Banish Your Barcode And Perfect Your Pout

Over time wrinkles appear around our mouths. Smokers lines, barcode lines... Pesky, vertical lines that begin to invade the skin above our upper lip. But don't panic - help is at hand!

Ageing skin is part and parcel of life. Skin cell renewal slows down and become less effective, collagen and elastin production grinds to a halt, whilst our skin thins and dries out. As our skin becomes more fragile, cracks appear and wrinkles form. And those above our mouths are down to two things - the sun and smoking. When exposed to UV rays our bodies produce free radicals - damaging molecules that cause our skin to age and alter our cells' DNA. As for smoking, it reduces collagen and elastin production, leaving our skin less resistant and supple.

Seeing as exposure to the sun and smoking are the main culprits, the answer's simple - protect your skin and ditch the cigs. Religiously apply a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or 50 (depending on the colour of your skin) and top it up every couple of hours. Winter, summer, rain or shine, this one's non-negotiable! The great news is that nowadays plenty of moisturisers, anti-ageing and BB creams contain an SPF.

This is a delicate part of the face... You can opt for hyaluronic acid-rich serums or treatments specifically designed to deal with wrinkles around the mouth. You could also go down the filler route and book a session of hyaluronic acid injections. If the sun or smoking has left your skin in a real mess, you could combine injections with a professional peel, a technique that boosts skin cell renewal. Your barcode will be smoothed away, leaving behind a youthful dazzle!