TikTok is both a curse and a blessing. For the most part, it’s an amazing place to find beauty tips and tricks guaranteed to make your life easier. On the other hand, it can occasionally be a chore to sort through which hacks really work and which definitely don’t.
As for the latter, we have refuted many claims. There was a time when everyone on the app said you could use calamine lotion as a makeup primer (you shouldn’t), put hemorrhoid cream on your bags under your eyes (please don’t), and finally that you were “working.” You can “pull out” your lips to make them bigger, similar to how you train your muscles by lifting weights.
In a video created by a TikTok user Trinity George Where she shows her exercising her lips, overlaid captions read, “As your muscles get bigger with exercise, so do your lips.” She then sticks out her tongue, sucking in her lips and pressing her lips against her tongue, while holding them for a few seconds. At the same time, she places her fingers on either side of her mouth, which she says helps prevent extra lines or wrinkles. Georg repeats these steps a total of ten times.
@trinhgeorg Reply to @happylittlelovee thanks! Plump in your lips with this simple lip exercise. As your muscles get bigger when you exercise, your lips get bigger too. #Antiaging #faceyoga #trinhgeorg #facial exercise #beauty hacks #lips #lippump
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We’ll be the first to admit that George’s lips are gorgeous — they’re plump and not a single wrinkle — but we’ve wondered how much of that is actually related to facial yoga and how much is the by-product of genetics. Eager to learn more, we asked skincare experts and plastic surgeons to answer all of our burning questions about whether or not “training” your lips could actually increase their volume.
First, what is face yoga?
Facial yoga is a massage technique that promises to stimulate blood flow to the skin and relieve muscle tension. Exercises can include positioning your face a certain way, rubbing your face with your hands, and even specific breathing techniques. Even though a 2018 study found that facial exercises “resulted in improved mean upper and lower cheek fullness”, it also noted that the study “had limitations that may reduce its external validity”.
Can you change the shape or size of your lips with face yoga?
The answer is both yes and no. While you may notice a slight difference in the shape and size of your lips with consistent facial yoga, these changes are temporary. “The increase in lip size from facial yoga comes primarily from a slight swelling that occurs after the soft tissue of the lip has been forcibly manipulated.” Konstantin VasyukevichMD, Plastic Surgeon tells POPSUGAR. Edward ChamataMD, plastic surgeon, agrees, adding: “[The swelling] is significantly reduced and your natural lips will quickly return to normal.”
dr Vasyukevich also says any noticeable difference will fade after an hour, so ultimately it’s not a reliable way to improve the shape or size of your lips long-term. If you’re still interested in testing the theory, it’s worth noting that both Dr. Chamata as well as Dr. Vasyukevich say that repeated facial exercises could potentially cause unnecessary wrinkles. “Vigorous exercise can cause wrinkles around the mouth,” says Dr. Vasyukevich. “Smoker lines are a good example of excessive muscle activity causing wrinkles around the upper lip.”
What Does affect lip size?
The biggest factors affecting lip size are genetics and environmental factors. “Age, genetics, hydration, and life choices will all affect lip size,” says Dr. Chamata. “As we age, we begin to produce less collagen, which is the plumping agent that helps our skin retain its elasticity and look healthy.”
dr Vasyucevich and Dr. Chamata both note that other factors such as smoking and sun damage can also have an impact on lip volume. Since nicotine is irritating to the skin, overexposure can reduce the volume of the lips by affecting small blood vessels and reducing tissue perfusion, as well as causing other types of damage. Additionally, sun damage is known to affect collagen, which also reduces lip volume. If you’re concerned about the size of your lips, it’s important to take the right steps to moisturize and protect yourself. Drink plenty of water, always wear sunscreen (even indoors) and avoid smoking.
What Are Some Proven Ways To Make Lips Bigger?
Both Dr. Chamata as well as Dr. Vasyukevich say that one of the best ways to keep your lips as plump as possible naturally is to stay hydrated. “Staying hydrated and using moisturizing lip balms can help maintain healthy lip volume,” says Dr. Vasyukevich. Other temporary ways to plump up lips can be through the use of stimulating lip products like Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper ($33) or Ourself Lip Filler ($145).
If you’re looking for a longer-term approach to adding volume to your lips, you can always resort to cosmetic procedures like lip plumpers and lip liners. “Studied and proven ways to make your lips fuller are to inflate them with hyaluronic acid dermal fillers or do laser treatments.” Courtney NewlinAesthetic Nurse for skin spirit, tells POPSUGAR. She also adds that resurfacing lasers and neuromodulators can also treat smoker’s lines. Looking for a less invasive treatment? “Fotana’s LipLase laser is an alternative method of building collagen without dermal filler injections,” adds Newlin. The treatment involves no needles or downtime, instead stimulating collagen with a gentle laser system that sweeps across the lips.
Image Credit: Getty/Plume Creative