Quick Answer
There are a few potential reasons why your upper lip may be protruding or sticking out more than usual:
- Natural lip shape – Some people naturally have a more pronounced upper lip
- Age-related changes – The upper lip tends to elongate and protrude more with age
- Dental issues – Misaligned teeth or a narrow upper jaw can cause the upper lip to jut out
- Oral habits – Chronic lip biting, sucking, or licking can cause long-term lip changes
- Smoking – Long-term smoking can cause the upper lip to lose elasticity and stick out
- Allergies – Chronic allergies and nasal congestion can make the upper lip push out
- Weight loss – Fat loss in the face through aging or weight loss can affect lip support
- Perioral dermatitis – This facial rash can cause swelling of the upper lip
If the protruding upper lip is a new development or concern, it’s a good idea to see your dentist or doctor to identify the underlying cause. Treatment will depend on the specific reason the upper lip is sticking out.
What Causes a Protruding Upper Lip?
There are several potential explanations for why your upper lip may appear more pronounced or be protruding outward:
Natural Lip Shape
Some people simply have a naturally fuller or more protrusive upper lip shape. The “lip line,” which is the edge of the vermilion border where the lip meets the skin, can vary substantially among different people.
A protrusive upper lip can run in families, as part of a hereditary facial feature. Certain ethnic backgrounds, such as African and Asian populations, are more likely to have a fuller, more prominent upper lip.
In most cases of a naturally protrusive upper lip, no treatment is necessary. However, in rare instances where it causes pain or difficulty with mouth function, surgical lip reduction can be considered.
Aging Changes
Aging causes gradual changes to the facial muscles, skin, and underlying bony structures. One common effect is that the upper lip and philtrum (the two vertical ridges between the nose and mouth) elongate and protrude more with age.
The lip muscles weaken and lose tone over time. Simultaneously, the actual bony structure of the jaw shrinks back, which reduces support for the soft tissues of the lower face. These factors allow the upper lip to protrude or hang down more prominently.
Most age-related upper lip changes occur gradually, starting from the 30s and 40s. Make sure to differentiate normal aging changes from more concerning lip issues.
Dental Causes
Dental and jaw alignment issues are commonly linked to a protrusive upper lip:
- Misaligned front teeth – If the upper front teeth sit further forward than normal, they can push the upper lip outward.
- Overbite – When the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower teeth, the upper lip has no choice but to jut out.
- Narrow/short upper jaw – An abnormal upper jaw shape and size can affect lip support.
Seeing your dentist for an evaluation is important if dental misalignment is suspected for a protrusive upper lip. Options like orthodontics or jaw surgery may be recommended to realign the teeth and jaw into proper position.
Oral Habits
Certain chronic oral habits can gradually deform the upper lip borders. Habits like aggressive lip or cheek biting, fingernail biting focused around the lips, and chronic thumb sucking can all traumatize the upper lip.
Chronic friction, pulling, and stress on the upper lip from these habits can cause the lip to elongate or hang down. Breaking the habit is the first step toward lip rejuvenation and improvement.
Smoking
The chronic repetitive movements involved with long-term smoking can take a toll on upper lip shape. Pursed lip motions made when inhaling cigarettes cause gradual loss of elasticity in the lip area.
Simultaneously, chemicals in cigarettes degrade collagen and elastin fibers that provide structural support and shape to the lips and mouth. These factors allow the upper lip to appear elongated and protrusive over time in chronic smokers.
Allergies
Seasonal or chronic nasal allergies that lead to constant upper lip rubbing and wiping can gradually deform the upper lip borders. The chronic irritation pushes the lip tissue outward. Allergy treatments and reduction in lip rubbing are key in this scenario.
Additionally, chronic nasal congestion and mouth breathing associated with allergies can cause the upper lip to push forward due to internal air pressure changes. Treating the allergy root cause is important.
Weight Loss
Losing facial fat through aging or weight loss can result in inadequate structural support for proper lip positioning. The upper lip may protrude more without sufficient fat pads in the cheeks and around the mouth.
Non-invasive volumizing procedures like fillers or fat grafting can help restore facial volume and provide support to a protrusive upper lip. Topical treatments like peptides may also help improve elasticity.
Perioral Dermatitis
This common facial skin condition causes red bumpy rashes around the mouth, often involving the upper lip borders. The inflammation and swelling associated with perioral dermatitis can cause temporary lip protrusion.
Controlling flare-ups with prescription anti-inflammatory creams is the main treatment. Proper skincare to avoid irritants and allergens may also prevent recurrences of this rash.
When to See a Doctor
Consult your doctor or dentist if you notice a progressively more protrusive upper lip. Seek an evaluation urgently if accompanied by:
- Difficulty closing lips over the teeth
- Issues with eating, drinking or speech
- Drooling or dribbling of liquids/foods from the mouth
- Numbness or altered sensations in the lip area
- Bleeding, persistent ulcers or non-healing sores on the lip
- Moderate to severe pain around the lips
- Visible swelling lasting more than a few days
These are signs of a possible underlying medical condition requiring further diagnosis. Mention when the protruding upper lip developed and any other symptoms present. Bring photos of your face and lips from 1-2 years prior for comparison.
Medical Diagnosis
During your medical visit for a protrusive upper lip, the doctor will perform:
- Physical examination – Examining the face and lips for abnormalities in shape, color, texture and function.
- Oral examination – Checking inside the mouth for dental & jaw issues, oral lesions, gum disease and other problems.
- Facial muscle testing – Assessing strength and movement of face and lip muscles.
- Allergy testing – Skin or blood tests to diagnose environmental allergies.
- Medical history – Discussing your prior medical issues, medications, family history, social habits and recent changes.
- Photos – Taking images of your face and lip changes over time.
Additional tests like lip biopsies, oral cultures, blood tests or facial imaging may be appropriate in some cases.
Treatment Options
Treatment for an increasingly protrusive upper lip depends on the underlying cause:
Dental Causes
– Orthodontics – Braces and retainers realign the bite and teeth.
– Jaw surgery – Orthognathic surgery can reposition a misaligned jaw.
– Dental prosthetics – Veneers, crowns or implants can improve tooth appearance.
Oral Habits
– Habit cessation techniques – Behavioral modifications to stop chronic lip/cheek biting or sucking.
– Mouthguards & lip balms – Protect lips from habitual chewing and picking.
– Lip injections – Can temporarily improve upper lip projection.
Smoking
– Smoking cessation – Quit smoking through counseling, nicotine replacement, medications.
– Collagen & elastin treatments – Topical products or injections may improve lip elasticity.
– Lip lifts/implants – Surgical options to support the elongated upper lip.
Allergies
– Allergy management – Antihistamines, immunotherapy, avoiding triggers.
– Nasal sprays – Reduces congestion and mouth breathing.
– Lip balms – Soothe irritation from rubbing of the upper lip.
Weight Loss
– Lip fillers – Replace volume lost from facial fat loss.
– Lip lifts – Shorten elongated upper lip tissue.
– Lip implants – Provide structural support to protrusive lip.
Perioral Dermatitis
– Topical creams – Prescription steroid and antibiotic creams.
– Oral antibiotics – Short courses for severe flares.
– Emollients – Hydrating creams to soothe and moisturize.
– Avoiding triggers – Irritants like fluoridated toothpaste.
Prevention
To help prevent gradually worsening upper lip protrusion:
- Avoid chronic oral habits – Reduce lip/cheek biting, nail biting, pacifier use.
- Wear lip balm and sunscreen – Protect delicate lip tissue from sun damage.
- Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water and use humidifiers.
- Moisturize lips – Use thick ointments and gentle exfoliation.
- Stop smoking – Avoid chemicals that degrade lip elasticity.
- Manage allergies – Reduce upper lip irritation from rubbing and swelling.
- Maintain facial volume – Consider fillers, fat grafting as needed.
- See your dentist – Check for overbites, misalignments requiring correction.
Minor upper lip changes are expected with aging. But see your doctor if protrusion becomes severe or affects lip function.
Outlook
With appropriate diagnosis and management, most causes of a protrusive upper lip can be improved. Completely reversing the protrusion is difficult if structural changes have occurred. But treatment can support the protruding lip and prevent worsening.
Even when the protrusion cannot be fully corrected, options like fillers and surgery can rebalance facial proportions. Focus on addressing any functional issues like difficulty closing the lips.
Some people choose to accept a protrusive upper lip as a natural part of facial aging. As long as it isn’t progressing or interfering with oral function, monitoring the protrusion is reasonable. Speak to your doctor about cosmetic solutions if the protrusion significantly bothers you.
Conclusion
A protrusive upper lip, sometimes described as a “gummy smile,” can result from various factors. Determine if it’s caused by dental alignment, habitual behaviors, smoking, allergies, weight loss or simply natural aging.
Work with your dentist and doctor to identify any underlying causes that need treatment. Stop habits that are deforming the upper lip. Procedures like orthodontics, fillers or surgery can reposition a protrusive lip in some instances. Managing it early provides the best opportunity for improvement.
While a protruding upper lip can be emotionally upsetting, it doesn’t always require intervention if function isn’t impaired. Cosmetic treatments can rebalance facial proportions. Focus on addressing any physical discomfort or functional problems related to an increasingly protrusive upper lip.