Do straws cause wrinkles? Experts weigh in.
As people strive to fight the clock and stay as young as possible, it is not unusual for them to attempt some pretty far-fetched treatments and products in the name of staying youthful. An example would be the growing popularity of special straws designed to prevent wrinkles.
In a video posted on TikTok, TikTok user Rachel Madison Carlisle explained in a now-viral video that she purchased an anti-wrinkle straw (£15) in order to maintain a youthful appearance. It is presumably designed so that your mouth remains neutral while drinking your favorite drinks, rather than being completely vertical.
In spite of its resemblance to bendy straws, the product itself raises more questions than answers within the anti-aging discussion. One of the questions is whether this is an issue you should be concerned with in the first place. Two dermatologists have provided information on whether straws actually cause wrinkles and how you can prevent early signs of aging around the mouth.
Do straws cause wrinkles?
The answer is yes. "The muscles pulling on the skin are essentially what causes wrinkles," dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD, FAAD, explains to POPSUGAR. "Repetitive movements can cause wear and tear on the skin.".
Don't fret if you frequently drink straws (frowing also causes wrinkles)—they won't likely appear for a while. "It would take quite a few years of drinking from a straw frequently throughout the day for them to appear," says Serena Mraz, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Solano Dermatology and Associates. You'll start showing lines if you start in your teens or 20s, especially if you start losing collagen in your skin as you age.”
Do anti-wrinkle straws work?
There's nothing wrong with anti-wrinkle straws, but they don't do all the work when it comes to preventing wrinkles. "While they may reduce the amount of pinching and wrinkles, they don't negate or get rid of oral wrinkles," Dr. Henry says. "They'll still happen, just at a slower or less aggressive pace.”
In fact, anti-wrinkle straws would only address a small part of the problem since drinking isn't the only cause of lines around the mouth. "The truth of the matter is that time spent drinking through straws, in most cases, contributes very little to repeated muscle action as a contributing factor to wrinkles," said Dr. Mraz. It is more likely that factors like age, sun exposure, and genetics affect the appearance of lines around the mouth.
How to prevent wrinkles from straws
It is possible to slow down the effects of using normal straws over time if you are not interested in anti-wrinkle straws. "Avoidance or minimization of the pursing motion may delay lip-line formation marginally," Dr. Mraz says. However, avoiding smoking, practicing sun protection, and applying effective skin care are more effective uses of one's energy.
There are also more intensive measures Dr. Mraz recommends, including products like Wrinkles Schminkles Mouth and Lip Wrinkle Patches (£30) and cosmetic treatments such as Botox, Dysport, or Daxxify. "They can effectively stave off and even reverse the 'bar code' lines and other wrinkles around the mouth with regular use," says Dr. Mraz. In particular, neuromodulators can be helpful for people who have strong sphincter muscles of expression because they can weaken overly active muscles around the mouth.
However, the little lines may still appear around the mouth due to genetic predisposition. It's a privilege to be able to age.
Contact us for more information. We are able to provide you with a less expensive method for achieving your goals.
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