Crow’s Feet - How to Stop Them in Their Tracks
What do years of smiling and laughing get you? Well – besides fond memories, crow’s feet! These lines get their name from the talons of a bird, stamping it’s little foot in the corner of your eye. They form from normal repetitive facial movements, like squinting, as well as sun exposure, loss of collagen and elasticity, and genetics.
Crow’s feet tend to show up earlier than other lines and wrinkles, as the eye area is delicate and more prone to showing signs of aging. To effectively prevent crow’s feet, early intervention is key. To keep the lines from forming, I recommend several different preventative measures.
Already see lines setting in? These steps will also help keep the lines from worsening!
Sun Protection for Crow’s Feet
The best strategy you can take to prevent crow’s feet and keep them from getting worse is limiting sun exposure, and protecting yourself from the sun’s rays.
The first thing I recommend – daily sun protectant use year round. This is great for preventing crow’s feet, but also the best way to keep your skin youthful and healthy for years to come. The skincare line I swear by, ZO Skin Health, has several sun protectant options. Incorporating one of these into your daily skincare routine is a MUST.
Next up, UV protection sunglasses. When you’re out and about, wearing a good pair of shades helps protect your eyes and the skin around your eyes – providing a double layer of protection. You’re also less likely to squint when you have sunglasses on. The repetitive muscle movement of squinting is what contributes to crow’s feet starting to form! Another alternative would be wearing a hat that provides good protection from the sun.
Something else to consider - if you find yourself squinting at the computer all day or when reading, you may want to get checked out by your eye doctor to see if you could benefit from glasses. Eyesight changes are more common as you age, and the constant squinting throughout your day will definitely worsen crow’s feet!
Skincare for Crow’s Feet
When it comes to skincare for crow’s feet – you’ll want to select a medical-grade skincare product that is formulated specifically for the delicate, more fragile skin around your eyes. I also recommend an eye cream that contains retinol. Why do you need it? Retinol boosts collagen production and helps with skin cell renewal. I have a great blog that explains this more in-depth, but basically it helps keep your skin young and more elastic. Losing collagen and elastin contributes to wrinkle formation.
A great option is ZO Intense Eye Crème. By visibly reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, it helps soften these lines around your eyes. A bonus is you’ll notice an improvement in skin texture and complexion.
Another good one is ZO Eye Brightening Crème. This product also contains retinol and helps with lines, as well as other problems you may be experiencing like puffiness and dark circles.
Lastly, ZO Growth Factor Eye Serum is perfect for plumping hollow eyes.
Botox for Crow’s Feet
The final piece of the puzzle? Adding a tox! Sun protectant + good skincare + a neurotoxin = a tough trio against crow’s feet. Using a neuromodulator/neurotoxin a.k.a. tox is a preventative strategy for keeping dynamic lines from forming or worsening.
While many people correlate getting a tox with wrinkle reversal, the truth is that these products don’t work like that. A tox temporarily blocks the nerve receptors in the underlying facial muscles, keeping them from contracting. Less movement means less ability for wrinkles and crow’s feet to form in the first place. If you already have some lines that have set in – a tox keeps them from getting worse. At Polished Med Spa we offer Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jueveau. We can discuss which product may work best for you during a consultation.
Come see me at Polished Med Spa and we can make the best anti-aging plan for you! Book an appointment with me today! I’d love to get you set up with the products and treatments you need to keep your skin youthful and beautiful.
XO, Lauren