Lips are one of the four nerve centres of beauty in a woman. They
enhance her beauty and add to her sex appeal. 
But beauty is only one aspect of our lips. The health aspect is equally
important and cannot be ignored. So care should be taken when we exploit
our lips, overburdening them with lipsticks. And, of course, cigarettes
should be avoided if we want our lips to retain their allure even
as we age.
With ageing, our mouth seems to disappear if not highlighted. It's
not an optical illusion. As we mature, we experience a natural loss
of lip pigment due to sun damage and, as a result, the outer layers
of the skin slough off. At the same time, we lose lip volume, which
accentuates the loss of pigment. Since our lips begin to narrow, their
fullness is lost, and hence, the loss of colour is more palpable.
A reliable method of preventing the loss of lip pigment is use of
a strong sunscreen, with a sun-proof factor of at least 15. The use
of a mild-formula Retin A or an exfoliant to reduce sun damage can
also help retain lip pigment. Though it won't reverse or completely
prevent the problem, it can slow pigment loss.
A little bit of collagen can help restore loss of lip substance, giving
them the required shape. Some people may be allergic to collagen,
so it's important that your dermatologist checks before injecting
it into the lip area.
 Quit
smoking because it does long term damage to the lips, staining them
forever. Constant puffing also wrinkles the upper lip. Some women
have even taken to tattooing their lips to add definition, but this
can be harmful in the long run. As one ages, the tattoo on the body
wears off and becomes irregular. Though the body tans, the tattoo
doesn't. The risks of infection and scarring also are possible.
Because the lip is sensitive, gentle products should be used on this
area. Dermatologists recommend applying mild-formula Retin A or Vitamin
C with L-ascorbic acid anti-aging cream on the lips every alternate
night. Saliva neutralises small amounts of a product that are accidentally
ingested. It's basically the same product that we use on the rest
of our face.
Lipstick is a pre-requisite for make-up. For added protection, look
for lipsticks that contain sunscreen. Avoid using transfer-resistant
lipsticks as they might contain silicon, which might stain your lips
forever.
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11:58:41 PM 
