The “barcode”-those vertical wrinkles located in the upper lip area is one of those classic signs of aging that we all notice sooner or later because it is related to the mimicry of the mouth muscle. Although fine lines in this area are very common (like the famous wrinkles in the eye area), there is a way to both prevent and treat them. First, however, let’s try to understand the causes.
Barcode or wrinkles above the lip: what causes them
We brought it forward: the wrinkles present above the lip are related to the mimicry of the orbicularis muscle of the mouth. “The orbicularis muscle of the mouth,” Dr. Antonella Franceschelli, aesthetic physician owner of Studio Franceschelli in Rome, tutor doctor in the outpatient aesthetic medicine clinics of the Fatebenefratelli Isola Tiberina Hospital, and Uniderm consultant, points out in her blog, “it is the muscle that keeps the mouth closed and is widely used by all people who smoke.
In addition, support for the upper portion of the lip is provided by the dental arch, so gum disease and the natural bone remodeling that occurs with age causes the skin to be less supported and wrinkles to form.” Smoking actually contributes to the appearance of lip contour wrinkles in different ways.
On the one hand, as mentioned, the repeated movement of the mouth to inhale the smoke from the cigarette predisposes the appearance of unsightly wrinkles in the area and makes them more pronounced.
On the other hand, nicotine reduces the absorption of antioxidant substances (such as vitamins A and C), instead stimulating the production of an enzyme that destroys collagen. Lastly, nicotine constricts capillaries and interferes with the amount of oxygen and nutrients absorbed by the skin.
Worth mentioning, at last, among the causes due to external factors, improper (excessive) exposure to sunlight produces free radicals causing or accelerating skin aging (photoaging).
How to prevent the barcode
After reading the previous paragraph, it will be clear to you that to prevent the formation of wrinkles above the lip, you need to limit smoking and the habit of holding objects in the mouth. “In addition,” Franceschelli adds, “the hygiene and health of teeth and gums should be carefully attended to with periodic visits to your dentist.”
Barcode filler: how to remove lip wrinkles
Wrinkles above the lip can be removed in different ways and even simultaneously. “One can act on the causes of wrinkles by assessing the health of the teeth and gums and working on the orbicularis muscle of the mouth. Low-dose botulinum toxin (an “off label” indication) can be used to relax the orbicularis muscle of the mouth without altering the continence of the mouth.
Perioral wrinkles can also be filled with hyaluronic acid (filler). Customized, low-concentration formulations are used to fill superficial wrinkles without causing unsightly “bumps.” In addition to the hyaluronic acid-based barcode filler – indicated for those with light wrinkles – chemical peels can also be used, which remove dead cells and stimulate elastin and collagen production in the dermis. Again, the final effect will be very natural.
Barcode filler before and after: the treatment
Barcode filler treatment involves injecting a high-quality hyaluronic acid into the dermis to “fill in” small indents without changing the patient’s physiognomy. The treatment takes place on an outpatient basis and lasts about half an hour. The advantage? It causes no pain thanks in part to the use of a local anesthetic, and then one can immediately return to daily activities because it causes no swelling or marks. The duration is about 12 months.
Best barcode cream
It is recommended to use home treatments to preserve the results obtained with the filler for a long time. For example, Re-Pulp 3D, which, with high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid combined with bioactive phytoextracts, gives volume, plumps the tissues in depth, continuing the action of the filler and hydrates the skin.
All thanks to Ultra Filling Spheres, a cross-linked molecule of hyaluronic acid that relies on the ability of its cross-linked microspheres to penetrate the layers of the epidermis to hydrate and volumize, capturing and retaining water that evaporates from the deep dermis. For those who want to work on the lips at the same time, there is Re-Pulp Lip Definer, a plumping cosmeceutical treatment specially formulated for lips that are thin and affected by the signs of aging.
