Smoking not only affects internal health but also changes appearance. Smoking accelerates the aging process, leading to wrinkles and unwanted changes in the skin, most noticeable on the lips of smokers. Accordingly, dark lips caused by smoking are characterized by vertical wrinkles around the mouth; at the same time, the lips and gums can also become significantly darker than their natural color.
1. What do a smoker's lips look like?
The characteristics of a smoker's lips are characterized by vertical wrinkles around the mouth. The lips and gums can also become hyperpigmented, significantly darker than their natural pink, shiny color.
A smoker's lips can begin to appear after months or years of smoking or using other tobacco products. If signs of a smoker's lips have already appeared, the best thing a person can do to reduce their appearance is to stop smoking. At the same time, other useful treatments should be considered.
2. Why is smoking harmful to your lips?
Smoking can cause periodontal disease and some types of oral cancer.
In addition to these serious health conditions, smoking can affect the user's appearance, causing the skin around the mouth to sag and wrinkle. Moreover, cigarettes can also darken the lips and gums.
Smoking accelerates the aging process of the skin, causing wrinkles. One reason for this is nicotine. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict and narrow, reducing blood flow and depriving the skin of oxygen and nutrients needed to stay healthy and supple.
Reduced blood flow and exposure to tar and nicotine can also darken the melanin in the lips and gums, leading to uneven pigmentation. Specifically, the appearance of colored, purple, dark brown, or black spots on the lips.
On the other hand, the chemicals in cigarettes also have negative effects on the skin. In a cigarette, there are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke. These chemicals damage the structure of collagen and elastin fibers, two proteins that help maintain the elasticity and structure of the skin. Without enough collagen and elastin to keep the skin strong, the skin layers quickly weaken, causing sagging and wrinkles.
In addition, the repeated pursing of the lips when smoking and the heat emitted when burning cigarettes can also cause smokers to form acute and chronic lip lesions over time, changing the local health of the lips.
3. How to overcome dark lips caused by smoking?
Quitting smoking is always the first way to help prevent new damage to the lips and mouth, creating favorable conditions for old lesions to regenerate and recover.
At the same time, patients need to remember to drink plenty of water to eliminate toxins from cigarettes from the body and ensure that the lips are always protected from direct sunlight.
Details of methods to help overcome each characteristic of dark lips caused by smoking are as follows:
3.1. Dark lips
There are several methods to treat hyperpigmentation due to many causes in general, and smoking in particular, to help restore the natural color of the lips as before.
Exfoliation
The skin of the lips is always fragile and needs to be carefully cared for. Exfoliation can be done at home or using specialized products purchased at the store. Try mixing coarse salt or sugar with almond oil or coconut oil and gently massage the mixture onto the lips once a day. Users can also use a soft-bristled brush or a towel dipped in oil to exfoliate. Remember to use moisturizer or lip balm after each treatment.
Lip Masks
There is some evidence that lip masks containing turmeric, lemon, or lime juice can help lighten lips. Try combining one or more of these ingredients with vitamin A or vitamin E oil, and applying it to your lips for 15 minutes, once a day to help improve dark lips.
Laser Treatments
Always performed professionally by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, laser treatments work by focusing pulses of light deep into the layers of the skin. These treatments can be used to restore the natural color of your lips, fade dark spots, remove excess melanin, stimulate collagen production, and erase vertical lines around the mouth.
3.2. Lip Wrinkles
Lip wrinkles caused by smoking are also known as lip wrinkles. These wrinkles can become worse when accompanied by other causes such as alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, too much sun exposure, and poor diet.
Some treatments can help reduce or eliminate vertical lines around the mouth. Some of these treatments are especially beneficial for reducing wrinkles and increasing lip color.
Moisturize and hydrate lips
Using a rich moisturizer containing tretinoin, such as Retin-A, can help build collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth. A daily moisturizer with a broad-spectrum SPF can reduce exposure to UVA and UVB rays.
Exfoliation
Mandelic acid is a gentle alpha hydroxy acid derived from bitter almonds. There are at-home and professional versions of Mandelic acid peels available in varying strengths. Many can be used on and around the lip area to reduce wrinkles and crow's feet and lighten dark patches.
Anti-wrinkle injections
Injectables, such as Botox, can be used to smooth out wrinkles and relax facial muscles. This procedure must be performed by a specialist in a dermatologist's office.
Fillers
Fillers, which usually contain hyaluronic acid, are used to plump up the appearance of the lips by filling in lip lines and wrinkles around the mouth.
Laser resurfacing
Also known as laser or laser peels, laser resurfacing is performed by a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon. Laser treatments remove the top layer of damaged skin, often after injecting temporary fillers or fat grafts directly into deep wrinkles.
There are a number of treatments for hyperpigmentation due to many causes in general, due to smoking in particular, to help restore the natural color of the lips to the original.
Exfoliation
Lip skin is always a delicate layer and needs careful care. Exfoliation can be done at home or using specialized products bought at the store. Try mixing coarse salt or sugar with almond or coconut oil and gently massage the mixture onto your lips once a day. Users can also use a soft-bristled brush or an oil-soaked towel to exfoliate. Remember to use a moisturizer or lip balm after each treatment.
Lip masks
There is ample evidence that lip masks containing turmeric, lemon, or lime juice can help brighten lips. Try combining one or more of these ingredients with an oil from vitamin A or vitamin E, and cover your lips for 15 minutes, once daily to help improve dark circles.
Laser treatment
Always performed professionally by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, laser treatments work by focusing pulses of light deep within layers skin. These treatments can be used to restore the natural color of the lips, reduce dark spots, remove excess pigmentation, stimulate collagen production, and erase vertical wrinkles around the mouth.
3.3. Lip and mouth cancer
Oral cancer can develop on the lips, gums, tongue, and inside the mouth. Smoking and other tobacco use are high-risk factors for oral cancer. At this point, quitting smoking is the only meaningful way to reduce the risk.
Treatment for oral or lip cancer often requires surgery to remove tumors and cancer cells that have spread to other areas of the body, such as the neck. At the same time, the patient may also need oral reconstructive surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
3.3. Lip and mouth cancer
Oral cancer can develop on the lips, gums, tongue, and inside the mouth. Smoking and other tobacco use are high-risk factors for oral cancer. At this point, quitting smoking is the only meaningful way to reduce the risk.
Treatment for oral or lip cancer often requires surgery to remove tumors and cancer cells that have spread to other areas of the body, such as the neck. At the same time, the patient may also need oral reconstructive surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
In summary, smoking is not only a risk factor for health but also causes aesthetic problems, such as dark lips due to smoking. This condition is characterized by wrinkling and discoloration of the lips and mouth. In mild cases, this condition can respond well to home treatments. However, if deep vertical wrinkles around the mouth or severe hyperpigmentation have formed, the patient needs to use more intensive treatments.
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Reference source: healthline.com
