Smoke and Have Smoker Lines? Three Tips to Treat Them

Smoking can cause smoker lines to appear over time. In the beginning, these lines are faint but if you do not quit smoking, they will become much more noticeable and can get much deeper. Fortunately, there are ways to treat these lines, three of which are listed below. 

Botox

With Botox the dermatologist injects the solution into each wrinkle. The muscles then start to weaken, which will make fine lines go away. If you have deep smoker lines, they will appear less deep but will not go away completely. The wrinkles will also not appear when you move your mouth, such as while talking. 

A Botox treatment generally does not take a long time and how many injections you need will determine how many smoker lines you have. The doctor can put an anesthetic on your face to numb you so you do not feel the injections. The dermatologist can tell you what to expect and how long the treatment should last for you. Once it wears off the wrinkles will come back, and you will have to go back and have the treatment done again to keep them away. 

Fillers

Another option you have is using fillers. Over time volume is destroyed around your lip and mouth area when you smoke. Fillers will help improve volume which makes the wrinkles relax and either go away or become much less noticeable. As with Botox, fillers are injected into the wrinkled area. Fillers are made with hyaluronic acid which is also found in your body making the fillers more natural. 

Once injected the filler spreads into the wrinkle lines and crevices on your lips and then the wrinkles will soften or go away. Fillers stimulate the production of collagen, which can also help with your wrinkles. The filler will break down over time, and you will need to return to have the injections done again to keep the wrinkles away. Your dermatologist can tell you how long you can expect this to last. 

Laser Treatments

Laser treatments are also available to help you with your smoker lines. There are different options to choose from. One uses an ablative laser that removes the top layer of your skin. Once this happens, new elastic and collagen will grow that will help tighten your skin to smooth your fine lines and wrinkles. This treatment is done by a plastic or cosmetic surgeon in a hospital. You are put under anesthesia because it is painful. The surgeon uses a laser beam over your face that removes the skin layer. You can expect downtime from this as your face will be red and raw for a few weeks. The results of this laser treatment are generally many years, however. 

For a less intensive treatment, there are nonablative lasers that can be used. This type does injure your skin but does not remove the top layer. This means much less downtime and does not have to be done by a surgeon in a hospital. The results will not be as dramatic when compared to an ablative laser, however, but you will still see fewer wrinkles in your lip area. 

Talk with a dermatologist or a cosmetic or plastic surgeon about botox and other treatments available to help with smoker lines.