Remember when your friends tell you to get out more? Well, that may not be a good idea if it involved a lot of sun exposure. So if you must get that tan you’ve always wanted, put on protection.

The skin around the lips is pliable and very sensitive which means if you don’t care for it properly, you can quickly damage it. Protect it along with your whole face buy applying a moisturizing agent with sun protection.

Some makeup already includes sun protection as an added benefit because which is a better option given that you need to reapply sunscreen every couple of hours.

You should have listened to your mother when she told you to eat your veggies because if you did that all your life, you’ll have better complexion now. That's because they’re rich with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which protect your skin from damage inflicted by the elements.

So instead of going for that bag of chips or that triple-decker burger, much on whole grains, nuts, leafy greens, and berries. Toxins from the environment and even the food you eat break down the cellular structure of your organs, particularly your skin which happens to be the body’s biggest organ. The more antioxidants you take in, the healthier your skin becomes. And yes, including the lip area.

Estrogen is a hormone that is involved in many bodily functions. However, as women age, their estrogen production decreases.

This would lead to several menopausal symptoms such as the following:

• Absent periods
• Irregular periods
• Irritability
• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes

Studies suggest that treatment with Pueraria mirifica can help alleviate these symptoms. Researchers point to the herb’s high phytoestrogen content as the beneficial component for the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

There’s a reason why you need to till the soil around your plants. They grow better and faster when the soil is moist and fresh, rather than when it’s dry and old.

The same goes for the skin. You need to keep it clean and vitalized to stimulate the generation of healthy skin cells thereby preventing and slowing down the formation of wrinkles.

You can use exfoliants you can get over the counter but if you’re into DIY, a tablespoon of coconut oil, a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, and a tablespoon of honey mixed in a bowl should do the same trick. Rub that mixture over the skin around your mouth and let it stand for 3 minutes before washing it off with warm water.

That’s sugar scrub might be good, but you’ll also need to wash your face regularly to clean off dust and other pollutants that may have gathered. But not all facial washes are equal and using the wrong one can make your skin problems even worse.

Strong facial washes can be abrasive on your skin especially the area around the lips and can also strip away moisture and natural oils. You should also avoid facial cleansers with strong scents or those that smell like perfume. They can be full of chemicals that are unnatural which damage and dry your skin.

Go for the unscented ones but if you want a bit of scent, some are infused with rose or lavender oil.

You can only do so much prevention until the signs of aging rear its ugly head. Getting old is inevitable and soon, wrinkles will appear around your lips.

As you age, the levels of estrogen in your body decreases, too. And this decline of the primary female hormone has been proven to cause these lip wrinkles.

And when this happens, it’s time to bring in the big guns. These treatments can be more invasive and costly than the preventive tips we discussed earlier, but they get the job done.

This is an effective and well-documented therapy that can help smoothen wrinkles on your face. Botulinum toxin A can give the appearance of fuller lips and reduced formation of wrinkles. Unfortunately, this treatment has its own share of side effects like partial facial paralysis especially if done intramuscular or IM.

The use of CO2 laser for improving facial skin conditions is popular because it has minimal side effects and the depth of vaporization is precisely controlled during the procedure.