It is natural for our faces to change as we age—one of the first areas to show visible signs of aging is the delicate eye area. Over time, you will likely develop what is called Crow’s Feet.
Crow’s feet are the little lines that stretch out from the corners of your eyes. They are also sometimes referred to as smile lines because the act of grinning is believed to contribute to their development.
Though not solely caused by smiling, crow’s feet do, in fact, develop over time as a response to the contractions that occur when you make various facial expressions.
Though these minute wrinkles are natural and a sign of a life well-lived, it is normal to want to reduce and prevent their appearance.
MadeMan is committed to offering transformational skincare for men. Today, we will discuss how you can go about treating your crow’s feet.
Dynamic vs Static
There are two different types of wrinkles: dynamic and static. Dynamic wrinkles are not permanent. Rather they tend to appear only during muscle contraction. Static wrinkles, on the other hand, are visible at all times.
As we age, our faces will naturally begin to lose collagen as the production of the protein begins to decline and our skin loses elasticity. Consequently, dynamic wrinkles, like those that appear on our faces when we smile, will become static with time.
Therefore, crow’s feet can be both dynamic and static. If your crow’s feet are only visible when you smile, they are dynamic. If your crow’s feet are visible even when your face is at rest, they are static.
While you can attempt to treat wrinkles at any stage, it is typically not necessary to treat crow’s feet until they are static. Of course, for preventative action, you may begin while they are still dynamic.
The formation of fine lines on the face may also be influenced and emphasized by genetics, diet, and lifestyle choices.
Preventing Crow’s Feet
While crow’s feet develop naturally on every person, there are methods for slowing their development and limiting their appearance.
Sun Protection
To prevent and prolong the development of crow’s feet and other fine lines, you must protect yourself from the sun. Unprotected exposure to the sun can lead to photoaging when the sun prematurely ages the skin by drying, wrinkling, and discoloring it.
There are a few ways to prevent contracting the effects of photoaging. The most effective way to avoid sun damage is to limit your time in the sun.
The less exposed you are to the sun, the less of a chance it has to damage your skin. You should especially remove yourself from being in contact with the sun’s rays if you feel your skin beginning to tingle, warm-up, or redden.
Since it is sometimes impossible to avoid being out in the sun, and because you should not have to sacrifice your time at the beach or on the court to maintain your appearance, there are other methods that you can turn to instead.
Sunscreen uses ultraviolet filters to block UV rays. The purpose of using sunscreen is to protect your skin from the UV radiation emitted by the sun.
Apply a dollop of sunscreen every morning at the very end of your skincare routine. Even if you plan to stay indoors or an overcast day, you should always apply your sunscreen and reapply throughout the day as needed.
Make sure that your sunscreen is broad-spectrum, which defends against both UVB rays, which tend to damage the skin’s surface, and UVA rays. Additionally, the sun protection factor, or SPF, of your sunscreen should be at least 30.
Wear clothing that can protect you from the sun for extra protection, such as hats and sunglasses. Since our main focus is on preventing wrinkles around the eyes, be sure that your sunglasses are polarized and have big shades to block the sensitive area from being exposed.
Moisturizer
Using moisturizers and eye creams with collagen and antioxidants can do a lot to support and maintain the appearance of your skin.
Moisturizing alone can improve the appearance of your skin by temporarily plumping your skin and diminishing the appearance of fine lines.
If you are looking for a safe and effective moisturizer to help prevent wrinkles, we recommend trying The Refresher.
The Refresher is an all-in-one water-based moisturizer that uses all-natural ingredients like chicory root, castor seed oil, and vitamin C.
Vitamin C is particularly beneficial for skincare in that it can support the production of collagen, repair damaged skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and prevent premature aging.
The Refresher is specially formulated to restore and repair the skin. Its antioxidant blend promotes the natural repair process, fixes fine lines, and boosts natural collagen production. The Refresher can help nourish and rehydrate your sun-damaged skin as it helps fight the signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin texture.
You also have the option to use moisturizers that are specially made for anti-aging purposes. There are several anti-wrinkle creams on the market made to plump, tone, and tighten your skin.
As previously mentioned, it is also useful to specifically incorporate an eye cream into your skincare routine if your focus is on crow’s feet.
Eye Cream
Generally speaking, eye cream is used to combat signs of aging. Eye creams are typically packed with antioxidants, vitamins, collagen, and moisture like hyaluronic acid that can hydrate, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and minimize puffiness from fluid buildup.
By using an eye cream that has the ability to brighten and treat discoloration, you may even be able to minimize the appearance of dark circles. Overall, these properties will provide you with a healthier appearance.
Calling back to our previous discussion about the importance of protecting your aging skin from the sun, you can take extra precautions by using an eye cream that contains SPF.
Apply your eye cream before you apply your moisturizer. Eye creams tend to have a very thin consistency to be properly absorbed.
Lightly tap or massage a pea-sized amount of the product across your brow bone and below your eye. Rubbing or pulling can negatively affect the elasticity of the eyelid skin. After applying the product, let it sit for about a minute to ensure that it is fully absorbed.
How To Help Treat Crow’s Feet?
Whether your crow’s feet are dynamic or static, there are treatments for minimizing their appearance.
Botox
Botox is a very popular treatment for reducing the appearance of fine lines on the face, including crow’s feet.
Botox smooths out wrinkles caused by repetitive muscle contractions in the face by injecting the affected area with a small needle and freezing tissue in place so that, for a time, they are unable to move.
This procedure has been proven effective for treating crow’s feet, particularly for patients with dynamic wrinkles within the age of 30 and 50, by reducing their appearance or temporarily eliminating them.
The effects of botox typically last for about three months.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, sometimes called soft-tissue fillers, are a different type of injection that has also been known to successfully minimize the appearance of crow’s feet.
Dermal fillers contain either collagen or hyaluronic acid, which are injected with a tiny needle into the affected area to fill out the fine lines. The results of your dermal fillers may vary depending on what type of fillers you received.
In general, however, dermal fillers are known to be effective for static crow’s feet and can last anywhere from three to 12 months.
Chemical Peel
Chemical peels have been proven to assist largely with eliminating wrinkles. This is a type of facial treatment in which the skin is deeply exfoliated.
During the procedure, a chemical — typically acidic — solution is applied to the face. The results will reveal themselves over the next few days as the wrinkled top layer of skin will peel away.
The treatment will prompt new skin growth when successful, and a younger-looking layer of skin will be revealed. It is safest that you leave this sort of procedure to be conducted by professionals but should you choose to conduct an at-home peel, be sure to consult with a dermatologist beforehand to ensure that you will receive positive results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, aging is natural, but there’s no reason why we can’t slow it down. On the contrary, there are several reasons why we can slow it down, thanks to developments in the world of cosmetics and dermatology.
Don’t be so hard on yourself if you begin to see signs of crow’s feet developing around your eyes. It happens to all of us! If you wish to minimize their appearance, remember that you have options to choose from and take preventative action starting at any time.
Sources:
Sun-damaged skin (photoaging): what is new? | PubMed
Sunscreens | PubMed
