What are crows feet and how do I minimise them?

Crow's feet are wrinkles inscribed in the corner of the eye. Unlike wrinkles or laugh lines on other areas of the face, crow's feet can appear to look deeper or more pronounced on the skin.

Some of the leading causes of crow's feet include UV over exposure and the loss collagen and elasticity that comes with age. While age and UV exposure are significant contributing factors for crow's feet, crow's feet can actually occur at any age, including your mid-20s.

The reason crow's feet can occur earlier in life more so than any other type of wrinkle is because of where they are. They appear there because of the thin layer of skin in that area and lack of oil glands around the eye. As the elasticity of skin around this thin layer diminishes as we age the skin is unable to bounce back to its original state.

Don't get us wrong, crow's feet, are a sign of a life well-lived. We also see these beneath the eyes as a result of excessive smiling, and muscle contraction which for a life full of laughter we welcome some crows feet. But as we age, the lines can get deeper and longer.

So, if you would like to minimize their appearance, here’s how.

Can you prevent crow’s feet?

Short of not laughing or cutting most facial expressions out of your repertoire they are inevitable. But you can prolong the appearance of them and minimize the lines that may already be there.

Here’s how-

• staying hydrated
• a healthy diet
• reducing exposure to toxins
• wearing hats
• using SPF eye cream
• wearing UV protective sunglasses

Regular moisturising

Not forgetting your eye area in your everyday moisturising routine is a must. Your regular moisturiser can be used on your eye area and do the job but if you wanted a more tailored approach there is a plethora of good eye creams on the market to choose from. A good eye cream will have peptides in it look for retinol, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.

SPF

We are going to tell you again, SPF is essential. You should be wearing 30+ daily. It is so important. If you are active and sweating remember to reapply or wear a waterproof one.