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Oct 15, 2023

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People claim these innovative straws prevent wrinkles around the mouth—but do they actually work?

When it comes to products that are currently blowing up in the beauty industry, it’s safe to say that anti-aging skincare is at the top of the list. From the best eye creams for wrinkles to top-selling retinol serums, there’s no shortage of beauty picks that promise to prevent wrinkles and reduce the appearance of fine lines and age spots. And now, there’s an innovative product that’s taking the Internet by storm: anti-wrinkle straws.

That’s right, there are straws designed to prevent wrinkles from forming around your mouth as you sip beverages, and thousands of TikTok users swear by them. In fact, the hashtag for “anti-wrinkle straw” currently has over 350 million views and counting—and one viral TikTok user even claims that it “might be the best invention for anti-aging ever.” But do anti-wrinkle straws actually work?

To find out if this innovative new product truly prevents wrinkles, we tapped dermatologists to weigh in on the anti-aging claims—and whether they’re worth buying.

Experts say that it indeed can. “Repeatedly pursing the lips, as is the case when drinking from a straw, may contribute to wrinkles,” says Marisa Garshick, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York.

More specifically, the repetitive movement of your mouth muscles flexing in the same spot can lead to creasing in your skin. It’s similar to how expression lines in your face develop. “Every time you purse your lips to grab the straw, the muscles around your mouth are flexing and creating lines,” explains Peterson Pierre M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the Pierre Skin Care Institute.

The specific mouth muscle you’re engaging when sipping a straw is called the orbicularis oris, according to board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy Rose, M.D., F.A.A.D. . It’s the same muscle that “allows us to purse the lips to whistle, to blow a kiss, etc.,” she says. “Use of this muscle folds the skin which, over time, often begins to leave wrinkles in the skin.” In fact, the same lip-puckering motion is what leads smokers to develop what’s commonly known as smoker’s lines around their mouth, notes Dr. Garshick.

Once lines set in, they like to stay. “The more you [pucker your lips], the stronger the muscles get and the deeper the lines,” says Dr. Pierre. “If done consistently over a long period of time, the lines become etched into the skin, and they can be very challenging to treat.”

Anti-wrinkle straws allegedly work by “preventing the folding of the skin that occurs when using a regular straw,” says Dr. Murphy. In contrast to traditional straws, which have a vertical opening at the top for you to wrap your lips around, these unique straws have a shape that curves horizontally at the top. They have an opening where you can place your mouth to sip without pursing your lips (similar to how you might play a flute). This design supposedly reduces the lip-puckering motion that’s required to sip through a regular straw, thereby helping to prevent wrinkles from forming.

The short answer is: Maybe. “In theory, they should work because you are no longer pursing your lips to hold onto the straw,” says Dr. Pierre. “However, these straws won’t do anything to affect genetic and age-related changes.”

It’s also important to note that there currently isn’t any scientifically-backed research that proves anti-wrinkle straws truly makes a difference—or even that using straws is a leading cause of wrinkles in the first place. “While straws may contribute to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth, we don’t know the full extent of how straw usage leads to lines in terms of how often you need to drink out of a straw in order for it to pose a problem,” explains Dr. Garshick. “So, swapping out straws may not be entirely necessarily, especially for someone who rarely drinks from a straw.”

That being said, anti-wrinkle straws are not particularly harmful, so there shouldn’t be any issue with using them, according to Dr. Garshick. In fact, Dr. Pierre says they might be “worth trying,” especially if you frequently use straws.

As with any product that claims anti-aging benefits, you shouldn’t expect anti-wrinkle straws to magically prevent or reduce your wrinkles overnight. But if you want to try them out for yourself, there are plenty of options available to buy online, including the popular Lipzi Original Glass Drinking Straw. The top-rated pick currently has over a hundred five-star ratings from Amazon reviewers, who note that it’s both comfortable to use and easy to clean.

“I thought that it would be a silly gimmick, and I actually felt stupid for purchasing this but it really does work. You do still purse your lips a little to use this straw but so much less than with a regular straw,” writes one shopper. “It also feels a lot more effortless to use this straw style,” they continue, adding that less suction force is needed. “As an added bonus, it’s also fun to use and makes me want to drink more water!”

Even beyond the popular pick from Lipzi, there are other affordable anti-wrinkle straws available to buy on Amazon (including one with a different design). While they’re certainly not a necessity, if you want to give one a try, you can check some out below:

Hannah Jeon is an Associate Commerce Editor at Prevention, where she covers expert-driven commerce content for all things health, beauty, and wellness. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Good Housekeeping, she earned her bachelor’s degree in creative writing and psychology from Johns Hopkins University. When she’s not on the hunt for all the best products online, you can often find her trying out new food spots in New York City or clicking away behind a camera.

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