Crow’s Feet Wrinkles

Find Out The Best Treatment Options

By Dr Alek Nikolic

Read more on how Crow’s Feet wrinkles can be treated using the correct topical products and ingredients with an effective skin care regime for this delicate but vital area.

The eyes are the ‘windows to our soul’ and they are the focal point of our face. Our eyes are what we look at when we meet someone and similarly they are what we remember as a key feature of someone’s facial features. So it is important that we look after this area and make it look its best.

Three key features to aim for:

• Keep our lashes long and full: MD Lash Factor & Rapid Lash
• The eyelid skin plump and full
• Finally wrinkle free (or as much as possible)

One of the most common areas I treat with Botox® in my practice are the Crow’s Feet wrinkles; mostly because currently this is the most effective treatment we have.

Do not despair if injectable cosmetic treatments are not for you then read my Botox® and needle free approach. I have taken a keen interest in alternative treatments for this difficult area especially for those averse to needles and Botox®.

Upfront I do have to say that if you would like your Crow’s Feet to disappear (literally) then you have to consider a multi prong treatment approach: injectables and topicals.

If you want to go only the topical route then unfortunately we can only improve and soften their appearance (not make them disappear) and we may even prevent new wrinkles from forming with the following skin care regime:

1. Sunscreen
2. Alphahydroxy and polyhydroxy acids
3. Cell stimulators
4. Growth factors

The main reason for the difficulty in treating this area is that Crow’s feet are developed from constant skin contraction with smiling (due to the contraction of the underlying eye muscle known as Orbicularis oculi). As we tend to smile through the day our skin consistently folds and produce lines which over time become permanent lines or wrinkles. I am not saying stop smiling rather the exact opposite. When we smile the world smiles with us so keep on smiling J.

Why Botox® is Superior:

Fine lines tend to respond favourably to moisturizers and cell stimulators such as retinol but crow’s feet are deeper and are formed by muscle contraction through the day. As a result crow’s feet are visible even when we are not smiling or making other facial expressions.

Botox® has the ability to relax the lateral outer edge of the eye muscle preventing or reducing the degree of skin contraction with smiling. Less folding of skin results in less wrinkle formation and it also allows the skin to heal itself increasing collagen and elastin production.

My Approach in Minimizing Crow’s Feet:

Step 1: Protection

Sunscreen: A.M. Application

The most important thing you can do every day to help prevent crow’s feet from getting worse is to apply a broad spectrum sunscreen around your eyes and eyelids; and remember to apply a good SPF to the rest of your face, neck, and chest.

I am a firm believer in SPF that contains zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide so please check our full list of these mineral containing SPF’s here. SkinCeuticals have an amazing SPF product specifically designed for the eye area: SKINCEUTICALS PHYSICAL EYE UV DEFENSE SPF 50. It provides broad spectrum SPF 50 protection without migrating into and irritating the eyes.

Step 2: Repair

Anti-Oxidants: A.M. & P.M. Application

Anti-oxidants are vital for any skin care regime as they can help prevent free-radical damage, reduce signs of skin ageing and reduce inflammatory effects within the skin. Furthermore there is evidence that they potentiate effects when applied with SPF.

See our full list of anti-oxidants here.

Dr Alek Nikolic Recommended Anti-Oxidants:

SKINCEUTICALS CE FERULIC

EXUVIANCE ANTIOXIDANT SERUM PERFECT 10

DERMAQUEST C INFUSION SERUM

Recommended Reading:

Anti-Aging Superstars: SPECIAL REPORT

Why Do We Need Anti-Oxidants and Which One Is Best? 

Step 3: Restore

Retinol: P.M. Application

I am a big fan of retinol and have written and posted numerous articles on this superstar ingredient. It has the ability to help with pigmentation, texture, pores, oily skin, increases collagen and elastin production, and most importantly for Crow’s Feet it reduces fine lines and wrinkles. This is a must have ingredient for our skins and should be in everyone’s skin care regime. See our full list of retinol products here.

Dr Alek Nikolic Recommended Retinol Products:

DERMACEUTIC ACTIV RETINOL 0.5

EXUVIANCE SUPER RETINOL CONCENTRATE

SKINCEUTICALS RETINOL 0.3

Recommended Reading:

The Pros and Cons of Retinol

Which Strength of Retinol Do I Need? 

Step 4: Rebuild

Cell Stimulators: A.M. Application

I believe that using Alphahydroxy and polyhydroxy acids with growth factors and peptides is an important step in treating Crow’s Feet wrinkles. These ingredients will continue cell stimulation during the day resulting in increased collagen and elastin production. See our full list of eye cream cell stimulators here.

Dr Alek Nikolic Recommended Eye Care Products:

NEOSTRATA SKIN ACTIVE INTENSIVE EYE THERAPY

NEOSTRATA BIONIC EYE CREAM PLUS

EXUVIANCE AGE REVERSE EYE CONTOUR

OBAGI PRO C EYE BRIGHTENER EYE SERUM

DERMAQUEST C INFUSION EYE CREAM

Recommended Reading:

How to Find the Best Eye Cream: Do Eye Creams Really Work?

This is my 4 step approach to treating Crow’s Feet wrinkles with topical products only. Further treatments include chemical peels (for cell stimulation, hydration, etc.), fractional laser resurfacing (for cell stimulation and wrinkle reduction) and Dermapen MD (for cell stimulation and wrinkle reduction).

I hope the above article has helped you in choosing the correct approach when treating wrinkles around the eye area. Please feel free to send any comments or questions you may have with your skin concerns or skin regimes.

Kind regards

Dr Alek Nikolic