As a normal part of aging, the upper lip thins, flattens, and can appear to fold over the teeth, leading to the appearance that the upper lip is kind of disappearing! Lips get their shape in part from collagen, and as we age, we produce less of this collagen, and the lips start to lose their plumpness.
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.
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.
“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.
“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.
A lack of collagen is one of the leading causes of lip thinning. Collagen is a substance that is naturally produced by your body. It is responsible for the elasticity of your skin throughout your body. Think of collagen as scaffolding that acts as a support system for your skin, including your lips.
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.
You may have noticed that you have a thin upper lip, meaning the height of your upper lip border (the vermilion line) is reduced. As your body's natural production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin decrease with age, this decline leads to the loss of plumpness and causes a thin upper lip.
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).
Your lips lose pigment as you age, for the same reasons they may become thinner—with a loss of collagen and moisture, they appear less vibrant. It's a natural part of aging, but there are some ways to make sure you're not accelerating the process.
Collagen is the Key to Plump, Youthful-Looking Lips
The more collagen you have, the fuller, stronger, and less wrinkly your skin will be—including your lips. There's no way to prevent your lips from thinning over time—that is, unless you want to completely avoid talking, drinking, or expressing yourself in any way.
Many healthcare professionals now use injectable fillers to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and provide a fuller looking lip. A solution containing hyaluronic acid, such as Restylane, Juvederm, and a new product Volbella designed specifically for lip lines, is injected directly into the lips and the surrounding area.
BOTOX® and Dysport® injections are frequently recommended for rejuvenating and softening the lips and surrounding area. Both products have been proven to be safe, effective, and long-lasting.
In a bowl add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder and a tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and massage this on your lips for about 5-10 minutes, this will increase blood flow to the lips and make them appear fuller. It will also remove flaky skin and hydrate your lips to make them soft and smooth.
Swipe on a plumping gloss to make thin lips look fuller for a day. If you want to make your lips look fuller without the wait, try using a lip plumper that stimulates blood flow to your lips to temporarily increase their fullness. (These are the ones that tingle a bit.)
In an Italian lip lift, two shorter incisions centered directly under each nostril at the base of the nose are created, excess skin is removed, and the skin is sutured within the nostrils. This procedure reduces the space between the upper lip and the nose, and increases the curve of the cupid's bow.
Regular lip exercise can help stimulate collagen production, which will give your luscious, plumped lips. There are a couple of exercises that you can try to get the perfect pout: Whistle: Start whistling! When you whistle, your lip muscles become active, this supports to make them look plumped.