The ‘perioral’ is the area immediately surrounding your mouth. This includes your lips, upper lip skin under the nose, the nasiolabial folds (“smile” or “laugh” lines), corners of the mouth, and all skin surrounding the lips.

It’s only natural to develop fine lines and wrinkles around your mouth as you get older. If you’re a smoker you may also have “smoker’s lines” or “lipstick lines” – sharp lines that radiate outwards from the lips that are more pronounced when wearing lipstick. It’s also quite normal to lose facial volume in the top or bottom lip which can give the lips a flat appearance resulting in a “severe” or “stern” expression.

During your initial consultation, your provider will outline all relevant options and explain each procedure in detail. Depending on the overall shape and condition of your perioral area, you may only need one of the following treatments, or several different procedures to obtain your desired aesthetic goal:

Dermal fillers such as Restylane® are a good solution for adding volume to the lips. Restylane® is a safe, injectable treatment consisting of hyaluronic acid — a natural and long-lasting substance that boosts facial volume, improves structure and overall lip shape. Restylane® is also reversible, making it a good option for those new to cosmetic rejuvenation.

Read more about Restylane® dermal filler here.

BOTOX® and Dysport® injections are a very popular option for rejuvenating the perioral area because they are safe, effective, and long-lasting. When these popular muscle relaxants are injected with the correct skill and artistry this treatment results in a very natural-looking result. With a skilled aesthetic specialist, the degree of treatment is easily controlled ensuring you’ll still be able to smile and express yourself naturally.

Read more about BOTOX® and Dysport® injections here.

Microneedling – also known as Skin Needling – involves a series of tiny and very short needles that are used penetrate the skin in the perioral area. The actual needle is very tiny creating only a very mild “prickling” sensation resulting in very superficial punctures of the skin’s epidermis. These punctures are called “micro-injuries”. They catalyse the skin’s own natural healing response to produce and rebuild collagen and elastin. This process results in younger, smoother looking skin with a reduction of fine wrinkles and lines around the mouth.

Read more about microneedling here.

“TCA” is an acronym for trichloracetic acid – a safe, non-toxic chemical very similar to vinegar. When the TCA is applied to the top layers of the skin the cells will subsequently dry and peel over a period of 5-7 days. This results in smoother, rejuvenated, and younger-looking skin. A TCA peel is ideal for the perioral area or over the entire face.

Read more about TCA peels here.