Crow’s feet are wrinkles that form around the eye, and are part of the natural ageing process. Often forming over a period of many years due to the repeated movement of the face in response to emotional states and blinking, crow’s feet tend to appear for people in their 30s and 40s. While there are no ill effects on the body for having crow’s feet, there may be a desire to reduce these lines on the skin to regain confidence in your appearance. So, what are the main causes of crow’s feet? What steps can you take to reduce crow’s feet?
Crow’s feet emerge due to a combination of facial movement and a loss of elasticity in the skin, and are exacerbated by UV exposure, diet and genetics. There are also less oil glands around the eye which results in this area of skin ageing quicker than other areas. Ageing skin both above and below the eyes also helps to form the wrinkles. These factors all lead to the development of crow’s feet over a period of many years as part of the natural ageing process.
Keep reading to find out more about crow’s feet, and what steps you can take to help prevent the emergence of the wrinkles.
Why do crow’s feet form?
There are four main causes of crow’s feet, which are related both to the natural ageing process, and a series of lifestyle choices:
- Age
- UV Exposure
- Dietary
- Genetics
Crow’s feet form naturally as we age due to the movement of skin on the face, whether it be to express an emotion or blink. When we are young, our skin is plump and stretchy, meaning that when your face moves the skin is able to bounce back to its original position. As we age however, our skin produces less collagen and elastin, which means that our skin remains in these positions instead of bouncing back. This causes the development of wrinkles such as crow’s feet.
Wrinkles around the eye are especially common, as skin on the face is 40% thinner than other areas, meaning it is more delicate and susceptible to the ageing process. There are also less oil glands around the eye, which causes skin in this area to be less hydrated and show exacerbated signs of age.
How can crow’s feet be prevented?
While it is impossible to reverse or slow the ageing process, there are a number of steps that you can take to help prevent the emergence of wrinkles such as crow’s feet. For example, applying sunscreen and antioxidants during the day to protect the collagen we have in the skin, and using antioxidants at night to stimulate collagen production with active ingredients will help to prevent signs of ageing on the skin.
UV Protection
One of the main factors that affects how the skin ages is how well it is protected from harmful UV radiation. By wearing appropriate sunscreen and other sun protection such as sunglasses and headwear, you can help to protect your skin from UV radiation.
Dietary
By consuming a healthy, balanced diet containing foods that are high in antioxidants, the emergence of wrinkles can be reduced. Free radicals and pollution also contribute to wrinkles, so by eating foods that fight these, it can help to reduce crow’s feet.
Exfoliation
Exfoliating the skin allows dead skin cells to be removed from the epidermis. This encourages the growth of new skin that has more collagen and elastin, which is less likely to show wrinkles and fine lines.
Peptide creams
Peptides are amino acids that naturally occur in skin. Applying a peptide cream that contains amino acids causes the body to interpret these cells as damaged collagen, which stimulates the body to produce more collagen to repair the damage.
Retinol
As a well-known topical treatment, retinol combats the signs of ageing using vitamin A to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.
Is treatment available to reduce crow’s feet?
There are a range of aesthetic treatments on offer to reduce multiple signs of ageing including crow’s feet. For example, muscle relaxer injections in combination with collagen injections can give the skin around the eyes a more youthful appearance by both tightening the skin and stimulating the production of collagen. Radiofrequency treatments are also available to treat crow’s feet, and can produce noticeable results after just one session.
Rejuvenate your look
For more information on available treatments for crow’s feet, be sure to contact us. We offer a wide range of professional aesthetic treatments to give you a youthful and refreshed look.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT for crow’s feet treatment today.
Dr. Owen Thomas has been a medical doctor for more than 20 years since qualifying from Cardiff in 1999, now specialising in aesthetics in London and Swansea. After a 2 year level-7 Master’s Degree course in injectable aesthetic treatments training at Harley Academy, and additional study with Empire Medical Training in the US and other experts renowned in their field, he won a scholarship in the prestigious Aesthetic Intelligence Fellowship run over 7 months in Kensington, London and Paris.
