Hi. Typically a combination of treatments will give best results. In the upper lip a small amount of Botox (typically 4-8 units) can be injected to relax the muscles that are contracting which in turn will prevent these lines from getting worse over time. In addition, filler such as Volbella can be placed in the above lip lines to restore lost volume and subtly stretch the skin which will make the lines appear less prominent. And finally, C02 Laser resurfacing can resurface the skin and remove wrinkles as well as tighten the skin and build some collagen. The C02 Laser will give the most dramatic results of all the options mentioned, but has the limitation of downtime. Hope this information was helpful!
The perioral lines (in the area between the upper lip and the nose) can be challenging. First, it is important that you do whatever you can not to worsen them. If you smoke or drink from straws frequently, you should do everything you can to stop those habits. Each time you purse your lips around a cigarette or a straw, those lines deepen. However, plenty of people don't do either and still have significant lines in this area.I tell my patients that a combination of treatments is usually needed. I like a little bit of Botox to relax the muscles that are contracting and causing the lines. Thin fillers (such as Volbella) work well with the Botox to minimize the existing lines. In addition, a procedure to stimulate some collagen production can be helpful. These include fractional CO2 lasers, Ultherapy and/or deep chemical peels.I recommend a consultation with a physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine so that you can come up with a plan that is customized to your skin type, the severity of your lines, your budget, etc.
