You look in the mirror one morning and notice them. Tiny, vertical tracks that make your lipstick bleed. Most people call them "smoker's lines," which is honestly a bit insulting if you've never touched a cigarette in your life. But whether they come from straw-sipping, sun damage, or just the relentless march of biology, knowing how to get rid of wrinkles around lips starts with realizing that the skin there is weirdly thin. Like, eyelid-thin.
It’s frustrating.
We spend a fortune on serums for our forehead and crows-feet, but the perioral area—that’s the medical term for the space around your mouth—often gets ignored until the lines are deep enough to hold a grudge. The truth is that getting rid of them isn't about one "miracle" cream. It’s a multi-front war involving collagen, moisture, and how you move your face.
Why your mouth is aging faster than the rest of you
Basically, the skin around your lips has fewer oil glands than the rest of your face. It dries out faster. Think of it like a piece of high-quality leather; if you don't condition it and you keep folding it in the same spot, a permanent crease forms. Every time you talk, eat, or pucker up, you’re folding that leather.
Then there’s the bone loss. As we get older, our jawbone and the maxilla (your upper jaw) actually shrink. It’s subtle, but it means the skin has less "structure" to hang onto. It starts to collapse in on itself, creating those puckered lines. Dr. Shereene Idriss, a well-known dermatologist, often talks about how "volume loss" is the real culprit behind why these lines look so prominent. It’s not just the surface; it’s the foundation.
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The sun is your mouth's worst enemy
Seriously. If you aren't putting SPF on your lip line, you're inviting those wrinkles to stay. UV rays break down the elastin fibers that keep your skin snappy. Once those fibers snap, the skin stays in whatever position it was last in. Usually, that’s a wrinkle.
Top ways to get rid of wrinkles around lips without surgery
If you're looking for topical solutions, stop buying "lip blurring" primers that just fill the cracks with silicone for an hour. That's a Band-Aid. You want long-term change.
Retinoids are the gold standard. You’ve heard it a million times, but for a reason. Tretinoin or a high-quality over-the-counter retinol speeds up cell turnover. It forces your skin to produce more collagen. However, be careful. The skin around the lips is sensitive. If you slather on a high-strength retinoid, you’ll end up with "retinol burn," which looks like red, flaky scales. Not cute. Start by "sandwiching" it between layers of moisturizer.
Peptides and Growth Factors
These are the newer kids on the block. Brands like SkinMedica or Neocutis use growth factors that signal your skin to act younger. They don't irritate as much as retinol, making them great for the delicate mouth area. They're pricey, though. You have to decide if that $150 bottle is worth the 10% improvement.
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The Magic of Hyaluronic Acid
It doesn't "fix" wrinkles forever, but it plumps them up instantly. It’s a humectant. It pulls water from the air into your skin. If you apply a HA serum to damp skin and lock it in with an occlusive balm (think Vaseline or Aquaphor), those fine lines will look significantly softer by lunch.
Professional treatments that actually move the needle
Sometimes, creams just don't cut it. If the lines are deep, you might need to bring in the big guns.
Microneedling with Radiofrequency (RF)
Devices like Morpheus8 or Vivace have become huge in the last few years. They use tiny needles to create "micro-injuries" while pumping heat into the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers a massive healing response. Your body rushes to fix the "damage" by creating fresh, tight collagen. It hurts a bit. You’ll look like you have a mild sunburn for a few days, but the results for perioral lines are often better than any cream.
Laser Resurfacing
The CO2 laser is the "beast" of the skincare world. It essentially vaporizes the top layer of skin so a new, smoother layer can grow back. It’s not for the faint of heart. You’ll have a week or two of "downtime" where you look like a character from a horror movie. But for deep smokers' lines? It’s arguably the most effective thing out there.
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The "Lip Flip" vs. Fillers
This is where people get confused.
- A Lip Flip uses a tiny bit of Botox (neurotoxin) injected into the muscle above your upper lip. It relaxes the muscle so your lip rolls outward. It doesn't "fill" the lines, but it stops you from puckering so hard, which prevents the lines from getting deeper.
- Dermal Fillers (like Restylane Silk or Juvederm Volbella) are thin gels injected directly into the lines. A skilled injector can "trace" the wrinkles to pop them back out. If done poorly, you get "duck lips." If done well, you just look refreshed.
Habits that are making your lip wrinkles worse
You can spend $5,000 on lasers, but if you keep doing the things that caused the lines, they’ll come back.
- Straws. I know, we want to protect our teeth from coffee stains. But the repetitive puckering motion is a disaster for lip skin. Use a wide-mouth cup.
- Vaping and Smoking. It’s not just the chemicals; it’s the physical act of pursing your lips around the device. Plus, nicotine constricts blood flow, meaning your skin doesn't get the oxygen it needs to repair itself.
- Dehydration. If your body is dry, your skin is the first place it shows. Drink your water. It’s boring advice, but it’s free.
The "Slug" Method for Lips
If you want a cheap, overnight hack, try this. At night, apply your most hydrating face serum to your lip area. While it’s still tacky, apply a thick layer of a peptide-rich lip treatment. Then—and this is the key—seal the whole area with a thin layer of CeraVe Healing Ointment. This creates a seal that prevents water from escaping while you sleep. You’ll wake up with a significantly smoother lip line. It’s temporary, but it works for photos or events.
What to do next
Start by checking your current routine. Are you actually using a sunscreen that covers your lip line? If not, buy one today. Look for a mineral-based stick; they tend to stay put better than lotions and won't taste like chemicals if they migrate onto your lips.
Next, consider a low-strength retinol. Don't jump into the deep end. Use it twice a week and see how your skin reacts. If you have the budget, book a consultation for microneedling. It’s a middle-ground treatment that offers real results without the terrifying recovery time of a full ablative laser.
The goal isn't necessarily to have the frozen, plastic look of a mannequin. It’s about softening the "static" lines—the ones that stay there even when your face is at rest. Be patient. Collagen takes about 90 days to remodel, so whatever you start today, give it three months before you decide it’s not working. Consistency is usually the difference between someone who "tried everything" and someone who actually saw results.