Gen Z turn to flute-style straws ‘to prevent lines around mouth’

GEN Z have adopted “anti-wrinkle straws” as their latest weapon in the ongoing battle to slow down ageing despite there being no scientific evidence that they prevent wrinkles.

They have a different shaped mouthpiece to the traditional straw, which apparently helps to avoid using facial muscles. They have gone viral on social media as the generation scrambles to slow the ageing process before they hit the age of 30.

They function by allowing the user to drink from the side,rather like playing a flute, and avoid straining or pursing the lips.

However, medical professionals have called the trend misguided while it continues to gain upwards of 350 million views on TikTok.

Scientific evidence suggests wrinkles are developed through sun damage, smoking and the loss of collagen as we age, rather than by drinking through a regular straw.

Dr Leah Totton, founder of the Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinics chain, said: “There is no scientific evidence as to whether anti-wrinkle straws are an effective method of preventing perioral wrinkles – also, some slight pursing of the lips is still involved.

“You would have to be drinking through a normal straw very often for this to contribute to the formation of perioral wrinkles.”

If Gen Z are looking to avoid developing lines around the mouth, Dr Totton advised opting for SPF suncream as well as maintaining a lifestyle with enough sleep and reduced smoking and alcohol intake as this will have “more of an impact”.

Dr Daniel Hunt, the founder of Imperial Aesthetics, added that the lines develop mostly from the natural parts of life, such as laughing and talking, causing the straws to have limited impact.

He said: “Might they help in the short term? Yes, as anything that slows down the [ageing] process a little will do something.

“But do I think they’ll cause dramatically less of these lines in 30 years?

Gen Z is the UK’s top consumer of skincare products, according to Statista, using pre-emptive skincare to banish wrinkles before they arise.