Study finds fuller, firmer lips make women look younger
Last updated 1/18/2010 11:35:11 AM
Study finds fuller firmer lips make women look younger
Get pouting girls! Latest research suggests that women who have fuller and firmer lips are seen as younger than they really are.
Scientist David Gunn,from Unilever, believes that even with the other tell-tale signs of ageing like wrinkes and grey hair, a plump pout can shed years.
"When we identified people who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips," David explained. "It is a feature that is strongly genetically determined and relatively easy to measure."
David studied over 250 women and found a large variation in lip thickness among women over 60. The pink part of the thinnest lips measured just 3mm from the top of the upper lip to the bottom of the lower lip, while the fullest lips among the over-sixties measured 2.2cm.
Lips reach their maximum volume in young adulthood and for many, begin shrinking between the ages of thirty and forty. Wrinkles, sun damage and age spots were influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, the study found. But thin lips – and receding, greying hair - are genetic hand-me-downs.
Although surgery can be effective in increasing the size of your lips, experts aren't convinced it works in older patients because it doesn't counter the impact of a wrinkled face.
Read also >> Beautiful faces: Scientists discover facial golden ratio for attractive women