(Tip: Type I collagen is considered the best for the skin and lips.)
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.
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.
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.
What causes thin lips? While some people may have naturally thin lips, they can also be a sign of ageing, sun exposure or a result from smoking. As you get older the collagen in your lips breaks down and the muscles tire, leaving your lips looking and feeling thinner. This can also lead to wrinkles around the lips.
The main ingredients which make Lip Treat your go-to plumping gloss are hyaluronic acid, peppermint, and jojoba oil. Hyaluronic acid is a great alternative to other irritation agents because it's a natural hydrating ingredient found in skin and tissue.
B vitamins
Chapped lips are a common symptom of deficiencies, especially in folate (vitamin B9), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamins B6 and B12 ( 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ).
Hyaluronic acid, or HA, naturally occurs in the body and not only attracts moisture (and volume) to the lips but also stimulates the lips' own ability to produce more collagen. This means you get immediate, natural-looking results and you also see a gradual improvement in your lip area as collagen increases.
Along with your under eyes, your lips are the most delicate skin on your face and any retinol that comes into contact with them is likely to cause dryness as well as itching and redness, as Doctor Sam Bunting explains.
“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.
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.
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.
Collagen levels decrease with age and, unfortunately, there's no way to prevent this. The good news is that there are several cosmetic treatments that can rebuild or restore collagen.
Collagen lip injection is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure that can add significant volume to the lips, creating a "pout" effect that can last for months. Collagen is derived from cow connective tissue and, in addition to plumping up lips, can be used to fill out acne scars and wrinkles.
You can help your body make more collagen by eating healthy foods. To make it, your body puts together amino acids called glycine and proline. You find these acids in high-protein foods such as chicken, fish, beef, eggs, dairy, and beans. Other nutrients, like vitamin C, zinc, and copper, also play a part.
An effective way to restore volume to your lips and smooth the lines around the mouth (including smile and marionette lines), dermal fillers smooth wrinkles, soften creases, and improve facial contours by acting like your body's own naturally occurring hyaluronic acid.
Severely chapped lips may take longer to heal, but the average time is two to three weeks to recover completely. If you treat chapped lips as soon as you notice a problem, your lips will heal much faster and you can avoid potential complications like infection.
Avoid lip balms that contain menthol, camphor, phenol or any sort of alcohol. These ingredients may provide an immediate cooling sensation but can irritate the skin. In some cases they even remove the outer layers of skin leaving your lips unprotected and susceptible to environmental hazards.