, too. "Retinol slowly thickens the deeper layers of the skin, while thinning out the superficial layers," says Levine. "This softens fine marionette lines, making the skin look more youthful."
You can apply retinol around the mouth but just be careful you don't apply too much because you can irritate and dry out that area. To treat your whole face you only need a pea sized amount of retinol. I would suggest using a moisturizer on top to combat any side effects like dryness/redness/irritation.
While wrinkles from smoking cannot be reversed, non-surgical treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, microneedling, and platelet-rich plasma therapy can help reduce their appearance.
Chemical Peels
A chemical peel is essentially a strong form of exfoliation that actually removes the top layer of the dermis, revealing a fresh, smooth layer underneath. It's not only useful for all facial lines and wrinkles, but it can clear scars, dark spots, and acne as well.
Retinoids cause dryness when they come into contact with our lips and can even trigger itching, redness and frank dermatitis, so a clear plan of preventative action is needed!
Board certified dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, MD, notes that “people with sensitive skin conditions like rosacea cannot tolerate really strong topicals like retinols.” Also avoid retinol if you're going to be spending a lot of time in direct sunlight without proper sun protection.
Microdermabrasion and dermabrasion
Both may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth. Microdermabrasion is minimally invasive and focuses on removing the top layer of dead skin cells. Dermabrasion is a more aggressive technique used to reach deeper layers of skin.
Retinoids: Applying this chemical form of vitamin C to your skin can promote collagen production and reduce smile lines over time.
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.
Side effects of using retinol may include:
Itching. Dry skin. Flaking and peeling of the skin. Increased sensitivity to the sun.
Is it safe to use retinol every day? For most people, yes — once your skin is used to it, that is. That said, there are some people who may not want to use it frequently or at all.
“If you're overusing your retinol, or if you're using a retinol that's too strong for you, it can lead to peeling, irritation, and excessive dryness, which may have led to retinol's association with skin thinning,” she says.
Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
Absolutely, retinol is without a doubt the most effective ingredient to use when wanting to target loss of firmness in the skin, including signs of sagging on the neck. Retinol can penetrate the lower layers on the skin and provides an increase in the production of collagen.
Volbella or Restylane Refyne are FDA approved hyaluronic acid fillers designed to treat the fine lines around the lips and other areas of the face. Because of the formulation, tiny lines can be completely smoothed out with no sign of any filler under the skin.
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.
Microneedling with PRP for Lip Lines
Microneedling uses the insertion of very fine short needles to create microscopic punctures in the skin. As the skin repairs itself, it becomes plump again, filling in the “smokers lines.” And, when combined with PRP, the results can be astounding!