Smokers Lines: How to treat them

This blog is intended to give honest and clear advice to readers and does not promote prescription products. In order to help educate the public about are their options when considering a non-surgical procedure, we’ve put together this information to explain what goes into bringing you aesthetic treatments you can trust.

The quick and easy way to treat smokers’ lines is with HA dermal filler injections.

Dr. Hamilton has been successfully treating this type of problem using either 1 ml syringe of Juvéderm ULTRA 3 ( deep lines) or 0.55 ml Juvéderm ULTRA 2 ( fine lines) by Allergan.

Juvéderm ULTRA 2 and 3 have a small particle size and work better for treating lines above the lips. These particular fillers are ideal for treating fine lines and areas with thin skin.

Results are immediate and should last 9- 12 months, depending on  your lifestyle.

The Procedure

The Juvéderm ULTRA fillers by Allergan contain lidocaine (a local anaesthetic). Dr. Hamilton will apply a prescription triple anaesthetic cream to the area above your lips for 20 minutes prior to treatment to improve your comfort level during injection. The injection procedure will take 15 minutes.

Arnica cream is applied to the injection areas immediately after treatment. Dr. Mark would recommend you continue to apply Arnica cream for 2-3 days post injection as there may be slight bruising.

Dr. Mark strongly advises that you do not apply make up on the day of treatment.

How Much Filler do I Need ?

Depending on how much volume you need, you have two choices: 0.55 ml  or 1 ml.

Dr. Mark advises patients to begin with 0.55 ml to achieve a natural result. For those with really deep lines, he recommends that you slowly build up with continued treatments over a period of months.

0.55 ml Lip Filler Injections

0.55 ml Juvederm ULTRA Smile or Juvederm ULTRA 2  is best for first time or nervous patients who want want a very subtle look or for patients looking to top up/ maintain their lip line filler

1 ml Lip Filler Injections

When Dr. Mark uses 1 ml syringe of Juvederm ULTRA 3 by Allergan, he injects the product into your upper lip lines and into your lower lips. To avoid the dreaded ‘Duck Bill‘ look, rather than overfill your lip lines, any residual filler is injected into the corners of your mouth or into your Naso-labial lines.

Lip Line Fillers should typically last up to 6-9 months.

Is there bruising or downtime?

Downtime is 48- 72 hours. The swelling will begin to subside after 24 hours & the filler should fully settle down after 5 days.

Most of the swelling is due to the Smoothing & massaging of the filler by your injector into your vertical upper lip lines.

If you are prone to bruising easily, best not to have cosmetic dermal fillers treatments within 10 days of an important social event.  If you get a bruise, it can last 7 to 10 days. Routinely, most patients are usually fine and only experience slight swelling for 24 hours.

To prevent cold sores, Dr. Hamilton recommends that patients apply topical Zovirax cream as a precaution, whenever you are wearing a mask for 48 hours post injection.

Anti Wrinkle Injections for Smokers’ Lines

Another means of improving the appearance of smoker’s lines is to inject them with anti- wrinkle injections which prevent the muscle contractions that cause the lines. These injections can help to prevent smoker’s lines from becoming more deeply etched into the skin.

When administered carefully by an experienced aesthetic doctor, anti-wrinkle injections can soften smoker lines around your mouth by reducing the number of muscle contractions and movements which cause dynamic wrinkles. It takes about 14 days for smokers’ lines to reduce. Results last from 3 to 4 months.

This Lip Flip works best for lines that are not yet visible while your mouth is at rest.

In the case of deep smoker’s lines and multiple vertical upper lines, Anti Wrinkle injections are not the answer as they will not smooth those lines. If over- injected with injections above the lip, the side effect can affect your speech and especially your ability to say words starting with the letter P’.

Lip Flip

Deep Vertical Upper Lip Lines

HA Dermal Filler injections is often the best course of treatment in these cases.

As we grow older, our lips lose volume. Wrinkles, Vertical Lip lines and folds soon set in. HA Dermal fillers offer a simple & immediate solution by plumping out the tissue beneath the skin for a smoother, youthful overlying texture.

If you are a smoker , you will most likely have to top up the treatment every 6- 9 months.