Something To Crow About Getting Rid Of Those Eye Lines

Something to Crow about - Getting Rid of those Eye Lines

Crows feet, also referred to as "smile lines,� "laugh lines,� and "character lines,� are a natural part of the aging process. In fact, nearly anyone over the age of 25 will start to show these tiny little v-shaped lines or wrinkles in the corners of their eyes. Crows feet are among the first wrinkles to appear and are the result of years of laughing, smiling, frowning, and squinting. As we age, our skins natural elasticity begins to break down. In addition, the collagen in our skin, which aids in our skin's ability to stretch and return to its original shape, begins to lessen.

There are many factors that further reduce our skins elasticity in addition to aging. Exposure to ultraviolet light rays from the sun also causes collagen to break down. Smoking has been found to speed up the skin's aging process. To help slow down the process of crow's feet development in the first place, it is best to be a nonsmoker and to avoid exposure to the sun. In addition, it is a good idea to use an eye cream around the eyes every day. The cream used should include glycolic acid, which helps encourage the skin to get rid of old skin cells in order to allow new ones to take their place.

Botulinum Toxin Injections

If it is too late for you and you are already starting to show crow's feet around your eyes, there are many different treatments available for getting rid of those pesky little lines. One popular method is botulinum toxin injections, commonly referred to as Botox. Botox injections temporarily paralyze and relax the muscles located around the eyes, which prevents the skin from wrinkling. After a few months, another Botox injection will be necessary to smooth the wrinkles out again.

Collagen Injections

Collagen injections are also available. These injections serve to replace the collagen that has been lost during the aging process. As a result, the skin gains back its elasticity. The collagen used in this process is extracted from cows and purified. As with Botox, collagen injections only provide temporary results. After the procedure, the face often looks puffy or swollen for a few days because several deposits of collagen are placed under and in the skin. This allows the collagen to be absorbed by the skin. Despite the puffiness, patients can resume normal activities immediately.

Chemical Peels

Another option for getting rid of crow's feet is the chemical peel. With a chemical peel, an acidic chemical is applied to the entire face. This burns away the top layer of skin and encourages newer, fresher, more elastic skin to form in its place. The exact amounts of chemicals used in a chemical peel can vary depending on the needs of the patient, but the chemicals generally used include trichloracetic acid (TCA), phenol, and alphahydrocy acids (AHA's).

The lightest form of chemical peel uses strictly alphahydroxy acids, such as fruit acids, lactic acids, and glycolic acids. These peels can produce brighter colored skin and make the skin smoother. This type of peel is best for use with fine crow's feet. The peel may be applied weekly for a while in order to gain results. The plus to a chemical peel using alphahydrocy acids is that there is no recovery time necessary.

For a deeper chemical peel, trichloracetic acid can also be used to eliminate fine wrinkles. As with glycolic acids, it may be necessary to have more than one peel to achieve the desired results. This peel requires a little more recovery time than an alphahydroxy acid peel, which means the skin may need to be protected from the sun for a few months afterwards. The strongest chemical peel involves phenol. This deep peel helps eliminate deep crow's feet. This type of peel is used primarily for the face, as the neck or body may scar from its use. On the down side, a phenol peel often permanently damages the skin's pigment. As a result, it is necessary to always protect the skin from the sun to prevent damage.

Microdermabrasion, Dermabrasion, and Laser Resurfacing

Other methods for getting rid of crow's feet involve removing the top layer of the skin with microdermabrasion, dermabrasion, or laser resurfacing. These techniques each utilize special techniques to remove the top layer of skin. With microdermabrasion, coronum or Aluminum Oxide crystals are blown onto the skin with a steady air stream in order to exfoliate it. Dermabrasion scrapes off old cells with a wire brush and laser resurfacing uses a laser to peel away the top layer. All of these methods allow new skin that has not been damaged to grow.