There are many factors that can influence the size and shape of the lips:
Ageing – as we age, collagen and elastin, proteins that control firmness and elasticity of the skin and support soft tissue, break down. The muscles around the mouth also become thinner and lose definition.
UV exposure – the sun’s rays and rays from tanning beds both encourage the breakdown of collagen,
Dehydration – when lips don’t have moisture, they dry out and shrink. As they are always exposed, they are prone to suffering damage.
Pursing or puckering – repetitive facial movements can cause wrinkles, making the mouth appear smaller, speeding up the natural ageing process where the lip curls in on itself.
Smoking – smoking affects the lips in two ways; firstly through the toxins in smoke, which encourage the breakdown of collagen. Secondly, the act of pursing lips in the process of smoking causes wrinkles, making the mouth appear smaller.
“If you can tell someone has had their lips done, then they haven’t been done properly.”
treatment for thin lips
Treatments for the lips involve injections of dermal fillers made from hyaluronic acid. The choice of filler will depend on the desired outcome, be it increased volume, better definition, soft hydration or softening of the ‘barcode lines’ around the lip.
vertical lip lines
Often called smokers’ lines or barcode lines. Everyone develops these lines sooner or later whether they smoke or not, and they are a source of self-consciousness for many. Women often complain that their lipstick bleeds into them.
They are caused by ageing of the skin with loss of collagen and elastin, by the constant repetitive movements of the mouth with speech and eating, and by the loss of support in this area due to ageing changes in the underlying bony skeleton. Smokers develop them earlier than non-smokers because smoking is so toxic to the skin that the collagen and elastin break down prematurely.
Treatment for Vertical Lip Lines
Deeply etched barcode lines have hitherto been difficult to treat satisfactorily but there are some new injectable hyaluronic acid filler products that Dr Fitzgerald has introduced into her portfolio which are producing super results.
Enquire & book
Book now
Book your free, no-obligation consultation.
related treatments
Why choose Dr Fitzgerald?
Years of specialised training
Dr Fitzgerald has over a decade of intensive, specialised training and experience in these kinds of treatments. They require advanced skill. Poor treatment can result in an unnatural look. Conversely, years of specialised training yields superior results. So you can be assured of tasteful, subtle, and significant results.
35 years’ experience as a medical doctor
Perhaps surprisingly, you do not require a medical license to practise these sophisticated procedures. However, due to the advance skill required to ensure both the safety and quality of treatment, many patients prefer to choose a qualified physician. Dr Fitzgerald’s medical career began in cardiothoracic surgery. Since then, she has spent 35 years+ in Medicine, so you know you’re in safe, skilled hands.
Ethics & Quality
After years in Medicine, Dr Fitzgerald has a highly ethical approach to treating her clients. We’ve all seen unfortunate examples of aesthetic treatments that have been overdone. Dr Fitzgerald takes responsibility for ensuring her patients do not ‘go too far’. In some extreme cases, she has referred clients to counsellors, rather than take their money and ‘over-treat’ them.
