Perioral Rejuvenation

What is perioral rejuvenation?

Perioral rejuvenation is the process of comprehensively assessing the changes that the lips and tissues around the mouth undergo with age and improving them using appropriate methods.

Therefore, perioral rejuvenation doesn't just mean lip fillers. The shape and support of the lips, as well as fine lines around the mouth, skin quality, volume and structural support around the lips, the corners of the mouth, and lower facial proportions are all evaluated together.

Aging in the perioral region is the combined result of changes over time in the skin, muscles, fat tissue, and bone support of the face. Sun exposure and repetitive facial expressions can also contribute to this process.

What is the perioral region?

The perioral region includes the lips and the tissues surrounding the mouth. The assessment may consider the structure of the upper and lower lips, lip borders, philtrum, lip-nose distance, vertical lines, corners of the mouth, marionette lines, chin, and lower facial support, along with skin quality.

Why does the skin around the mouth age?

Skin thinning and loss of elasticity, repetitive facial expressions, sun exposure, changes in lip structure, and age-related changes in lower facial support all play a role.

With age, the upper lip may lengthen, appear flatter, and the visibility of the red part of the lips may decrease. This change should not be considered solely as a loss of volume.

What are the signs of perioral aging?

Fine or vertical lines around the lips, loss of lip contour, elongation of the upper lip, decreased visibility of the red part of the lip, drooping corners of the mouth, marionette lines, and decreased skin quality may be observed.

Is lip filler sufficient for perioral rejuvenation?

Not always. For some people, the primary problem may be lip volume or contour. For others, skin quality, muscle movement, upper lip length, corners of the mouth, or support from surrounding tissues are more important factors.

Therefore, "lip augmentation" and "mouth contouring" are not the same thing. Adding excessive volume can lead to a departure from natural facial proportions.

What methods can be used in perioral rejuvenation?

Hyaluronic acid fillers can be used in suitable patients to improve the shape and support of the lips or surrounding tissues. The goal is not always to create larger lips.

Botulinum toxin may be considered in selected perioral lines where muscle movement plays a significant role; however, due to the functions of speech, smiling, drinking, and eating, the dose and application points must be carefully planned.

For fine wrinkles, sun damage, and uneven skin texture, fractional lasers, ablative or non-ablative skin rejuvenation techniques, and some microneedling-based applications can be considered.

If skin quality is the primary problem, the treatment plan can be tailored specifically to address hydration, elasticity, and surface texture.

How are perioral lines treated?

Whether the line is visible only during facial expressions, whether it is also present at rest, its depth, sun damage, and loss of structural support in the surrounding area all influence the choice of treatment.

Therefore, there is no single standard procedure for contouring lines around the mouth.

Why can combination therapies be used?

Muscle movement, skin wrinkles, and loss of structural support can all be present in the same individual. In suitable patients, botulinum toxin, fillers, skin rejuvenation, and skin quality improvement treatments can be different parts of the same treatment plan; they do not have to be performed in the same session.

What is the most important factor for a natural outcome?

The treatment should be planned in a way that preserves the patient's own anatomy. More volume doesn't always mean better results. Sometimes the most appropriate treatment involves performing less surgery than the patient initially anticipated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is perioral rejuvenation the same as lip filler? No. Fillers are just one of the methods that can be used.

Does lip filler completely eliminate lines around the mouth? Not always; if the cause of the lines is skin quality or muscle movement, simply adding volume may not be enough.

Can botulinum toxin be injected around the lips? It can be done in selected patients; however, due to functional anatomy, careful planning is required.

Are multiple procedures necessary? Not every patient needs them; a combined or staged approach may be considered if there are different components of aging.

In the perioral region, simply looking at the line is not enough. Lip support, skin quality, muscle movement, and volume loss must be evaluated together; choosing a method based on the underlying problem, rather than applying a single procedure to everyone, yields more natural and safer results.

Dermatologist's Perspective