Why do we get these lines?
We all have emotions. We make expressions — that’s part of being human. We laugh, cry, frown, smile, raise our eyebrows, and crinkle our noses.
But how do we keep responding to life as any human would, and not end up with smile wrinkles and wrinkles around our eyes?
It may not be possible to avoid wrinkles altogether, but once we understand the types of wrinkles and what affects them, we can set our skin up for success.
Two Different Types of Wrinkles
There are two distinct types of wrinkles: dynamic and static.
Dynamic wrinkles happen at all ages — even kids can have dynamic wrinkles. These are temporary. Your facial muscles move and create lines, but then they disappear.
When you get upset, cry, or even have a particularly stressful day, you’ll notice them even more, but after a good night’s sleep, they disappear.
Static wrinkles are the dreaded lines that don’t go away — even when you’re rested and refreshed. You wake up in the morning after a good night’s sleep, but when you look in the mirror the smile wrinkles or wrinkles around your eyes remain.
These lines haven’t disappeared with sleep and relaxation. They’re here to stay. Even when you’re not moving the muscles directly responsible for creating the wrinkles, they persist.
Causes of under-eye wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles under the eyes are the physical signs of aged skin and are inevitable symptoms of the ageing process. Under-eye wrinkles occur when the skin around the eyes becomes thinner and loses elasticity which can be accelerated by frequent sun exposure, smoking, repeated facial movements and certain genetic traits.
The primary cause of under-eye wrinkles is depleted levels of collagen found in the dermis layer of skin which is lost throughout the years. Collagen is fundamental in supporting the facial structure and responsible for keeping the skin youthful, whereas a diminished quantity can cause the skin around the eyes to depress, creating lines and wrinkles that become more visible over time.
Prevention is better than cure
While ageing is the biggest cause of eye wrinkles, lifestyle and other factors play a part in the appearance of eye wrinkles.
These include: UV light- from sunlight or sunbeds,
Smoking
Pollution - toxic air and the weather (wind, for example) can lead to premature eye wrinkles
NO MORE SMOKING Smoking is one of the greatest factors that influences how quickly the skin around the eyes ages. Cigarette smoke causes an enzyme to be released that breaks down collagen, which is needed to keep skin looking firm and youthful. Cutting down is a start to giving up.
STICK TO A HEALTHY DIET
The best diet to keep away wrinkles under your eyes is one with a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Eating a range of foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish or avocados are fantastic at keeping skin supple and youthful.
DON’T SPEND TOO LONG IN THE SUN
UVA rays from excessive sun exposure can accelerate the ageing process and encourage under-eye wrinkles. Always use a good sun cream on your face to protect against these damaging UV rays.
KEEP HYDRATED
Drinking enough water throughout the day is vital for keeping skin cells hydrated. As the skin around the eyes is so thin and delicate, when it gets dehydrated, wrinkles and fine lines tend to form quicker. A great reason to keep your water bottle topped up!
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Not only does eight hours of sleep a night leave you feeling fresher and more energised, it also has a dramatic effect on your skin and wrinkles. As you enjoy some much-needed rest, hormones are released that will help keep the skin around your eyes more elastic.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Effective under-eye wrinkle treatments
Wrinkles under the eyes are possibly the hardest wrinkles to treat.
Skin Boosters
These use injectable solutions with active ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and hyaluronic acid to improve skin health and elasticity in your under-eye area.
PRP (Platelet-rich Plasma)
This is your own concentrated version of growth factors that activate stem cells to renew and produce more active components such as hyaluronic acid and collagen.
Polynucleotides
This is one of the most popular treatments to improve skin health and repair skin DNA. Polynucleotides are amino acid parts, that are essential to our DNA’s integrity which gets damaged by lifestyle stressors such as pollution or hormones. Skin ultimately becomes weaker and less resistant to any further challenges, lines and laxity are first signs of decreased skin barrier function and internal damage. Polynucleotides are excellent in repairing it, however, you may require few sessions
Botox
Botulinum toxin is a muscle relaxant that is exceptionally effective for treating dynamic lines. It helps reduce dynamic lines and gives a youthful and relaxed look.
Tear Trough Fillers
Hollowed areas called tear troughs develop under the eyes due to a variety of factors or simply the anatomy of the face. Tear troughs cause shadows that increase the appearance of puffy eyes. In cases of advanced volume loss, you may require hyaluronic acid dermal fillers to improve tear trough area and reduce shadowing due to volume loss.
Microneedling
Microneedling primarily works on generating collagen and building skin elastin and collagen levels, hence tightening and improving skin’s elasticity. Especially useful for mid 30s and above to prevent ageing signs.
Chemical peels
Todays peels have the capacity to stimulate enough new collagen formation to help flatten the under eye circle as well as smoothing the lower eyelid wrinkles.
Retinoids
Using the correct retinol-infused eye care products under your eyes is a great way to tackle eye bags, wrinkles and dark circles. Since retinol targets the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crow's feet, it's often recommended for mature skin.
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