As we get older, the skin surrounding our mouths begins to sag with gravity and forms frowny lines that face downward. These are called smile lines. Although some wrinkles may be unavoidable as you age, there are certain dietary and skincare changes that can discourage fine lines around the mouth.
To reduce these wrinkles, and wrinkles in general, protecting your skin from the sun is the most important step. Finding a sunscreen that works for your skin type, and that you can use every day, is crucial for minimizing smile lines. And, curating a healthier, balanced diet filled with collagen-rich foods can help you achieve better-looking skin in the long run. In the same vein, it’s important to avoid certain foods that will only age you.
We spoke with board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Nadir Qazi, M.D., skincare expert Dr. Rudolf Probst, M.D., and Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD, FAAD, founder of MadisonMD Skincare, about the best treatments and foods to avoid to reduce smile lines around your mouth.
What are smile lines?
Smile lines are creases in your skin extending from both sides of your nose to the corners of your mouth. They usually occur due to the natural loss of volume in the cheek’s fat pads that descend and shift with time as we age. The smile lines become more prominent due to the way these fat pads shift and move over time. The creases can become more noticeable and permanent if you smoke, suffer from sun damage, or eat high-sugar foods.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, and more sunscreen
The worst mistake in any anti-aging (or any) skincare routine is inadequate sun protection. So, pick out a broad-spectrum sunscreen that's at least SPF 30 and use it every day. Even in the winter or if you're spending your time inside, it's crucial to reapply sunscreen frequently to prevent and reduce wrinkles.
When you skip out on your SPF, Dr. Irwin warns that you're not just risking a little sunburn, but you can also do some serious damage to the overall health of the skin. If you don't apply your sunscreen frequently throughout the day, you'll likely see issues like dark spots, wrinkles, and even a leathery skin texture. "Look at a leather chair that's been sitting in a window and you'll see the same," she says. Yikes!
And, there are even more damaging side effects to skimping on sunscreen if you look under a microscope. "If you look at sun-damaged skin under a microscope, you see the collagen fibers are uneven and look sick, the elastic fibers are clumped up and not regular, the cells in the outer layer (epidermis) look like a broken-down brick wall, and melanin looks uneven," Dr. Irwin explains.
Sun damage can also be extremely deadly if it leads to melanoma skin cancer. "For the other forms of skin cancer that just require surgery, it's wise not to underestimate the quality of life effect they can have," Dr. Irwin says. She points out that "most of these cancers are on the head and neck area and leave visible, and not attractive scars."
Thankfully you can easily protect your skin when you apply sunscreen every day. "Sunscreen, if used regularly, screens out most of the harmful UVA and UVB rays," Dr. Irwin says. When looking for your go-to sunscreen, she recommends looking for one with zinc oxide, which is great at screening out UVA. "None of the chemical sunscreen ingredients can claim that," she notes.
However, Dr. Irwin says that it's always good to cover up on particularly sunny days. "No sunscreen can screen out all the harmful rays. Hats with full brims and protective clothing are also great because they mean protection," she concludes.
Foods to avoid
Even though sunscreen obviously plays a big role in preventing and reducing fine lines around the mouth, you do not underestimate the importance of diet either. What you eat and drink can play an important role in the appearance of your skin. Specifically, you'll want to eat less high-sugar foods and drink more water. These are two simple changes you can make to improve your skin through diet.
Processed meats
Processed meats "are not good," Probst explains, for fine lines around your mouth. "Processed meats have a high content of sodium which is responsible for drying your skin and making it weak in producing collagen," he says. Qazi also says that anyone with sagging skin in the mouth area should avoid "high-nitrate meats," like "processed sandwich meats, bacon, pepperoni, and hot dogs." These deli meats can lead to digestive problems and weight gain.
Sugary foods and beverages
Qazi recommends steering clear of high-sugar foods and drinks like "candy, coffee, soft drinks, juices, and baked goods such as donuts, cookies, and pastries" that all can promote "premature aging." Probst agrees, "Foods with artificial sweeteners like soft drinks, juices, and sauces can cause loss of strength and flexibility to elastin fibers and collagen which will, in turn, make the skin age quickly." Find out more about what happens to your skin when you cut sugar out of your diet!
Alcohol
Last but certainly not least, drinking lots of alcohol can damage your skin in worse ways than you might think. "Alcohol dehydrates your body," Probst says. "This causes your skin to age prematurely." Overall, this doesn’t mean you need to completely cut these foods and beverages out of your diet forever, just watch how much you consume if you're worried about sagging skin around the mouth. Instead, try adding collagen-rich foods to your diet like blueberries!
