Crow's Feet: Prevention and Treatment

Crow's feet — the wrinkly imprints that appear along the corners of your eyes — are often one of first signs of aging. Learn what you can do to prevent them and how you can minimize their appearance with home or medical treatments.

n adolescence and young adulthood, crow's feet — also known as squint lines or worry lines — usually aren't a concern. That's because youthful skin has a lot of elastic fibers called elastin and a protective protein called collagen.

Over time, however, skin loses elastin and collagen, and the inevitable result is wrinkles. For many women, the appearance of crow's feet — radiating lines that form along the corners of the eyes — is the first distressing sign of aging.

Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to prevent these unwanted bird tracks from forming, and to minimize their appearance with home or medical treatments.

The Causes of Crow's Feet

You're more likely to develop crow's feet if you:

• Spend a lot of time in the sun.
• Smoke cigarettes.

Not only do both of these factors prematurely age the skin, but they force you to squint to avoid either excessive sunlight or irritating tobacco fumes, a muscle motion that promotes the formation of crow's feet.

Other factors associated with crow's feet include a family history of early wrinkling, dehydration, and even sleeping on your face.

Prevention of Crow's Feet

Most dermatologists agree that you're unlikely to develop crow's feet if you don't tan your face, smoke, or squint. So, starting early in life, the best prevention strategies include:

• Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen before going outdoors.
• Avoiding tanning salons.
• Wearing sunglasses and hats.
• Either not starting smoking, or quitting smoking.
• Drinking an adequate amount of fluid.
• Using skin moisturizers. Because skin around the eyes contains very few oil glands, it's especially likely to be dry.
• Adopting other healthy lifestyle habits. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can improve skin elasticity. Technicolor fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries contain high concentrations of antioxidants that may protect skin. In addition, regular exercise helps relieve stress, which promotes the formation of crow's feet and other wrinkles.

Home Remedies for Crow's Feet

Over-the-counter eye creams tout their ability to reduce fine lines and facial puffiness. Although these products are unlikely to make crow's feet disappear, some of them may minimize their appearance. Look for products containing either glycolic acid or tretinoin (Retin-A), which encourage wrinkled cells to slough off and promote formation of smoother skin. Some dermatologists also recommend eye creams that contain topical anti-inflammatory agents such as alpha lipoic acid, DMAE, and vitamin C ester.

Medical Treatments for Crow's Feet

If crow's feet are cramping your style, your doctor or dermatologist may recommend procedures such as:

• Chemical peels, which remove the skin's outer layer and promote the formation of new skin.
• Wrinkle fillers, which include injections of temporary, absorbable fillers such as collagen, hyaluronic acid gel, calcium hydroxylapatite, and poly-L-lactic acid; and the permanent, non-absorbable filler PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate beads).
• Laser resurfacing , usually with a non-ablative or non-wounding carbon-dioxide laser that stimulates collagen growth and tightens underlying skin.
• Botox. A favorite of seemingly ageless celebrities, this therapy relies on injections of purified botulinum toxin type A or B to temporarily paralyze the muscles that cause squinting and diminish the appearance of crow's feet.
• Plastic surgery . Severe crow's feet — and other signs of aging — may be corrected with procedures such as a face-lift.

Bear in mind that all of these procedures have potential side effects, may be only temporarily effective, and are usually not covered by insurance because they're considered cosmetic.

There's no question that crow's feet are an unwanted sign of aging. By making some common-sense changes to your lifestyle, you may prevent the formation of these all-too-common tracks of your tears. If they do appear, you may be able to minimize their effect on your looks with over-the-counter remedies or medical treatments.