Your mouth does a lot: singing, smiling, kissing, speaking, laughing... As the years go by, these activities all take their toll.

The first place many women start to see wrinkles and lines is around their mouth. The skin here moves as much as any skin on the face, bending and folding as we exploit its many uses. Sunblock, visors and hats help, however the lower portion of the face usually still suffers greater damage from the sun. Wrinkles are inevitable with all these factors.

Unfortunately, when people look at us, their eyes focus on two things: our eyes and mouth. Bright lipstick brings even more awareness to the mouth area, making those tiny wrinkles seem worse. Once these changes begin, the wrinkles increase around the chin and cheeks. Collagen also disappears, making the entire jaw region slack and flabby.

That's the bad news. Thankfully, we have some remedies.

In days of old, there were fewer methods to address aging skin near the lips. Surgery such as a face lift can't change the quality of skin around the mouth, often leaving this area wrinkled in glaring contrast to an otherwise taut face after a well done procedure. Botox in small quantities can help reduce aggressive lip pursing, but can't treat etched in lines and wrinkles.

As we age, our rate of collagen production slows. Collagen breaks down even faster as the years of sunshine and other environmental damage add up. So, we get wrinkly, lined skin in the end. Over time, we do lose volume in our lips. Reducing sun damage, hydrating and nourishing our bodies, supplementing with omega-3s and antioxidants are all a start. Thankfully, just a small amount of filler improves the skin's contour, while smoothing wrinkles.

Research has now suggested that fuller lips may have as much to do with a woman's perceived age as the appearance of wrinkles. Lip volume begins to decrease once we are in our mid-30s. Most patients want to know how to achieve voluminous, natural lips without going overboard.

Many women are worried about getting "duck lips" or "platypus lips". We've all seen it and no one wants this look! But, if the injector is experienced, natural lips can be created by adding filler in increments.

It is important to know one's personal limits. If you have small lips, you can only enhance them to a degree.

There is more to this than just filling lines around the mouth though. There is a fine balance in the relationship between the face and the mouth. It's important to have an injector who considers this artistically and knows about the anatomy of the face. It is vital to find an injector with experience and artistic talent.