Lips & Aging

President Clinton did it in 1996. Hillary did it in 1997. In 1998 and each year until 2014, more than one million Americans will turn 50. Like it or not, baby boomers are getting older.

Aging brings with it wisdom, more leisure time and unfortunately, wrinkles and other maladies.

According to a 1998 survey, roughly half of those aged 35 to 62 consider themselves at least somewhat concerned about aging. The survey also showed that 60 percent of Americans would take steps to look younger. Steps cited include the use of skin products or sunscreen to reduce or prevent wrinkles. More drastically, 12 percent said they would resort to cosmetic surgery to restore their youthful appearance.

What is driving this anti-aging fever? Pressures associated with a competitive workplace make a youthful appearance a business advantage. The desire to look only as old as you feel also is a factor. A recent survey conducted for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that typical boomers "feel" nearly 10 years younger than they actually are.

Changes in Skin as it Ages

The areas most often exposed to the elements, the face and hands, are also the areas most likely to show the first signs of aging. Among the telltale signs are lines that form around the lips. But its the lips themselves that really speak volumes.

"Lips have an extremely thin outer protective layer," explains Dr. Charles Zugerman, associate professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School. "As the body ages, the already thin layer becomes progressively thinner."

"To compound matters, we lose the oil and water barrier that keeps lips hydrated," adds Dr. Zugerman. "Without proper attention, lips can age faster than other areas of skin."

Lips require more moisturizing and conditioning as they get older, therefore it is particularly important to protect aging lips. "Many people are surprised to find out that some cumulative damage to the lips and the skin resulting from years of overexposure to the sun, cold air and harsh weather is actually reversible," says Dr. Zugerman. He suggests reintroducing moisture to lips and then protecting them carefully to minimize, and in some cases even reverse, the effects of aging on the lips.

Blistex Lip Ointment contains medicated ingredients to relieve dryness and cracking and is the only leading lip care ointment that contains moisture to rehydrate dry lip cells.

Protecting lips from the sun is essential. Dr. Zugerman recommends using a product with a sunscreen rating of SPF 15 (15 times lips natural protection) or greater. Two of his favorites are Blistex Ultra Protection, with SPF 30 and six all-season protectants, and Blistex DCT (Daily Conditioning Treatment for Lips) with SPF 20 and Vitamins A and E.

"Collagen is the protein that gives lips body and resilience. Sun damage even if it is not visible on the surface can alter its composition and lead to wrinkles," says Dr. Zugerman.

A New Wrinkle on Lip Wrinkles

Baby boomers are increasingly looking to products with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) to combat their wrinkles. Wrinkles on and around the lips require a delicate touch. But creams containing AHAs formulated for the face are too harsh for sensitive lip skin.

So Blistex created Lip Revitalizer, an alpha hydroxy formula gentle enough for lips. Blistex Lip Revitalizer removes damaged lip cells and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while it moisturizes.

No one can erase all the effects of time, but as baby boomers approach the half-century mark and beyond, they are proving in increasing numbers that you can age gracefully.