Silk Touch Cosmetic Surgery & Medical Spa - Blog

Sometimes the smallest problems can contribute a great deal to an aging look.

Lip lines, also called smokers’ lines, are those little vertical fissures above your upper lip. Most women get them as the years pass, whether they smoke or not. The process is the same as it is for all facial aging: the skin loses tone and elasticity on the surface while the volume under the skin diminishes. The result is a wrinkled, sunken look.

What causes lip lines?

1. Sun Exposure

Are you surprised with this one? It seems those UV rays always take the blame for aging. Even on the coldest day, we still get UV exposure. The only way to help with the aging affects of sun exposure? You guessed it - stay out of the sun and lather up on sunscreen every single day!

2. Smoking

In addition to all the other scary health issues that come with smoking - the repeated motion of puckering up causes the tiny grooves in the skin above your lips to form more quickly, and to become more pronounced.

3. Straws

Though this has not been scientifically proven - many medical sources say that the frequent use of straws can cause lip lines to form sooner. The same is said about kissing - but you may want to weigh the benefits on that one. :-)

4. Aging

The one thing none of us can do anything about? Aging. Sort of. There are plenty of lifestyle changes that can help prevent of slow down the appearance of lines around the upper lip. Moisturize, drink plenty of water, use a Retinol, get enough sleep and eat a healthy diet.

How to Treat Lip Lines

If your genetic code or past-sun exposure or smoking has resulted in lines to your upper-lip, there are many steps you can take to minimize and even completely erase their appearance.

Our Top 3 Treatments for Lip Lines

1. Injectable Wrinkle Fillers 

2. Laser Skin Resurfacing

3. Chemical Peels 

Getting Rid of Melasma

Patient Background:

This client was terribly sunburned as a young girl and developed melasma. Unfortunately the photos were taken with different cameras and the lighting and coloring are quite different, but you can see in the 2nd photo her melasma has faded almost entirely.  She has no makeup on except for a little lip gloss.  

The melasma patient had done many procedures including Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels, and IPL treatments with no success. 

Treatment:

We thought we were never going to find the right treatment to help this patient – until we found the formulation for our skin lightening peel. We called her up and said, “We think we finally found something to help you, let us do this for you free of charge!”   She had a few days of down time and had to use an at-home skin care system for a few weeks, but just a month later, Shazaam! Look at her now!!!!! Aren't her results amazing??? 

Silk Touch Rx Skin Lightening System is a superficial chemical peel designed to improve the texture and appearance of hyper-pigmented skin. This facial peel is designed to eliminate sun damaged skin and melasma. This peel involves a medicated masque and an at-home skin care regimen. Downtime is a little greater (up to 7 days) but the results are amazing!!!

There is no pain and little-to-no irritation during the application of the opaque creme masque, and typically, the irritation level on the following days is more like a sunburn.

There are numerous ways of removing skin imperfections like wrinkles, pigment changes, fine scarring, acne, and sun damage. Microdermabrasion and chemical peels can both help treat your skin concerns. But how do you know which is right for you? When should you get a microdermabrasion verses a chemical peel?

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion treatments start with a deep cleansing and gentle extractions.  This treatment uses micro-crystals to painlessly remove the surface layer of skin to leave it softer, smoother and fresher. Six to eight sessions are usually suggested for optimal results. There is minimal redness of the skin after each treatment which usually subsides within about 30 to 60 minutes so there is little down time associated with this procedure.

Microdermabrasion is great for improving:

• Clogged and large pores

• Rough skin texture

• Production and growth

• Collagen

• Uneven skin color

• Sun and age spots

• Dull or dry patches

• Acne

• Fine line and wrinkles

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels involve the application of an exfoliating solution to the skin in order to remove damaged outer layers and expose the soft, new and radiant underlying skin. At Silk Touch we offer several types of chemicals peels, all suited for various skin types and conditions. Read about them here. The downtime for a chemical peel is a little longer than for a micro but it is still minimal.

Chemical peels are great for improving:

• Fine lines

• Acne

• Skin Discoloration

• Increases moisture retention

Both treatments sound great, but which treatment is right for me?

Microdermabrasion and the lightest glycolic peels both make very subtle changes to the appearance of the skin. As part of a regimen of regular skin care, either will probably contribute to a fresh and rested appearance.  However, peels using stronger concentrations of glycolic acid, or using one of the many other chemical peeling agents, will almost certainly make a more substantial difference in the look of skin than microdermabrasion does.

Every person considering facial resurfacing will have to balance the competing factors for themselves. Only an individual can know how much of a difference they would like to see in their face, and what they are willing to do to achieve it. If you want help deciding between a chemical peel and a facial, our staff at Silk Touch is here to help. Drop on by for a free consultation and we can give you a skin analysis go over the changes you would like to see and suggest the best treatment options for you personally.

To schedule an appointment click the link below or give us a call at 208-939-3110.