What Causes Wrinkles Around The Mouth—And What Can You Do About Them?
November 21, 2024
As you get older, the habits you had (and thought nothing of) as a 20-something can start catching up with you. Your late bedtime now leaves you feeling groggy come sunrise, a night out with friends requires a two-day recovery period, and reminders of those sunny, carefree spring break vacations have returned in the form of wrinkles around your mouth and eyes. While getting older is a blessing—truly!—it can require making some tweaks to your previous routines, especially where skincare is concerned.
Though we can’t do much to help you with those wine hangovers, we can help you build a skincare routine for wrinkles around your mouth. Ahead, we’ll explain what causes lip wrinkles and offer advice on what you can do to help keep them at bay. Plus, we’ll share some of our favorite products for helping to keep your skin looking youthful.
What Causes Wrinkles Around the Mouth?
Wrinkles around the mouth—and everywhere else, for that matter—are a part of the natural aging process, though certain factors can speed along the process. The first (and arguably most well-known) is sun exposure. In fact, research shows that ultraviolet exposure can be responsible for up to 80% of facial skin aging, contributing to fine lines and wrinkles as well as other age-related concerns such as dullness and discoloration.
Repetitive facial expressions (like squinting or smiling, things that we do more or less unconsciously) can also contribute to wrinkles. When you’re young and your skin is highly elastic, these repeated motions don’t have much of an impact on your skin. But as your skin loses its elasticity, it becomes less able to bounce back from the movement, and eventually, creases and lines can develop. Your lifestyle, habits, and genetics play a role too. For example, those with dry skin may develop visible lines and wrinkles earlier than those with oilier skin types.
Does Drinking From a Straw Cause Wrinkles Around the Mouth
With the ever-growing popularity of “emotional support water bottles,” the question of whether or not straws cause mouth wrinkles has quickly become one many are asking. The answer: It’s possible (sorry). Wrinkles, as we mentioned, can develop as a result of repetitive movements, like puckering your lips to sip through a straw. And the more often you repeat these movements, the more likely you are to develop those telltale creases.
With that being said, it’s worth noting that your mouth is one of the most expressive parts of your face—it’s constantly moving to talk, smile, eat, and yes, hydrate. While sipping from a straw could theoretically contribute to wrinkles, there’s no research that shows how much of an effect it may have. Still, if you’re truly worried about getting mouth wrinkles from straws, there’s a pretty easy solution: switch to a good, old-fashioned cup.
How To Get Rid of Wrinkles Around Your Mouth
When skin concerns rear their heads, most of us instinctively go to: how do I get rid of this? But the truth is, you can’t get rid of wrinkles around your mouth—not permanently, anyway. What you can do is adapt your skincare routine to your skin’s changing needs.
Start by incorporating a vitamin C serum into your skincare routine if you don’t already use one. Our pick: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic With 15% L-Ascorbic Acid. This clinically-formulated serum helps enhance your skin’s protection against environmental stressors that can contribute to aging. It’s proven to reduce wrinkles by as much as 36% and leaves the skin firmer and more radiant with continued use.* The gentle daytime formula is suitable for all skin types and can be used daily after cleansing and toning—just apply 4-5 drops to clean, dry skin, and pat it in before applying your moisturizer and SPF.*
*12 week clinical study conducted on 55 female subjects ages 45-60 (USA, 2013). Percentages reported are average results.
You’ll also want to ensure your skin is getting adequate hydration, as dryness and dehydration can make fine lines and wrinkles appear more pronounced. During the day, we recommend reaching for Lancôme Rénergie H.P.N 300-Peptide Cream SPF 25. The lightweight cream contains over 300 different peptides and helps to address a range of age-related skin concerns, including fine lines and wrinkles. Plus, it contains broad-spectrum sunscreen to help protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. At night, reach for Lancôme Rénergie Lift Multi-Action Night Cream instead. Like the day cream, the silky moisturizer helps lift and firm to address visible lines and wrinkles. It also provides nourishing, 24-hour hydration for smoother-feeling skin come morning.
Finally, if you have deep wrinkles around your mouth, consider scheduling a consultation with your dermatologist. They can help determine the best treatment for the wrinkles around your mouth and work with you to create a plan that addresses your needs.
Can You Prevent Lip Lines and Mouth Wrinkles?
While you can’t prevent mouth wrinkles entirely, there are things that you can do to help delay when they appear. Ahead, we’re sharing some of our top tips for keeping wrinkles at bay.
Follow a consistent skincare routine
Your daily skincare routine plays an important role in maintaining your skin’s healthy appearance in the long term. While your routine should be tailored to your skin type and unique needs, there are a few basics we’d argue every routine should include—namely, a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Other products, like toners, serums, essences, and masks, can help target specific skin concerns, including fine lines or mouth wrinkles.
Wear sunscreen every day
The United States Food and Drug Administration suggests using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 (yes, even in the winter or on cloudy days). While there are tons of sunscreens on the market to choose from, we recommend picking one that offers skincare benefits, too, like La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Hydra Hydrating Face Sunscreen SPF 50 with Hyaluronic Acid. It provides instant and long-lasting hydration while helping to shield the skin from the sun’s damaging rays. Plus, it boasts a lightweight, barely-there texture that blends invisibly into all skin tones without leaving behind a white cast.
Just remember that sunscreen is only one tool in your sun protection toolkit. You should also wear protective clothing, avoid direct sunlight at midday, and seek shade whenever possible to help protect your skin from those harmful rays.
Stay hydrated
Believe it or not, there’s some evidence that shows how much water you drink can affect how hydrated your skin is. This is important because, as we explained earlier, wrinkles tend to appear more prominent when the skin is dry. Of course, we’re not saying that drinking water is going to outright prevent wrinkles, but it should still be part of any healthy-looking skin routine.
Limit repetitive facial movements
Finally, you may also want to consider limiting repetitive facial movements when you can. While the jury is still out on straws and mouth wrinkles—and how strong the relationship between the two is—it won’t hurt to skip the straw when possible. Just remember to stay hydrated.
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