Get pout-worthy pink lips with these remedies and treatments

Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia tells us how to lighten dark lips.

By: Dr Kiran Lohia | | Updated: December 23, 2014 11:07 am

Feel that your lips are too dark compared to your face? Want a perfect, pink pout? You are not alone. Millions of women worldwide are not happy with the colour of their lips. So, look no further for your dermatologist-recommended tips to lighten your lips.

Stop licking your lips

A lot of people with dry lips will have excess skin that makes the pout look rough, uneven and discoloured. Unfortunately, this is caused by or worsened by licking your lips. While it may feel like moistening your lips with saliva will help moisturise them, the fact is it will make your lips drier. And this repetitive habit will cause friction and irritation while also worsening your dryness. And, worst of all, it can cause darkening of the lips and surrounding skin. If you stop this habit you will notice that your lips will look much better over time.

Apply lip balm

Instead of licking your lips, you can start applying a lip balm. It will help create a barrier from the environment, preventing your lips from losing their natural moisture. It will also give it the much-needed hydration. The best part is, you can apply lip balm as many times a day as you need to get soft and kissable lips that are lighter and pinker. Here’s how to choose the right shade of lipstick for dark lips.

Protect them from sun exposure

It is important to remember that lips can get tanned too! In fact, the sun can damage the skin on the lips making them appear darker and rougher. So add a sunblock to your lip routine. Look for a lip balm with SPF30, and apply it at least 5-6 times a day to make sure it does not wear off. (Read: 4 ways you can get fuller, sexier lips!)

Remove dead skin cells

To remove dead and dark skin from your lips, you can try some natural remedies at home. First of all, you can gently rub your lips with your toothbrush every morning. Make sure your lips are wet, and then softly rub the bristles of your toothbrush along your lips to get rid of that dead skin. (Read: 6 home remedies to heal dry, chapped lips)

Use a home-made lip scrub

Another option is to create your own lip scrub. You can mix sugar, honey and olive oil and apply it to the lips as a gentle scrub and then wash it off. Do this a few times a week and be amazed at the results. You could also try this pomegranate lip scrub to lighten lips.

Try dermatologist-recommended treatments

If natural remedies do not work, then you can try Pixel Perfect or Clearlift Lasers to lighten dark lips. These safe and painless procedures use a targeted light therapy to attack the darkened areas of your lips. Typically, Pixel Perfect requires 2-4 sittings as it works to exfoliate the darkened areas. So the number of sittings depends on how dark your lips are.

With Clearlift, you are directly targeting the cells that make melanin or pigment so it may take longer. But, you will also see an improvement in the lines on the lips. Both these treatments range from Rs 3,000-4,000 per sitting and do not have many side-effects if you use sun protection. Talk to a certified dermatologist about it to learn more. Here are tips to get rid of smokers’ dark lips, naturally.

Photo source: Getty images

Published : December 22, 2014 6:03 pm | Updated:December 23, 2014 11:07 am

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