12 Tips to Treat Wrinkles Around the Mouth

Close up of a woman's face showing her mouth area — Stocksy

We like to think of wrinkles around the mouth as proof of a life well lived. Broad smiles, deep belly laughs, and a full range of emotional expressions are well worth the visual weight they carry. We know that smiles and laughter stretch the skin around the upper lip, which causes wrinkles over time, but we're not particularly keen on sacrificing them for a smoother countenance. Instead, we prefer to embrace the fullness of exaggerated mouth movements and let skincare (and science!) work its magic to ease those lines and prevent them from deepening.

With that in mind, we reached out to expert dermatologists and a plastic surgeon to get their input on how to prevent and get rid of wrinkles around the mouth. Read on for all the serums, creams, and treatments they recommend.

Meet the Expert

Dr. Jennifer Herrmann, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon as well as a lecturer with more than 20 peer-reviewed studies and book chapters.
Nancy Samolitis, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist with specialized training in cosmetic dermatology. She is the co-founder of Facile dermatology + boutique.
Tanuj Nakra, MD, FACS, is a cosmetic facial surgeon. She is the co-founder of Avya Skincare.

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Take Preventative Measures

First and foremost to treating wrinkles around the mouth, is preventative care, explains dermatologist, Jennifer Herrmann, MD, FAAD. “Because the lips and surrounding skin are delicate, adopting a skincare regimen with an anti-aging topical product early is key. I prefer serums with growth factors that help target collagen and elastin synthesis to smooth and prevent fine lines."

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Always Apply Sunscreen

“Use of daily sunscreen is key,” says dermatologist, Nancy Samolitis MD, FAAD. “These wrinkles are primarily caused by changes in the skin, such as the breakdown of collagen and elastic tissue that we know are secondary to chronic sun exposure." Make sure to use a sunscreen that's at least SPF 30 and contains one mineral component, like zinc or titanium. In addition, add in a lip sunscreen to enhance your protection. "I like Colorescience tinted mineral lip gloss for this,” Dr. Samolitis says.

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Slather on Night Cream

Plastic Surgeon, Tanuj Nakra, MD, FACS, was able to provide us with advice for reducing those pesky wrinkles around the mouth. “Quality night creams can produce deep dermal hydration that thickens the skin and effectively reduces skin wrinkles. For example, the AVYA Night Cream is designed to maximize overnight hydration."

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Look to Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a skincare heavyweight when it comes to brightening the complection, but its superpowers don't stop there. "Also, topical vitamin C serums can be effective for mouth wrinkles, as vitamin C has numerous benefits including boosting skin collagen production," notes Dr. Nakra.

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Use Silicone Patches

Silicone patches are about as targeted as you can get when it comes to over-the-counter skincare. Unlike creams and serums, the medical-grade patches stick directly to the areas you wish to treat and don't disturb the rest of the skin. SiO Beauty's Super LipLift Wrinkle Patches ($29) hydrate the skin for maximum plumpness and prevent creasing to improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

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Plump with Fillers

Dr. Herrmann notes the benefits of fillers, saying, “As we age, the proportions of our lip skin change and lips themselves thin. Judicious amounts of soft tissue filler can be injected into the upper lip skin to help give the area more structure.”

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Consider a Fat Transfer

Dr. Nakra mentions that certain fat transfer techniques have their own advantages. “Micro liposuction from the abdomen is the source of the fat cells that are centrifuged and then carefully and artistically injected into the face. Recent advances in nanofat technology are ideal for the mouth region in that the groups of fat cells are broken to the cellular level, allowing for ultra-fine injections right under the deep mouth wrinkle crevices.”

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Smooth with Microinfusions

Microinfusions can be a good solution for reducing the appearance of fine lines around the mouth area. “This is a great option for a temporary effect with no downtime," explains Dr. Samolitis. "Microinfusions use tiny needles to drive microdroplets of neuromodulators and fillers. This can give an immediate smoothing effect, usually on someone who has very early, minimal wrinkles.”

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Stimulate Collagen with Microneedling

To ensure lines are even and smooth, consider microneedling. “For early vertical lines, treatments that use microneedling with radiofrequency heat can help stimulate collagen synthesis and smooth fine lines,” Dr. Herrmann says. “Microneedling alone is mildly helpful, but by adding heat delivered at the needle tips, more remodeling occurs, better tightening the skin. These treatments have little downtime, and results are most pronounced after a series of treatments.”

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Treat with Peels

The gold standard of treatments for around-the-mouth wrinkles, according to Dr. Samolitis, is the chemical peel. “A type of chemical peel called phenol can tighten even the deepest of lines." For a less potent solution, try an at-home peel like Dr. Dennis Gross's Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Packettes ($153)

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Polish with Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion is basically mechanical sanding of the skin with a specialized tool. "Like phenol peels, this procedure is less popular than it used to be due to long recovery time and the possibility of depigmentation. It should only be done in the most experienced hands and is often done at the same time as surgical procedures (like a face-lift), in order to take advantage of having deeper anesthesia, a long recovery, and more dramatic results," Dr. Samolitis says.

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Resurface with Lasers

Another more aggressive treatment comes from resurfacing lasers. “Lasers treatments can be modified greatly to treat deep for severe sun damage if needed. This procedure will produce results more quickly, but will involve longer recovery time," Dr. Samolitis explains. "Skin may be red, crusted, and raw for up to two weeks. It should be performed in conjunction with full face treatments to avoid a demarcation line.”

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