Crow’s-feet are those tiny lines that usually extend out from the sides of the eyes, up toward the temples and/or down toward the top of the cheek. Sun exposure is enemy number-one in the formation of crow’s-feet, but smoke, pollution, squinting and smiling all cause the structure deep within the skin to breakdown. Less collagen means less support, making the skin more susceptible to fine lines.
Your at-home plan of attack should consist of a mild exfoliator to help turnover skin, a daily sunscreen to prevent collagen and elastin breakdown and intensive hydrators, like hyaluronic acid spheres, to soften dry skin and fill-in and smooth out wrinkles. In addition to these topical problem-solving ingredients, a large pair of sunglasses will also help preventing against squinting and blocking
Botox, Dysport or Xeomin can treat crow’s-feet, and can even be used to prevent them from forming. Both are considered to be the gold standard for preserving youthful-looking eyes because they halt movement of the muscles that lead to these lines and wrinkles. Keep in mind that injectables only temporarily smooth out wrinkles—they don’t address discoloration, sun damage or incite collagen production.
To reduce lines, another options is to resurface the skin with lasers. Ablative fractional and CO2 lasers are commonly used to address textural changes around the eye. Both modalities ablate the top layer of damaged skin, prompting the body to make new, better collagen—the new skin grows in plumper and less laden with lines. These types of treatments may also help to give the area a tightening effect.
