Under Eye Wrinkles and Crow’s Feet – Causes, Treatment and Prevention – Auckland NZ

Eye wrinkles and crow’s feet are expression lines caused by the natural use of the eye area such as closing our eyes, smiling and laughing.

As we age our skin becomes less elastic, so over time the repetition of facial expressions causes lines to form in the delicate skin, and persist even when we’re not smiling. ‘Dynamic wrinkles’ are the lines caused when smiling and ‘static wrinkles’ are the ones visible at rest.

Other factors that affect our skin’s resistance to the appearance of wrinkles are whether we have smoked, how fair our skin is (darker skin is more resistant) and how much sun damage from UV rays we have had over our lives.

In the first instance, low-dose Botox® (botulinum toxin) can soften crow’s feet.

It is important to use small doses administered by an experienced clinician to achieve a natural-looking result. We have all seen examples of over-treatment with Botox® injections where the eyes are frozen and lose their warmth, the cheeks appear ‘dropped’ and there is a hollowness (‘shelfing’) around the eyes when smiling. While this improves the lines, it distorts other areas of the face and is not a flattering result.

Botox® is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the USA) for the treatment of frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet.

Palm Clinic, Auckland NZ is renowned for achieving natural looking results with Botox® (botulinum toxin) that soften the eye area rather than blanking it out.

Dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid) around the eye area can help lift the cheek, improving under eye dark circles, under eye wrinkles and softening crow’s feet. Dermal filler is a safe and effective treatment where hyaluronic acid (a clear gel that lifts the skin) is injected to lift up facial wrinkles and support the skin by hydrating it from beneath. You can read more about dermal filler treatment here.

The key is to achieve a natural result by precisely placing the Botox® for maximum positive effect. This requires experience and Palm Clinic doctors have this in spades having been amongst the first doctors to use Botox® Cosmetic in New Zealand 15 years ago. Individual results may vary.

A visit to our skin therapist at Palm Clinic Auckland, NZ is advised to complement Botox® and dermal filler treatments.

She will prescribe medical grade skincare products with active ingredients including Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as sunscreen. She may also suggest medifacials and chemical peels or a resurfacing option such as Dermapen microneedling or ResurFX™ laser, which boost collagen production to improve the quality of your skin and reduce the appearance of under eye wrinkles and crow’s feet.

All of these options promote collagen production and are proven to be effective at improving fine lines and crepey skin. Eye cream at department stores or chemists can be very expensive but they do not contain active ingredients and may not be particularly effective. That is why it is important to see a trained skin therapist who can prescribe medical grade skin care and eye cream that a department store or chemist can not.

Of course, a healthy lifestyle plays a part in preventive measures to limit the effects of ageing. This includes eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, stress management, good sleep, limiting alcohol intake and avoiding smoking. The most important thing though, is to use a good sunscreen (our skin therapist will suggest a suitable one for your skin) and to be sun safe (slip, slop, slap) to prevent sun damage from UV rays.

View our galleries of before and after treatment pictures, using dermal fillers and Botox®.