What can I do to minimize the appearance of lines around my mouth? (photo)

A combination approach would give the most improvement. Deep wrinkles and smile lines can be improved with a combination of Botox and/or fillers for the lines themselves and to build anatomical support with Sculptra for collagen building. Ultherapy is a great skin tightening device, but works best in combination with other treatments like J Plasma, RF treatments, lasers, microneedling/PRP, salt facials, Cosmelan for skin tightening and improve skin tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Over time, as facial movement increases in areas like the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a quicker rate. This makes the filler disappear faster in more active areas of the face. Lip filler migration is generally a result of the fact that hyaluronic acid fillers absorb water, and they can begin to create some extra volume and extra absorption of volume in areas that were outside of the primary injection site. Additionally, lifestyle habits like smoking cigarettes damage the skin and cause dermal fillers to break down more quickly. Sun exposure may be the most significant factor when it comes to dermal filler degradation.

As your filler treatment was almost a year ago, much of your lip filler has likely been metabolized. You can check with your injector to determine if any has migrated, and if some is still present it can be dissolved. It is never too early to take care of your skin. We always recommend using medical grade skin care products like Transform MD and wearing sunscreen every day.