A Guide to Thin Lips & How to Make Them Look Fuller

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Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, MD, explains what causes thin lips and how to get a bigger pout

Co-authored by Ellen Turner, MD and Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA

Last Updated: August 4, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Thin Lips Explained
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• Causes of Thin Lips
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• Getting Fuller Lips Naturally
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• Cosmetic Treatments
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• Are thin lips bad?
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• Video

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Thin lips are determined by genetics, and you may have been born with a thinner pout. While there’s nothing wrong with having thin lips, there's also nothing wrong with wanting to make them look fuller. In this guide, we’ll explain what causes thin lips, as well as natural ways to make them look fuller with exclusive tips from a double board-certified dermatologist, estheticians, and makeup artists. Plus, we’ll share what cosmetic procedures can help and more!

What to Do About Thin Lips

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Double board-certified dermatologist Ellen Turner, MD, says hyaluronic acid filler can temporarily plump up thin lips. Alternatively, exfoliate with a lip scrub and moisturize regularly, or overline your lips and apply a plumping lip gloss. For a more permanent solution, consider a lip filler or a lip flip.

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Section 1 of 5:

What are thin lips?

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1. 
   Thin lips have less volume, height, and definition than other lips. They’re the smallest type of lip shape. While both the upper and lower lips are generally thin, one may be slimmer than the other. The lip line is also less defined and apparent on the face. It may be challenging to apply lip color to thin lips because you have less surface area to work with.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Ellen Turner, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist and founder of the Dermatology Office, specializing in medical, cosmetic, surgical, and laser procedures.

   Daniel Vann is a licensed aesthetician who’s worked in the cosmetics industry for over 15 years.

   Bia Rehman is a licensed esthetician & makeup artist who does bridal, special event, and editorial makeup.

   Shun Pittman is a master cosmetologist with over 25 years of experience in makeup application.

   Charina Redugerio is a makeup artist who has over 13 years of experience in the beauty industry..
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Section 2 of 5:

What causes thin lips?

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1. 
   Genes, lifestyle, and aging can cause thin lips. Thin lips are generally caused by genetics and aging, since as we age, we lose volume in the lips, explains Dr. Turner. If thin lips run in your family, it can be a major reason why your pout is slimmer. Your body also makes less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid as you get older, which is what contributes to plumpness. You also lose fat pads in the lip area due to aging, which can lead to thinning. Here are some other common causes of thin lips:

   • Smoking and drinking with straws: The repetitive motion required to suck your lips in and out can create deep lines and decrease lip volume.
   • Sun exposure: Too much sun and UV ray exposure makes you lose collagen, which can lead to wrinkles and thinning in the lip area.
   • Dehydration: Not keeping yourself hydrated by drinking water, as well as not moisturizing your lips with a lip balm, can have negative effects on your lip health.
   • Hormonal changes: Fluctuations in your hormones due to pregnancy, menopause, and aging can affect your pout.
   • Weight loss: When you shed a lot of pounds, you can also lose fat volume in parts of your face, such as your lips. This could result in slimmer lips.

Section 3 of 5:

Natural Ways to Get Fuller Lips

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   Keep your lips hydrated with water and lip balm. Licensed aesthetician Daniel Vann explains that healthy, plump lips are full of water, well-hydrated, and moisturized. Start by drinking around 68 to 102 ounces (1,900 to 2,900 g) of water every day. Licensed esthetician & makeup artist Bia Rehman also recommends applying a lip treatment to hydrate and moisturize your lips. This can include things like a non-irritating lip moisturizer containing shea butter or mineral oil.

   • To prevent your lips from becoming dry, apply lip balms or lip moisturizers several times throughout the day.
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   Wear a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. When you’re outdoors during the daytime, it’s recommended to reapply a lip balm with SPF 30 or more every 2 hours. Choose one that has sun-protective ingredients, like titanium oxide or zinc oxide. The sun can burn and dry your lips, so it’s important to protect them from damaging UV rays.
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   Exfoliate your lips with a lip scrub. Master cosmetologist Shun Pittman explains that a lip scrub exfoliates dead skin and stimulates blood circulation, which brings blood to the surface to naturally enlarge lips. Rehman says to use small circular motions when applying a scrub.

   • While you can buy a lip scrub, Pittman makes her own. She says to combine “two parts sugar, one part salt, a little olive oil, and a drop or two of lemon juice” and mix the ingredients together. Then, apply the scrub to your lips.
   • Clean beauty specialist Lorena Barcal recommends adding cinnamon to your lip scrub because it stimulates “your mucus membrane and increases blood circulation, which makes your lips look fuller.”
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   Limit repetitive mouth movements. Mouth movements where you have to constantly pucker your lips can lead to volume loss. Things like smoking, drinking through straws, and posing your lips in a smooching way can cause collagen loss. Even if you don’t completely stop doing these actions, try to at least reduce how often you do them to slow down the effects.
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   Use LED to increase lip volume. LED is used in red light therapy and may stimulate collagen production that can restore volume loss. While not conclusive, some studies show that it boosts the skin’s collagen, giving it more strength, structure, and elasticity. There are at-home devices you can use specifically for the lip area that may help.
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   Overline your lips with a lip pencil. To do this, makeup artist Yuka Arora says to go a little bit over your natural lip line when you’re lining toward your cupid’s bow and the bottom center of your lower lip. Stay within your natural lip border when lining the corners of your mouth. She suggests practicing so you don’t risk overdrawing your lips.

   • According to Rehman, you can make your lips look more voluminous by overlining “your lips with a lip pencil that is one or two shades darker than your natural lip color, and then fill in your entire lips with a nude lipstick or a gloss.”
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   Use lighter lip colors on the center of your lip. Putting on a lip color that is slightly lighter than the lip liner can make your lips look larger, says makeup artist Charina Redugerio. She says to place the lighter lip color in the middle of your lips. Similarly, Arora explains that you can use a darker color on the outer perimeter of your lip, and apply a slightly lighter color of the same color family in the center of the lip.
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   Use plumping lip glosses. These lip products can temporarily give your lips a bit more fullness. Pittman explains that plumping lip glosses usually contain ingredients like peppermint oil or tea tree oil that cause a tingling sensation and plump your lips.

   • According to Arora, the light that lip gloss attracts can also add volume to your lips.
   • Avoid lip plumping devices! While plumping lip glosses are safe, products like hyaluron pens and other suction devices can actually break down collagen and cause scarring, asymmetry, and bleeding, leaving your pout worse off.
   • See our guide for more ways to make your lips bigger.
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Section 4 of 5:

Cosmetic Treatments for Fuller Lips

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   Lip Filler Lip fillers are a type of dermal filler that can increase your lips’ volume. It’s a non-invasive cosmetic procedure that adds plumpness and enhances your lips’ shape. Dr. Turner says there are a number of options by various manufacturers, which typically contain hyaluronic acid to temporarily plump the lips. Common types include Restylane and Juvéderm, and the results generally last between 12 and 18 months.

   • If you want to have bigger lips that still look natural, start small with less filler. This ensures they fit your face and don’t overpower your features.
   • According to Dr. Turner, an experienced injector can create a soft, natural, and youthful lip.
   • You may experience slight pain at the injection site, but that usually goes away within 12 to 48 hours.
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   Lip Flip A lip flip is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure that gives your upper lip a natural-looking curl. A small amount of botulinum toxin is injected into your top lip area to relax the muscles. This causes the upper lip to “flip” up and appear fuller. Instead of adding volume, it lifts your top lip and gives it more definition.
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   Lip Blushing Lip blushing is a kind of semi-permanent makeup that uses tattooing to make your lips look fuller. Color ink is deposited into your lips and along the lip line to enhance their color and shape. The result is lips that appear plumper but still look natural. The procedure doesn't add volume but increases your lips’ volume by strategically placing color.

   • Lip blushing can last up to two years with proper lip care. It’s also not as easy to reverse as lip fillers since it’s a semi-permanent tattoo.
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   Lip Lift A lip lift is a more invasive cosmetic procedure that shortens the distance between your nose and lips. Skin is removed from the edge of your top lip and the bottom of your nose. Doing this makes your lips more visible and youthful without the use of fillers. There are different types of lip lifts. It’s best to talk to a professional surgeon about customizing the procedure to fit your needs since the results are meant to be permanent.
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Section 5 of 5:

What’s wrong with having thin lips?

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1. 
   There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having thin lips! Thin lips can be just as attractive as fuller ones, and it’s really a matter of what makes you feel good. Don’t feel pressured to get any cosmetic procedures done just to follow beauty trends. If your lips are on the slimmer side, embrace your natural features. And, if you decide to go for a plumper look, do it for yourself and no one else.

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