If you are over the age of 30, you are likely familiar with the term “crow’s feet” as a description of an undesirable facial feature that gradually worsens with age. What are crow’s feet, actually? At Youthful Reflections, we want to explain what this condition is and how it can be prevented.
What are Crows Feet?
Often called laugh lines or smile lines, crow’s feet are fine wrinkles that appear in the skin at the outer edge of the eye and branch out toward the temple area. Because the skin that surrounds the eye is quite thin, it tends to lose its elasticity as collagen is depleted. Many people may begin to notice the appearance of crow’s feet in their mid to late 20s.
These initially dynamic wrinkles result from repeated facial movement, such as smiling and laughing. The action of a muscle around the eyes results in wrinkling of the skin during these facial expressions. Over time, these wrinkles become etched in the skin and are present even when the face is at rest. Horizontal forehead wrinkles and frown lines between the brows are other examples of dynamic wrinkles that result from movements of facial expression. However, you definitely should not try to keep from smiling or demonstrating other facial expressions in order to prevent these lines. There are other methods of prevention that can be employed when it comes to laugh lines.
Methods of Prevention
Some ways to prevent laugh lines that have been known to work include:
- Wear sunscreen and sunblock
- Moisturize area around eyes
- Keep your body hydrated
- Exfoliate area around eyes
- Use botulinum toxin injections to diminish the muscle actions that cause the wrinkles
Sun damage is responsible for nearly 80% of signs of aging that become visible on the surface of the skin. Wearing sunscreen to protect against damage while you are young can go a long way in preventing early damage to the area surrounding the eye. Additionally, you can wear a hat on sunny days and sunglasses to protect the eyes.
Use a moisturizer to keep the skin around the eyes moist, adding oil to the area, which tends to dry out. Because there are few oil-producing glands around the eye, moisturizing the eye zone with an eye cream helps prevent wrinkles and laugh lines.
Drinking an adequate amount of water will keep your body hydrated and won’t allow moisture to be taken from tissues that might appear as under-hydrated fine lines around the eyes. Dehydration also causes fatigue which can be evident around the eyes.
Treating skin to remove dead skin cells around the eyes is done through exfoliation. Chemical peels and enzymes can help encourage new cells to form, which might fill the wrinkles that are on the way.
Getting a facial also helps to keep skin looking young and healthy. It increases the circulation to the face and is another tool in preventing wrinkles and lines.
Injections of botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin) into the muscles of facial expression can temporarily prevent the muscle actions that lead to facial wrinkles, which can help prevent the progressive development of wrinkles over time.
Youthful Reflections has an array of non-surgical treatments that can help with these fine lines around the eyes. We have a number of procedures and treatments that can aid in restoring your natural beauty and give you a more glowing and youthful reflection. Dr. Boggess and Youthful Reflections are leaders in the facial rejuvenation field; give us a call at (615) 942-8016 to see how we can help you feel more beautiful while you keep smiling and laughing.
