Women Are More Prone to Mouth Wrinkles

It's one of life's small injustices - women are more prone than men to form wrinkles around the mouth. There are a few reasons why:

1. According to a recent analysis by dermatologists in the Netherlands, women have fewer oil-producing sebaceous glands around the upper lip - meaning less oil to keep the skin soft and supple.
2. Women (particularly postmenopausal women) have fewer blood vessels in the upper lip area resulting in less blood flow to the region.
3. The muscles around the mouth are closer to the skin in women than they are in men; this can mean the skin is pulled closer, leading to wrinkles.

Short of cosmetic surgery, there's not much you can do to eliminate wrinkles, but you may be able to minimize them by not smoking, avoiding sun damage and keeping the skin around the mouth well moisturized.

Published 3/11/11 Ask Dr. Weil