February is known as the “Month of Love” with thoughts of pink hearts, chocolates, wine, flowers and… sweet kisses…but the weather this time of year can be rough on your lips. Harsh cold, windy and dry climate can make lips very uncomfortable. Whether you received a Davinci Plastic certificate for Valentine’s day or not, one of the easiest, fastest ways reverse the signs of aging is to choose kissable, full lips. Get those luscious lips by taking extra care of them and giving them that sexy boost of fullness with JUVÉDERM®. Here are some ideas for keeping your lips kissable for Valentine’s Day and through the rest of the winter weather.
Exfoliate
Dry lips can crack and get flakey. This is not only makes for a self conscious kisser, but can be very uncomfortable. A simple homemade honey sugar scrub can gently remove the rough skin. At the beginning of your lip repairing regimen, every night gently rub the mix on your lips then rinse. Once the damage is under control, this can be used once or twice a week for maintenance.
Here’s why you should use sugar as the exfoliator:
- It has rounder granules that are more gentle.
- Sugar is less drying than salt.
- It contains a natural form of glycolic acid, which is alpha hydroxy acid to help smooth the fresh new skin once the rough top layer is removed.
Restore and Protect
After exfoliating, you may still need to repair or reinforce the health of your lips. You do this many ways:
- Rest a green tea bag on your lips to revitalize your skin. Steep the bag in hot water, squeeze out the extra water, let it cool a little and then hold the warm bag against your lips for about three to five minutes. The high antioxidant levels in green tea make it a great choice.
- Use a vitamin enriched moisturizer on your lips. Moisturizers aren’t just for the rest of the body, they’re good for all skin. The essential vitamins A, B and E can help you retain moisture in your lips. As an alternative you can directly apply vitamin E to sore, cracked lips, but even though it has great healing power, be warned that it doesn’t taste or smell great. Alternatively, both almond and coconut oil can help moisturize your skin and they have a pleasant taste and smell.
- Staying hydrated is one of the best ongoing ways to restore and maintain the health of all your skin, including your lips. Pale and dry lips are often a tell tale sign of not drinking enough water.
- Protect your lips from sun and wind burn with an SPF and wind guarding clothes like a scarf. This can help maintain the daily preparations you’ve made to make sure you have soft, smooth lips.
Fill
Along with the environment, age can take its toll on your lips. Everyone wants full, plush, kissable lips. Fortunately, I can help with that part of the lip rejuvenation. JUVÉDERM® is an injectable filler that can replenish the fullness of your youthful lips or even add volume you’ve always wanted but never had. With an expert eye for lip proportion and facial balance, we can help give you gorgeous lips for sexy, confident kissers.
Let us help you love your kissable lips during this “Month of Love.” Contact our office by calling 202.966.9590 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your appointment today.
Steven Davison M.D.
Board Certified Plastic/Reconstructive Surgeon
