Plumper lips and pout' make women look younger

Women who have fuller and firmer lips are seen as younger than they really are, research suggests.

Even with a few wrinkles or grey hairs, a plump pout can takes years off a woman, Unilever scientist David Gunn has found.

His study of over 250 women, including sets of twins, reveals that thin lips are a genetic trait rather than a result of our environment.

The findings are published in PLoS One journal.

The researchers 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.

Other tell-tale signs of ageing that appeared to be genetically determined included a receding hairline and greying hair.

But wrinkles, sun damage and age spots were equally influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

Researcher David Gunn said: "When we identified people who looked young for their age, we were struck by the difference in their lips.

"It is a feature that is strongly genetically determined and relatively easy to measure."

'Trout pout'

Experts know that lips reach their maximum volume in young adulthood.

For many people, they begin shrinking between the ages of 30 and 40, and can artificially age a person.

Although surgery and botox can be an effective way to increase the size of your lips, experts are divided over whether it makes a convincing difference.

There can also be disadvantages to collagen or silicone implants.

Actress Leslie Ash suffered long-term damage to her lips, earning her the nickname "trout pout", when her implant surgery went wrong.

Mr Gunn said there was little to be gained by thin-lipped middle-aged or elderly women seeking lip implants.

He said: "It just looks odd because it doesn't counter the impact of a wrinkled face."

Women 'too busy' to go for cancer screenings

Practical reasons could be more significant than emotional ones in explaining why many women miss cervical cancer screenings, a study suggests.

It had been thought emotional factors - such as embarrassment or fear - were largely to blame for low take-up rates.                           

But a Journal of Medical Screening study found women who said they rarely or never voted in elections were more likely to be overdue for screening.

And researchers say the women could simply be too busy for either activity.

The team, from the charity Cancer Research UK, found the association was strongest in women aged 26-44.

Cervical screening saves about 4,500 lives every year.

Researcher Dr Jo Waller said: "With uptake of cervical screening in England still much lower than we would like, these findings suggest that overcoming practical barriers may be the most important factor in maximising cervical screening uptake.

"These results are encouraging. In the past, it was thought that emotional factors such as concern about embarrassment and pain were the best predictors. Minimising practical difficulties is a more achievable goal.

"In terms of the correlation between voting and screening attendance, it may be that as both activities require a degree of organisation, women who do not manage to vote because of busy lives may also be unlikely to attend screening."

Practical

The researchers suggest that measures to minimize practical difficulties, such as evening and weekend clinics, could have a significant effect.

A separate US study, published in the same journal, suggests the more children living in a household, the lower the cancer screening attendance in adults from that household.

The researchers suggest that parents could have less time to attend screenings and prioritise the needs of their children above their own.

Professor Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS Cancer Screening programmes, said: "We have been concerned for some time about falling acceptance rates for screening, particularly amongst certain groups in society, such as women under 35 and the over 55s.

"This study helps us understand what the issue might be and will be useful for us in addressing the issues."