Don’t you just hate that dry skin & wrinkles around the mouth?
Why does that happen anyway?
As we age, our skin naturally changes. For many of us, those changes show up most noticeably around the mouth.
Wrinkles, dryness, and sagging can make this delicate area look older faster than we’d like. This is a common struggle, and while you can’t turn back the clock, you can make some changes in your daily routine to slow down the change and help this area look and feel its best.
Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth: Why It Happens
The skin around the mouth is naturally thinner and more prone to dryness and wrinkles than the skin on other areas of the face, like the cheeks. As we age, several factors cause this area to deteriorate.
Loss of Collagen and Elastin
Collagen and elastin fibers provide structure and firmness to the skin. As we age, our bodies produce less of these important proteins, which leads to thinner skin and a loss of firmness.
Decreased Oil Production Leads to Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth
Over time, the skin’s natural oil production also decreases. This is why your skin may feel drier overall, but the skin around your mouth is likely to show that dryness more. Less oil means flatter, less plump skin too, particularly around the mouth where oil glands are already sparse.
Repetitive Movements
Every smile, laugh, and sip from a straw adds up over the years, creating “dynamic” wrinkles around the mouth. These lines deepen as skin loses its elasticity.
Exposure to the Environment
UV rays, pollution, and even wind can damage the skin’s natural barrier, contributing to dehydration and the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
Genetics Can Lead to Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth
Your genes can play a part in how quickly wrinkles and sagging show up around your mouth. Facial structure and skin type, inherited from your parents and grandparents, can influence how soon this area starts to look older.
Dermatitis
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) and allergic contact dermatitis can also cause dry skin around your mouth. Eczema is a genetic condition that makes it harder for your skin to protect itself against irritants. You may see dry skin, small raised bumps, and cracks around the mouth.
Allergic contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction that causes a red, itchy rash wherever your skin has come into contact with something you’re allergic to. The most likely culprit around the mouth would be a lip product (lipstick, gloss, or balm), a facial product, cream, or cleanser.
Lifestyle Habits
Smoking, consuming too much alcohol, and poor sleep habits can also contribute to dehydration and wrinkles around the mouth.
Improper Skincare
Over-scrubbing or using harsh products can damage the skin around the mouth, accelerating the look of aging.
Gender
Women often develop deeper wrinkles around the mouth as they age than men, probably because of the difference in the number of hair follicles and sebaceous glands (pores) around the mouth.
Women usually have fewer sebaceous glands, so they have less oil around the mouth to moisturize the skin. They have fewer blood vessels there too, so less blood is delivered to the area. The muscles are also closer to the skin in women than in men, which can pull the skin tighter, showing wrinkles sooner. Hormonal changes in menopause play a part as well.
7 Solutions to Prevent and Treat Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth
If you smoke, do your best to stop. More than anything, smoking significantly speeds up aging, particularly around the mouth, where the effects of nicotine constrict blood vessels.
1. Hydrate Inside and Out
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day keeps your skin cells hydrated from the inside. Top it off with a good moisturizer that provides lasting hydration to the skin around the mouth. Our Calming Moisture is a great choice, as it includes protective antioxidants, natural oils, aloe vera, and other nourishing ingredients that sink into the skin, helping to rejuvenate the skin while locking in moisture.
2. Exfoliate Gently to Diminish Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth
Regular exfoliation removes dead skin cells, allowing your moisturizer and anti-aging creams to penetrate more effectively. Be careful with the delicate skin around the mouth, though. Harsh scrubs can do more harm than good. Look for gentle exfoliants that include lactic acid, glycolic acid, or mandelic acid, or that use enzyme-based exfoliants that help slough off dead cells without causing irritation.
3. Apply a Nourishing Lip Treatment
While it’s common to use lip balm, if you choose a treatment with hydrating ingredients like shea butter and castor oil, it will deeply moisturize and protect both your lips and the surrounding skin. Our Restorative Lip Balm contains both these ingredients and many more to safeguard the moisture barrier and aid in healing and regenerating the skin.
4. Use a Targeted Skin Care Product to Diminish Dry Skin & Wrinkles Around the Mouth
An anti-aging serum with retinol, peptides, or vitamin C can help stimulate collagen production and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Retinol, in particular, helps speed up cell turnover, which can soften the look of wrinkles over time.
All CV Skinlabs formulas are enriched with biocompatible antioxidants, nutrients, and concentrated actives that help stimulate cellular regeneration, boost collagen, and accelerate healing of damaged skin. With regular use, Calming Moisture and Restorative Skin Balm can help improve skin texture and tone, fortify the skin barrier, and smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Protect
UV rays break down collagen and elastin, accelerating the development of wrinkles and dryness. Use a broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher daily, even in winter, to protect the skin around your mouth. Take precautions in windy weather as well. Use scarves to cover the lower part of your face.
6. Slather On Night Cream
Quality night creams can help deeply hydrate the skin around the mouth, helping it to appear plumper in the morning while creating a stronger skin barrier. Choose a night cream with deep-penetrating ingredients. Our Calming Moisture is a good option—apply it more thickly than usual before you go to bed and wake up to more hydrated skin.
7. Other Treatments
There are many treatments you can try to smooth out lines and sagging around the mouth. These include the following:
Microneedling: This is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that uses tiny needles to puncture the skin, creating micro-injuries that stimulate the skin to repair itself. This can increase collagen and elastin production, making the skin look and feel younger. You can have this professionally done, but there are also some over-the-counter products available that can provide mild microneedling.
Chemical Peels: These are minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that use a chemical solution to cause controlled damage to the top layers of the skin. The skin then regenerates itself, resulting in smoother, brighter skin with fewer wrinkles. There are also some mild chemical peels available over the counter.
Be careful with these and other cosmetic treatments, particularly if you have sensitive skin. When getting a professional treatment, tell your esthetician about your sensitivities. If using over-the-counter products, always look for those made for sensitive skin, and patch test before use.
If you opt for a cosmetic procedure, be sure to have a tube of our Restorative Skin Balm on hand. It is the non-toxic, dermatologist-recommended choice post cosmetic treatment to help restore a healthy and radiant skin.
Do you struggle with dry skin & wrinkles around the mouth?