Have you ever kissed someone and tasted the sickly sweet smell of nicotine? What about getting up too close to someone and noticing a deep, heavy yellow stain on their lips or teeth? There’s no doubt about it– this person smokes.
While it’s easy to pass judgement, there might also be ways to help them quit. Whether your goal is to save their lives from the long-term risks of smoking, or just prevent their lips from looking like an ashtray, consider what you could do about smoker’s lips.
Smoker’s lips are caused by inflammation in the blood vessels located just under the skin surface. To combat smoker’s lips, you need to tackle them from the inside out with natural treatments that take time and effort. In this article I will explain how smokers can reduce inflammation in their blood vessels and make their mouths more attractive.
What Are Signs of Smoker’s Lips?
When people talk about smoker’s lips, they are usually talking about changes that occur around the mouth after years of smoking. Smoker’s lips are characterized by two symptoms. The first is the development of tiny, vertical fine lines surrounding the lips. These lines are sometimes called lipstick lines.
Smoker’s lines or lipstick lines make it difficult to wear lipstick neatly. The color you put on your lips is likely to bleed into the fine wrinkles, creating a messy appearance. Even people who don’t wear lipstick might find that they feel self-conscious about the tiny wrinkles.
Another sign of smoker’s lips is a change in the color of your lips. Smoking can cause the soft tissue in and around your mouth to darken, including the gums and lips. The soft tissues might become black or brown or a person might develop dark or purplish splotches in the area. Understandably, most people feel very embarrassed when their gums and lips begin to change color.
What Causes Smoker’s Lips?
So what’s responsible for the changes that lead to smoker’s lips?
Smoking causes fine lines to form due to repetitive motions, such as putting the cigarette between your lips and then sucking on it for a puff, which causes the skin around your lips to wrinkle. The skin will generally go back to normal after you have finished smoking a cigarette.
But the effects of smoking combined with repeated movements plus time can cause those lines to become permanent. Smoking itself speeds up the wrinkle formation process as it cuts off blood flow to the skin and keeps the skin cells from getting the oxygen they need to thrive. Smoking also causes damage to the two key proteins in skin, elastin and collagen, which provide much-needed elasticity and firmness.
Although the vertical lines around the mouth are associated with smoker’s lips, it’s important to understand that they don’t only affect smokers. How you move your mouth can play a big role in the formation of the fine lines. If you are a very pronounced chewer or if you find yourself puckering up frequently, you might notice that you develop smoker’s lines or lipstick lines, even if you’ve never smoked.
Nicotine found in tobacco cigarettes is likely to be responsible for dark spots or hyperpigmentation on the lips. Additionally, the decreased circulation caused by smoking may also contribute to an increase in melanin production. Altogether, these compounds are likely behind any changes in lip color.
How to get rid of smokers lips?
Smoker’s lips is a condition that arises when smoking causes the lips to become discolored and dry-looking. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the appearance and damage of smokers lips.
1. Avoid Smoking & Reduce Consumption
Smoking is one of the leading causes of oral cancers, and reducing or eliminating smoking can help reduce the risk factors associated with this deadly disease. Smoking also affects the natural color of your lips, as it reduces blood flow to the area and exposes them to chemicals in cigarettes. Quitting smoking altogether is the best way to reduce the damage caused by smokers lips, but if you are unable or unwilling to quit completely, reducing your consumption can still have a positive effect on your health.
When it comes to reducing consumption, there are several options available. One option is to switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes or vaping devices. These devices contain fewer chemicals than traditional cigarettes and may be less damaging to your lips and overall health. Additionally, many people find that using these devices helps them reduce their nicotine intake over time and eventually quit smoking altogether.
Another option is to switch from regular cigarettes to filtered cigarettes. Filtered cigarettes contain filters that trap some of the harmful chemicals found in regular cigarettes before they reach your lungs and mouth. This can help reduce exposure to those chemicals and lessen their effects on your lips.
Finally, you can try using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products such as patches or gum
2. Stay Hydrated & Moisturize
Staying hydrated and moisturizing your lips is an important part of reducing the appearance of smoker’s lips. Drinking plenty of water helps to keep your skin hydrated, which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth. Additionally, using a lip balm or moisturizer can help to keep your lips soft and supple. Lip balms that contain natural ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and vitamin E are especially beneficial for keeping your lips healthy.
Lip fillers can also be used to reduce the appearance of smoker’s lips. Lip fillers are injected into the area around the mouth in order to plump up the skin and reduce wrinkles. This procedure is relatively quick and painless, with results lasting up to six months or more depending on the type of filler used. However, it is important to note that lip fillers should only be administered by a qualified medical professional in order to ensure safety and optimal results.
Finally, exfoliating dead skin cells from your lips can help reduce the appearance of smoker’s lips. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the surface of your lips, allowing new cells to form underneath
3. Use Exfoliation & Natural Oils
Exfoliation is an important part of any skin care routine, and it can be especially beneficial for those with smoker’s lips. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface of your lips, allowing new cells to form underneath. This can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth. Additionally, exfoliation can help increase the amount of oxygen and collagen production in the skin, which can help keep your lips looking healthy and youthful.
When it comes to exfoliating your lips, there are several options available. For those with sensitive skin types, using a gentle scrub made from natural ingredients such as sugar or oatmeal is recommended. These ingredients are gentle enough to use on delicate lip tissue without causing irritation or damage. For those with normal or oily skin types, using a chemical exfoliant such as lactic acid or glycolic acid may be more effective at removing dead skin cells and increasing oxygen and collagen production in the area.
In addition to exfoliating your lips, using natural oils can also help reduce the appearance of smoker’s lips. Natural oils such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and olive oil are all beneficial for keeping your lips hydrated and soft. These oils can also help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth.
4. Go Makeup-Free & Wear Sunscreen
Going makeup-free and wearing sunscreen are two important steps to reducing the appearance of smoker’s lips. Sun exposure can cause lip wrinkles and dark spots to form, making your lips look aged and dry. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher can help protect your lips from sun damage. Additionally, going makeup-free can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines around the mouth. Makeup can clog pores, leading to breakouts and irritation, so it is best to avoid wearing it on your lips if possible. Taking these simple steps can help keep your lips looking healthy and youthful for years to come.
5. Seek Professional Treatment Options
If you are looking for a more permanent solution to reduce the appearance of smoker’s lips, seeking professional treatment options may be the best option. Dermal fillers and laser treatments can help reduce the appearance of vertical wrinkles around the mouth, while also plumping up the skin and reducing wrinkles. Dermal fillers are injected into the area around the mouth in order to plump up the skin and reduce wrinkles. Laser treatments can help to stimulate collagen production in the area, which can help keep your lips looking healthy and youthful. Additionally, these treatments can help reduce discoloration caused by smoking. It is important to note that these treatments should only be administered by a qualified medical professional in order to ensure safety and optimal results.
6. Incorporate Healthy Habits Into Your Life
Incorporating healthy habits into your life is one of the best ways to reduce the appearance of smoker’s lips. Eating a balanced diet rich in antioxidants can help keep your skin hydrated and nourished, while also providing it with essential vitamins and minerals. Additionally, drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help keep your skin hydrated and prevent dryness. Applying lip masks regularly can also help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth and provide your lips with essential moisture. Finally, avoiding smoking or any other type of tobacco use is essential for reducing the cosmetic concern associated with smoker’s lips. Taking these simple steps can help you maintain healthy, youthful looking lips for years to come.
