Muscles surrounding the oral cavity. Muscles surrounding the opening of the mouth Levator anguli oris superioris

The muscles surrounding the oral fissure are divided into two groups: one of them is represented by the orbicularis oris muscle, m. orbicularis oris, the contraction of which narrows the oral fissure, the other - with muscles located radially in relation to the oral fissure, their contraction leads to its expansion.

1. Orbicularis oris muscle, m. orbicularis oris, is formed by circular muscle bundles located in the thickness of the lips. The muscle bundles are tightly fused with the skin. The superficial layers of this muscle include muscle bundles of muscles that approach the oral cavity. The muscle is distinguished between the marginal part, pars marginalis, and the labial part, pars labialis. Action: narrows the mouth opening and pulls the lips forward. Blood supply: aa. labiates, mentalis, infraorbitalis.
2. Zygomaticus major muscle, m. zygomaticus major, starts from the outer surface of the zygomatic bone. Some muscle bundles are a continuation of m. orbicularis oculi. Moving downward and medially, the zygomaticus muscle is woven into the orbicularis oris muscle and the skin of the corner of the mouth. Action: pulls the corner of the mouth upward and outward. Blood supply: aa. infraorbitalis, buccalis.
3. Zygomatic minor muscle, m. zygomaticus minor, starts from the anterior surface of the zygomatic bone. The medial bundles of this head are intertwined with the muscle bundles of m. orbicularis oculi.
4. Muscle levator labii superioris, m. levalor labii superioris, starts from margo infraorbitalis above foramen infraorbitale.
5. Muscle that lifts the upper lip and ala nasi, m. levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, located next to the previous one; starts from the base of the frontal process of the upper jaw. The last three muscles are directed downwards, converge somewhat and form a quadrangular muscle plate, which with its bundles is woven into the skin of the upper lip, partially into the m. orbicularis oris, as well as into the skin of the wing of the nose. Action: lifts the upper lip and tightens the wing of the nose. Blood supply: aa. infraorbitalis, labialis superior, angularis.
6. Levator anguli oris muscle, m. levator anguli oris, located deeper than the previous one. It begins below the foramen infraorbitale from fossa canina and, going down, is woven into the skin of the corner of the mouth and m. orbicularis oris.Action: pulls the corner of the mouth upward and outward. Blood supply: aa. infraorbitalis, buccalis.
7. Buccal muscle, m. buccinator, the muscle of trumpeters, begins from the crista buccinatoria mandibulae, the pterygomandibular suture of the raphe pterygomandibularis, as well as from the outer surface of the upper and lower jaws in the area of ​​the alveoli of the second large molars. Moving forward, the bundles of m. buccinator pass into the upper and lower lips, and are also woven into the skin of the lips, the corner of the mouth and the mucous membrane of the vestibule of the mouth. The fatty body of the cheek, corpus adiposum buccae, is adjacent to the outer surface of the muscle, and the mucous membrane of the vestibule of the mouth is adjacent to the inner surface. At the level of the anterior edge of the masticatory muscle, m. masseter, the middle sections of the buccal muscle are pierced by the excretory duct of the parotid gland, ductus parotideus. Action: pulls the corner of the mouth to the side, with bilateral contraction, stretches the oral fissure, presses the inner surface of the cheeks to the teeth. Blood supply: a. buccalis.
8. Laughter muscle, m. risorius, inconstant, is partly a continuation of the fascicles of platysma; Some of the muscle bundles originate from the chewing fascia, fascia masseterica, and the skin of the nasolabial fold area. Heading to the medial side, the muscle bundles m. risorius are woven into the skin of the corner of the mouth. Action: pulls the corner of the mouth to the lateral side. Blood supply: aa. facialis, transversa faciei, buccalis, infraorbitalis.
9. Muscle depressor anguli oris, m. depressor anguli oris, begins with a wide base from the anterior surface of the lower jaw, below the mental foramen. Heading upward, the muscle narrows, reaches the corner of the mouth, where part of the tufts are woven into its skin, and partly into the thickness of the upper lip and m. levator anguli oris. Action: pulls the corner of the mouth downwards and outwards. Blood supply: aa. labialis inferior, mentalis, submentalis.
10. Muscle depressing the lower lip, m. depressor labii inferioris, somewhat covered by the previous one. It starts from the front surface of the lower jaw, above the beginning of the previous muscle, anterior to the foramen mentale, goes up and is woven into the skin of the lower lip and chin. Medial muscle bundles at the bottom

Lips give us a lot of trouble. The circular muscle, which encircles the oral cavity in a ring, is not attached to any bone, but more than a dozen other muscles are woven into it. This “floating” position of the orbicularis oris muscle allows us to articulate and express emotions, but it is also a provoking factor for wrinkles. Especially if you have bad facial habits (pursing your lips) or everyday habits (smoking, drinking a cocktail through a straw).

Orbicularis oris:

Over time, the orbicularis oris muscle shrinks and decreases in size - and as a result, the red border of the lips decreases, the lips themselves become narrow, and purse-string wrinkles form around them (just across the muscle fibers).
Our task is to strengthen the orbicularis oris muscle, improve its blood circulation and nutrition, then the result will be smoothing of the skin. An exercise that I call “Proboscis” copes well with this task - because in it the lips are pulled forward with a wide proboscis.

But first, warm up!

Warm up for lips

1. Holding the corners of your lips with your fingers (to prevent wrinkles from forming), wrap your lips over your teeth and pat your lips. From 10 to 20 times.
2. Without removing your fingers, make an open “O” with your lips, then an open “E”. While articulating strongly, silently pronounce O-E. From 10 to 20 times.
***************
Strengthening the orbicularis oris muscle: exercise “Proboscis”

Initial position: sitting or standing, the spine is straightened as in the “String” exercise. The muscles of the cranial vault are pulled back and upward. Tighten your lips and extend them with a wide “proboscis”. Place the fingers of both hands on your lips: index fingers on the top, thumbs on the bottom (photo on the left).

Performance: We “press” our fingers into the area around the mouth, directing the movement strictly perpendicular to the teeth, causing the lips to turn out slightly and separate from the teeth (photo on the right).
Start with 10 pressures, pause for 10 seconds. and press again ten times. Gradually increase the number of presses and bring them to 20 in each approach.

Important! Do not relax the tension of your lips - when pressing, your lips should maintain the shape of a ring. If they have lost this shape and are almost closed, this means that you have relaxed the muscle tension. Tighten your lips again and restore shape.

Safety precautions: When stretching your lips, do not make a “chicken tail” out of them, form a wide ring, making sure that wrinkles do not form on the upper lip. The fingers make short, strong movements strictly perpendicular to the plane of the teeth, without displacing the skin.

If something doesn't work out for you, start with a simplified version of the exercise.

A simplified version of the “Proboscis” exercise

Performance: Tighten your lips and stretch them out with a wide “proboscis”, as if you want to “stick” to the mirror with the inner surface of your lips. Hold your lips tense for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat. Start with 5 repetitions, gradually increase to 10.

Relaxation: after performing the exercise, blow through relaxed lips with the sound “Pffff”, as if blowing away an invisible fluff. Do a finger shower for the area around the lips.
***************

And very important advice! We often unconsciously purse our lips, which causes the appearance and deepening of wrinkles around the mouth. Make it a rule to “keep your mouth shut”: when you are not speaking, raise the tip of your tongue to the upper palate and place it behind your upper teeth on your gums. You will feel that it is almost impossible to tense your lips in this position. And your face will immediately appear softer and younger.

Good luck!

Yulia Zartayskaya, your face culture instructor

Patients, especially women, often come to cosmetology clinics and offices with such an aesthetic problem as drooping corners of the lips, which give the face a dull and sometimes angry expression.

The main reasons for changes in facial contours and features are gravitational forces and age-related tissue changes, which manifest themselves in different ways for everyone, but mainly at a young age - from 25-30 years. If it is impossible to influence gravity, then everyone can slow down the manifestation of age-related processes. What to do if the corners of your mouth are drooping?

Brief anatomy of facial muscles

The shape of the lips and their positioning depend mainly on several groups of facial muscles. You need to know the principle of their anatomy in order to correctly imagine how to raise the corners of your lips. In the thickness of the lips there are fibers of the circular muscle that border the oral cavity. It does not have bone fixation points, and therefore is especially mobile. Its function is to narrow the mouth gap and pull the lips forward in the form of a “tube”. The fibers of most other facial muscles are woven into it, forming the buccal base.

In this regard, the tone and contractions of the orbicularis muscle are reflected in the others, the main of which are:

• The levator anguli oris, which, fixed to the bone under the orbit in the area of ​​the “canine fossa,” is directed downward, where its fibers are woven into the orbicularis muscle and the skin of the corners of the mouth. When it contracts, the latter rise upward.
• Depressing angle of the lips - has a wide base, which is fixed along the anterior surface of the lower jaw, slightly below the mental foramen, is directed upward in the form of a triangle and, having reached the corner of the mouth, is divided into bundles. One part of them is woven into the muscle that lifts the corner of the mouth and into the upper lip, the other into the skin of the corner of the mouth. When these muscles contract, the corners of the mouth are drawn down, giving the face a sad expression, and the nasolabial fold becomes straight.
• The laughter muscle (not present in everyone) - one part of its fibers begins from the fascia of the masticatory muscle and the skin in the area of ​​the nasolabial fold. Bundles of its fibers are directed towards the midline and are woven into the upper lip, a muscle that raises the angle and the skin in the same area. In addition to the fact that the muscle stretches the mouth during laughter, its contraction forms a dimple in the corner of the mouth.
• Incisive muscle - starts from the upper dental sockets, “goes” downwards and attaches to the circular muscle and the skin of the corner. When it contracts, the latter moves upward and inward.

The structure of the muscles of the perioral region

How to correct an aesthetic defect? Understanding the anatomical principles is especially important in cases where gymnastics is performed for the drooping corners of the mouth. Mimic muscles of unidirectional action have a common resultant force. Gradually, the tone of one group prevails over the tone of the other and does not correspond to what is necessary.

Due to the uneven tone of individual muscle groups and impaired biomechanics of contractions, microcirculation deteriorates and blood redistribution occurs. This leads to even greater spasm of some muscle fibers and relaxation of others, as a result of which disturbances in the position and coloring of the lips and the formation of wrinkles develop and become increasingly intensified.

Is it possible to remove drooping corners of the mouth?

This aesthetic defect can be corrected in various ways. The main ones:

1. Massage and exercises (recommended as a preventive measure and for minor changes).
2. Injection techniques (introduction of hyaluronic acid fillers and botulinum toxin-based drugs).
3. Plastic surgery methods.

Massage and exercises against drooping corners of the mouth

The procedures can be carried out separately, but it is advisable to combine them by performing a massage before starting the exercises. For greater effect, in order to relax spasmodic muscles, increase the tone of relaxed muscles and improve blood circulation in them, it is necessary to take a steam bath for the face for 10 minutes or apply a hot compress. 5 minutes before the massage, apply moisturizer or vegetable oil.

Using the pads of the thumbs, placed perpendicular to the skin slightly above the corners of the lips, painless pressure (acupressure) is applied for 3 to 7 seconds. You can also massage in a circular motion from the sides of the mouth down to the lower jaw (7 times).

Another massage exercise - with the middle and ring fingers of both hands, with light pressure, hold the tissue in the middle of the chin for 3 seconds, then, without releasing the pressure, slowly move your fingers around the lips and connect them in the center of the upper lip (7-10 times ). After the massage, a superficial warm-up is carried out, which consists of lightly closing the lips and opening them during a short exhalation, as when pronouncing the sound “p” (up to 5-10 times).

Exercises

An example of a set of such exercises:

1. Smile, but only from the corners. Pull them up and at the same time to the sides, feeling their displacement to the infraorbital zone. In this case, the middle area should be relaxed (10 times).
2. Using the pads of four fingers, except the first, fix the nasolabial area along the nasolabial fold - from the wings of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Move the latter upwards, exerting resistance with your fingers. You can open your lips a little so that their middle sections are not tense. Do the exercises slowly several times at first to feel the muscle contraction, and then gradually increase the pace. Repeat the exercise 30 times, making a short static delay on the last count, then relax, exhaling like a “horse snort.”
3. Exercise in the horizontal direction. To do this, the index and ring fingers, closed together, are placed “edge” on the corners of the mouth (the index finger is adjacent to the skin), slightly pressing them. Only with them make a thin long smile, offering resistance with the installed fingers, then move the latter with a rolling motion to the middle so that the ring finger is on the skin, preventing the corners from moving, and return the fingers to their original position in the same way (repeat the exercise 10 times).
4. Work in a vertical position. Place the brushes horizontally at the sides of the cheeks, place the pads of the outstretched index and ring fingers, lightly pressing the tissues, on the upper and lower lips (respectively) in the corner area. Collect the latter into “lumps” and try to lift them upward, and then release them, removing the pressure of the corresponding finger (upper and lower alternately in time with the movements). Repeat the exercise 10 times.
5. Place the index and ring fingers on the upper and lower lips on both sides, closing the fingers of the same name in the center. After this, lightly press on the tissue so that the lips turn outward slightly, and move your fingers in a slow sliding motion from the middle to the top and to the sides towards the temporal region. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Injection procedures

Contour plastic

With more pronounced changes, drooping corners of the mouth can be tightened using a cosmetic injection technique, for which they are used. The effect of the procedure lasts for 6 months. up to 1 year. For this purpose, the tissues in the problem area are slightly collected with two fingers to reveal a fold directed towards the lower jaw.

A hyaluronic acid filler is injected into it, into the area of ​​several (2-3) horizontal lines perpendicular to the fold and directed from it to the center, as well as into the area of ​​the arc connecting the upper and lower lips in the form of a bracket and passing through the corner. This injection technique is called the “Mona Lisa Smile.” Additionally, the drug is injected into the area of ​​the nasolabial fold.

The lips are covered with thickened skin with a large number of sebaceous glands. The skin on the lips of men has hair,
women - fluff. On the lips themselves, the skin turns into a non-keratinizing epithelium, through which the venous network is visible, creating a red border. Behind the moderately pronounced subcutaneous tissue there are muscles (Fig. 33) surrounding the oral fissure and determining its position. The skin of the lips behind the red border passes into the mucous membrane of the vestibule of the mouth.

Rice. 33. Muscles of the mouth area:
1 - m. zygomaticus minor; 2 - m. levator labii superior; 3 - m. levator labii superior alaque nasi; 4 - m. orbicularis oris, pars marginalis; 5 - m. orbicularis oris, pars labialis; 6 - depressor labii inferior; 7 - m. mentalis; 8 - m. depressor anguli oris: 9 - m. zygomaticus major; 10 - ductus parotideus; 11 - m. buccinator; 12 - the coronoid process of the lower jaw is cut off. 13 - raphe pterygomandibularis; 14 - m. pterygoideus medialis; 15 - pterygoid process; 16 - m. pterygoideus lateralis; 17 - the zygomatic arch is cut off.

In the thickness of the lips there is a circular muscle of the mouth (m. orbicularis oris), which is divided into labial and marginal, or facial, parts (Charley). The first part is located within the red border, the second - in the area of ​​​​the lips lined with skin. The labial part is represented by circular muscle fibers - the sphincter, and the facial part is formed from an interweaving of circular fibers and muscle bundles that extend from the oral opening to the places of fixation on the bones of the skeleton.

When the group of circular mice contracts, it closes the mouth opening, presses the lips to the teeth, and reduces the visible part of the red border. With isolated contraction of the peripheral part of the orbicularis muscle, the lips protrude forward, the visible part of the red border increases, promoting the opening of the oral fissure. The orbicularis muscle is involved in the act of eating and producing sounds. Of the muscles that follow from the orbicularis oris muscle to the places of bone fixation, we will point out the main ones.

The muscle that lifts the upper lip (m. levator labii superior, s. caput infraorbitale m. quadratus labii superior) starts from the lower edge of the orbit and the beginning of the zygomatic process of the upper jaw, follows down and is attached to the skin of the upper lip. When contracting, raises the upper lip, except for the corner of the mouth. Gives an expression of sadness to the face, crying.

The muscle that lifts the upper lip and wing of the nose (m. levator labii superior alaeque nasi, s. caput angulare m. quadrati labii superior) starts from the lower edge of the orbit and the frontal process of the upper jaw, goes down and is attached to the skin of the upper lip. By contracting, the muscle raises the upper lip and wings of the nose.

The levator anguli oris muscle (m. levator anguli oris, s. caninus) starts from fossa canina under the for. infraorbitale of the upper jaw, follows with the previously mentioned muscles to the corner of the mouth. Contracting, it pulls the corner of the mouth obliquely to the side and... up.

The zygomatic minor muscle (m. zygomaticus minor, s. caput zygomaticus m. quadrati labii superior) starts from the buccal surface of the zygomatic bone, follows down and inward and is attached to the corner of the mouth. When contracting, it raises the corner of the mouth, making the expression of sadness, crying, and tenderness more pronounced. Artists call this group of muscles “crying muscles.”

The zygomaticus major muscle (m. zygomaticus major) starts from the buccal surface of the zygomatic bone, follows down and inward and is attached to the skin of the corner of the mouth. By contracting, the muscle pulls the corner of the mouth and the nasolabial fold upward and backward, stretching the oral fissure. Participates in the expression of laughter (m. risorius - “laughing muscle”).

The buccal muscle (m. buccinator) starts from the pterygomaxillary suture and the alveolar processes of the jaws in the area of ​​the molars along with the buccal ridge of the lower jaw and is attached to the skin of the corner of the mouth and to the muscles of the upper and lower lips with partial decussation of muscle fibers at the corner of the mouth. Contraction of the muscle leads to a transverse expansion of the oral fissure and takes part in the act of spitting or blowing air from the oral cavity (“pipe muscle”).

The muscle that lowers the lower lip (m. depressor labii inferior, s. quadratus labii inferior) starts from the lower edge of the lower jaw, outward from the mental tubercle and is attached along the entire length of the lower lip. During contractions, it pulls the lower lip down and moves the corner of the mouth outward. The visible part of the red border of the lip increases, the lip turns out and the chin-labial fold stands out. Facial expressions reflect disgust and disgust.

The depressor anguli oris muscle, or triangular muscle of the mouth (m. depressor anguli oris, s. triangularis oris), starts from the lower edge of the lower jaw outward from the mental tubercle and is attached to the corner of the mouth and adjacent areas of the upper and lower lips. It partially overlaps the previous muscle. The muscle moves the corner of the mouth and the upper parts of the nasolabial fold down and back; simultaneous muscle contraction helps close the mouth gap, and a limited one reproduces an expression of sadness and a more pronounced expression of contempt.

The subcutaneous muscle of the neck (m. platysma) lines with a thin layer almost the entire anterior region of the neck and with its bundles, extending to the face, is woven into the muscles of the corner of the mouth. By contracting, it helps to shift the latter to the side and down.

The development of oral facial muscles varies, which, together with the individual qualities of the facial skeleton, creates different shapes of the mouth. With hyperplasia of the mucous glands and submucosal tissue, a protrusion of the area of ​​the mucous membrane adjacent to the red border is formed. A double lip is created, more typical of the upper lip (labium duplex).

The branches of the facial artery pass through the thickness of the lips: the upper and lower arteries of the lips (aa. labialis superior et inferior). They are located on the border of the posterior and middle quarters of the thickness of the lips, closer to the mucous membrane, at a distance of 6-7 mm from the free edge (A. A. Bobrov) and form a ring, ensuring good blood flow. Additionally, the lips receive blood from the small branches of a. infraorbitalis and a. mentalis. Veins are areas of the same name as arteries and accompany them.

The lymphatic vessels of the lips drain lymph to the submandibular and, in addition, to the buccal, parotid, superficial and deep cervical lymph nodes. Vessels from the middle part of the lower lip carry lymph to the mental nodes. The lymphatic vessels of both sides of the lips widely anastomose with each other. Therefore, the pathological process can cause reactions in the lymph nodes of the other side, which forces the submandibular lymph nodes on both sides to be removed for cancer of the lower lip.

The skin of the lips is innervated by the upper labial nerves (branches of the infraorbital), lower labial (branches of the mental) and in the area of ​​the corners of the mouth - branches of the buccal nerve.

The shape and size of both the mouth and lips varies. If embryonic development is abnormal, their pathological structure is observed.

The face of the embryo is formed from 5 processes or tubercles: a single frontal and paired maxillary and mandibular. These processes limit the naso-oral fossa. By the end of the second month of uterine life, the frontal process, descending, creates the nose and philtrum of the lip, fuses with the maxillary processes and forms the upper lip and upper jaw, and the lower processes, connecting, form the lower lip and lower jaw. In addition, the frontal process divides into nasal processes and forms the nostrils and the middle part of the upper jaw or premaxillary fossa. Between the mentioned processes there are clefts: median, transverse and oblique clefts of the face and lateral clefts of the upper lip. Schematic drawings give an idea of ​​what has been said (Fig. 34).

Rice. 34. Scheme of the formation of the human face, embryo (I) and hard palate according to Stones (II).
1.1 - frontal process; 2 - maxillary process; 3 - mandibular process; 4 - naso-oral fossa: 5 - median facial cleft; 6 - transverse cleft face; 7 - oblique facial cleft; 8 - peephole; 9 - external nasal process; 10 - internal nasal process; 11 - primary nasal opening. II 1 - nasal septum; 2 - palatal plates; 3 - language. A - palatal plates stand vertically on the sides of the tongue; B - palatal plates have taken a horizontal position; B - palatal plates are fused together.

In cases where the processes do not fully or partially fuse with each other, congenital deformity occurs - cleft lip, face and palate. When tissues are not fused only in certain layers, they speak of hidden clefts. The most common non-union of the external and internal nasal processes is the preservation of the lateral cleft lip (“cleft lip”). The defect corresponds to the position of the 2nd incisor; it can be bilateral or unilateral, most often on the left. The gap is distinguished between partial, which does not penetrate into the nasal cavity, and complete, which opens into this cavity. Among other rare malformations of the lip, we will also point out the following: 1) congenital underdevelopment (shortening) of the middle part of the upper lip - brachycheilia; 2) significant fusion of the lateral parts of the lips, reducing the oral gap - microstoma; 3) absence of lips - acheilia; 4) absence of an oral fissure - atresia.

Failure of fusion of the maxillary and mandibular tubercles leads to the formation of a pathological, large mouth - macrostomia. The transverse cleft can extend to the temporal region, often reaching the masticatory muscle, leading to drooling.

Failure of fusion of the maxillary and frontal processes leads to the persistence of an oblique facial cleft - coloboma. The gap passes through the upper lip, cheek and lower eyelid.

The median facial cleft corresponds to the midline of the body and can be on the upper and lower lip, it can extend to the upper jaw.

Bartsok-gymnastics course for the face

Maybe you want to remove wrinkles above the upper lip, achieve lip augmentation at home, or tighten sagging lips. All this can be done with just one exercise for the lips, more precisely, for the orbicularis oris muscle. Proper lip gymnastics is more effective than injections or surgery, as it creates not only a visible lip shape, but also improves the quality of the skin, making it more elastic and less susceptible to wrinkles. In addition, restoring or enlarging lips at home is a pleasant, face-toning exercise.

To prepare and perform the exercise, you need a mirror, attention and careful monitoring of the workout, as well as a clean face and hands. To learn how to perform the exercise correctly, without the risk of harming yourself, you will need 20-30 minutes. The exercise in the future will take about 1 minute, or a minute and a half if using audio support.

What this lip exercise can do for you:

• prevent or remove wrinkles above the upper lip;
• prevent lip thinning, achieve lip enlargement at home;
• remove sagging lips, eliminate wrinkles on the lips, improve the shape and color of the lips, eliminate their laxity.

The proposed lip exercise is done in an isometric form: strengthening the orbicularis oris muscle should occur without stretching the skin.

The orbicularis oris muscle is located around the mouth opening, being the basis of the structure of the lips. The muscle closes the mouth, pulls the lips forward, and provides the shape of the lips. Origin and insertion of the orbicularis oris muscle: the skin of the corner of the mouth and the skin at the midline of the mouth. When tense, the muscle contracts towards the center of the mouth.

Closing your mouth and pursing your lips, tensing the orbicularis oris muscle, is not the same thing. Pursed lips indicate that the person is dissatisfied and frowning. Often pursed lips indicate a person's closed nature.

The lips are compressed due to the formation of folds of skin above the upper lip. This also applies only to slightly compressed lips, if they do not relax after compression, maintaining residual tension for a long time. Over time, they can turn into early wrinkles. Thus, if, unbeknownst to yourself, you often purse your lips, then soon you will have to decide how to remove wrinkles above the upper lip.

If the lips are compressed extremely rarely, then they begin to lose their shape, becoming pale, flaccid and increasingly thin. Weakening and sagging, the orbicularis oris muscle creates the effect of sagging lips, stretches and wrinkles the skin above the upper lip and it ceases to be smooth and elastic.

Isometric exercise does not create such a danger. In addition, this lip gymnastics exercise is much more energetic.

Regular training of the orbicularis oris muscle without stretching the skin will make it stronger, restore shape and color to the lips, increase the elasticity of the skin around the mouth and prevent or reduce wrinkles above the upper lip. By learning to control this muscle, you can easily release residual muscle tension and use the muscle freely without fear of premature wrinkles.

Preparing for a lip gymnastics exercise.

Look at yourself in the mirror and squeeze your lips forcefully towards the center without pulling them forward. The mirror will reflect an expression of disbelief.

Now try to squeeze your lips together as hard as you can. Press your index or middle fingers flat (you can do both at once) to the edges of your lips, and gently, but firmly, pull your lips to the sides with your fingers so that the lips can return to their normal length. The lips need to be stretched exactly to their normal length so that folds do not form on the cheeks. This will make your lips look tight and flat. Feel and remember the force that your fingers had to apply now, and relax your lips.

To prevent the formation of folds on the cheeks, it is more convenient to perform the exercise in reverse order. To do this, use the acquired skill. Place your fingers on the edges of your lips and try to compress your lips towards the center, but use your fingers to gently press on the skin so that your lips cannot close. The lips should become tense and flat, but not change their length. In this case, folds on the cheeks should not form. The face remains calm, all facial muscles, except the orbicularis, are relaxed.

Remembering to carefully monitor what is happening with the help of a mirror, repeat this technique several times to adapt to the correct and confident execution of the exercise, helping to contract the orbicularis oris muscle mentally and starting to tense it simultaneously with inhalation. As you exhale, relax your lips, moving your fingers slightly away from the skin. Feel the relaxation spreading from the corners of your mouth to the periphery of your face.

Performing lip gymnastics exercises.

While looking at yourself in the mirror, place your fingers on the edges of your lips. The fingers lie softly and only press slightly inward.

In this exercise, you should try to move your lips towards the center as much as possible, but your fingers should press down the skin at the edges of the lips so that the corners of the mouth remain in place.

Helping mentally, simultaneously with inhalation, increase the strength of squeezing your lips to the limit. Count down 6 seconds to yourself and relax your lips at the same time as you exhale, moving your fingers slightly away from your lips.

Repeat the exercise 4-5 more times with breaks of 2-3 seconds between tensions.

You must learn to feel well not only the tension, but also the relaxation of the orbicularis oris muscle: try after each approach to feel the relaxation that spreads from the edges of the lips to the periphery of the face.

During the exercises, carefully watch your face: all other facial muscles should remain relaxed, new folds should not appear on the face or existing folds should deepen.

Perhaps it would be convenient for you to practice with audio accompaniment, reminding you of what you need to pay attention to when doing lip gymnastics. “Audio Support: Orbicularis Oris Exercise” is designed for such an activity.

If this lip gymnastics exercise caused you difficulties, you can take the lesson you need from a trainer via Skype.

About the regularity of training.

To remove wrinkles above the upper lip, achieve lip enlargement at home, eliminate sagging lips, or to return lips to their shape and color, it is advisable to train 5-6 times a week. To remove wrinkles above the upper lip or sagging lips, to obtain lip augmentation at home in a short time, you need to gradually, over 2-4 weeks, increase the number of repetitions of tension to 10-12. With such training, a visible effect can be achieved after 2-3 months of training.

To prevent wrinkles and thinning lips, and maintain normal blood circulation, it is enough to exercise 1-2 times a week.

Training the orbicularis oris muscle will give you the ability to easily express and use emotions without the fear of getting wrinkles, as your skin will become more elastic.