Whereas the rest of the face may not show signs of getting older until patients reach their late 20s to 30s, lips can begin to lose important volume starting in the late teens. As the process continues and the mouth loses collagen, the lips can begin to flatten out and appear much thinner in just a few short years.
Understanding Aging Makes Beauty Timeless
Figure 1: In guys, the maximum upper lip thickness is reached around age 16, whereas it maximizes at 14 in girls; however, it begins to thin in both sexes after age 16.
As we age, our bodies produce less collagen and elastin, which are necessary for skin to look full and plump. The lips are no exception. Without collagen production, the lips can lose their fullness and become very thin.
“Staying hydrated and promoting the production of collagen by drinking [plenty of] of water, getting eight hours of sleep, taking a probiotic, taking a multivitamin, and using an SPF in your lip products when outside will help [keep your lips looking full],” Patel says.
As we age, the decreased production of new collagen and elastin molecules make lips appear thinner. They lose the vital subdermal structure needed to remain full and plump. Lack of moisture is another cause for premature thinning of lips. The skin on the lips is different from other areas of the body.
Fortunately for your thinning lips, there are dermal fillers available that can pump them back up. The two primary products we offer, Juvéderm® and Restylane®, both use hyaluronic acid as the active ingredient.
As you age, your body's production of collagen starts to slow down, which leads to sagging and reduction of volume in areas of your face, like your cheeks and your lips. Hyaluronic acid production also slows down.
As we age, the supporting collagen, fat pads, and muscles in and around the lip area steadily diminish, resulting in thinner lips that are more visibly lined (2). Simultaneously, the redistribution of soft tissue can result in a flatter lip look (3).
Does weight loss change lip shape? Yes, As you lose bone tissue in your face and your facial muscles begin to atrophy, your lips will appear thinner, too.
In the subjective assessments, a lip proportion of 1 to 1.6 (upper lip to lower lip) was rated as most attractive: average score of 4.21 out of a possible 5. The 1:1.6 proportion is widely accepted as the "golden ratio" for beautiful lips.
What's in a pout? Well, quite a lot, as it turns out that full and sumptuous lips are the most preferable lip shape of them all — but according to a global study, there's one key trait that distinguishes the perfect pouts from their equally plump, yet sub-par, counterparts.
If we follow the Phi Ratio of Beauty, otherwise known as the “Golden Ratio” of 1.618, the perfect lips would be 1.618 times larger than the top lip and 1.618 times wider than the width of the nose. If you're determined to accentuate your lips, you may find it helpful to keep these proportions in mind.
Collagen is the Key to Plump, Youthful-Looking Lips
Luckily, collagen can help reverse this deterioration, providing fuller, more youthful lips. Collagen is a protein that the body naturally produces to cushion the joints and give the skin structure, shape, and elasticity.
Whistle: Start whistling! When you whistle, your lip muscles become active, this supports to make them look plumped. Pucker up your lips: Pucker up your lips as if you are kissing and hold this position for a couple of seconds, repeat this at least 10 times a day.
Gently exfoliate with a scrub designed for the lips, applied with a toothbrush. Brush in small, circular motions to help get the blood flowing in your lips, which will give them more natural volume and a healthy, rosy colour. Not only will your lips look naturally fuller, but you'll remove all the dead skin cells.
Some people also perform facial exercises to help thin out the fat stores in their lips and faces to create a thinner-lipped appearance. However, the results from these home remedies are normally marginal at best. Further, in the case of makeup, nothing is done to permanently correct the true appearance of the lips.
Apply a non-irritating lip balm (or lip moisturizer) several times a day and before bed. If your lips are very dry and cracked, try a thick ointment, such as white petroleum jelly. Ointment seals in water longer than waxes or oils. Slather on a non-irritating lip balm with SPF 30 or higher before going outdoors.
Plus your lips don't have any oil glands to keep them moisturized or protected from the elements, like the rest of your skin does,” says Clinique Colour Pro and London-based celebrity makeup artist Florrie White. “Also, when your lips are dehydrated, they look deflated and smaller.
The lower lip is generally bigger than the upper lip and there are no exercises to reduce the size of the lips.
The change in size of your lips is most likely associated with your weight gain. If the fat was transferred from your abdomen your lips can enlarge as your abdomen enlarges with weight gain. Other factors can be the use of hormone replacement therapy or oral birth control which may lead to weight gain.