Wrinkling around the mouth is common as we age. As the major agent in our communication, expression and exclamation, the mouth is an active part of the body. And this activity naturally breaks down stores of collagen and elastin in the skin and surrounding tissue, resulting in the common smile lines or lipstick lines. But there is a unique and stubborn form of wrinkle common in smokers, aptly named smoker’s lines, that does not arise from natural aging processes.
Smoker’s lines are fine line wrinkles that develop around the mouth, surrounding it in striated, layered lines. The persistence and prevalence of these wrinkles add to the number of detrimental effects from smoking, as their appearance notably ages a person. Smoker’s lines are caused by the consistent puckering of the lips around a cigarette, e-cigarette, or vape. The habitual movement overexerts the collagen in the area, breaking it down quicker and resulting in the early appearance of wrinkles. The harmful effects of tobacco also slow collagen production, further exacerbating the wrinkles’ appearance. Smoker’s lines, due to their position on a sensitive area of the face and their minuscule, myriad state, are hard to treat through traditional aesthetic means — fillers, injections or facials — with over or under treatment being common. But Fotona® has developed a treatment that smooths these stubborn wrinkles naturally and without pain.
SmoothLase® and LipLase® soothe smoker’s lines with the rejuvenating power of laser light. LipLase targets the lips and the surrounding skin, while SmoothLase focuses on the broader area surrounding the mouth. By using the Fotona Er:YAG laser, the treatment directs gentle red light to the skin, resulting in increased blood circulation and cellular production. The acceleration of metabolic processes stimulates increased collagen production, replacing the elastin and collagen lost through smoking. This influx of collagen results in a smoothing of wrinkles, an increased firmness of skin, and a softer, rosier complexion. Fotona’s lasers are extremely delicate, with the process focused and pain free. The results are subtle and build-able with a noticeable, natural smoothing of the wrinkles. Treatment avoids the bubbled, overfilled look of fillers and provides more concentrated effects than the average topical treatment. Patients see smoother, softer and firmer skin after just one visit, and those results build consistently over the course of multiple treatments, typically 3-4.
If a patient continues to smoke there is only so much Fotona treatments can do. Optimized results cannot be expected if the action that causes the problem is continued. So if you have smoker’s lines, have quit smoking and want to regain your smooth, smoke free skin, call Westtown Dental Care at 484-887-0777 to schedule your appointment!