Treatment of Crow’s Feet Wrinkles

One of the first noticeable signs of aging is the development of crow’s feet wrinkles on the outer corners of the eyes. Mask wearing during COVID-19 has increased the focus on crow’s feet, since the eyes are frequently the only visible facial feature when in public. As Board Certified Eye Doctors, we are uniquely qualified to address aging eyes.

Crow’s feet can be either dynamic or static. Dynamic wrinkles can occur with every smile, laugh, frown or eyebrow raise. Dynamic wrinkles can occur at almost any age. Static wrinkles occur with age as the skin loses elasticity and becomes thinner. The increased loosening of the skin results in fine lines, wrinkles, and permanent creases. Crow’s feet are the result of both dynamic and static wrinkles. 

Crow’s feet are almost impossible to prevent, but certain steps can be taken to minimize their severity. Eat a healthy well-balanced diet, avoid cigarette smoking, use sunscreen to avoid harmful rays. Applying moisturizer daily is also important.  Wearing sunglasses when outside even on overcast days helps to avoid squinting and cataract formation as well.

Treatment of Crow’s Feet

Botox is an excellent way to treat crow’s feet. It works by freezing the muscles around the corneas of the eyes from contracting. Large doses are usually not required, but treatment will need to be repeated at three to four month intervals.

Dermal fillers can also be used to fill in creases that develop on the corners of the eyes.  Fillers will tend to last longer than Botox, however combining both modalities can enhance the results.

IPL (intense pulse light) therapy can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles anywhere on the face by stimulating collagen formation. The best results occur with multiple IPL sessions spaced over several weeks. There is no downtime with IPL treatment and few if any side effects.

Chemical peels are an effective way to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. An acidic solution is applied to the skin and then removed. The wrinkled layer of the peels away exposing a fresher layer beneath

Radio Frequently (RF) either with or without microneedling and result in the fresh production of collagen, including elastic to reduce crow’s feet on a more permanent basis..

PDO threads can be placed under the skin around the eyes to reduce lines and creases and stimulate collagen formation, There is no downtime with PDO threads and minimal discomfort. As the PDO threads dissolve over time they are replaced with new collagen fibers.

Laser therapy, employing the fractional CO2 laser, is a highly effective way to permanently reduce crow’s feet and fine lines and wrinkles. The laser works by heating the deep layers of the dermis to stimulate collagen formation with resulting skin tightening. There can be mild discomfort briefly and the treatment area may be red for several days. Mineral mask-up can be after 24 hours.

Retinol creams can also be prescribed. They contain Vitamin A and retinoic acid, which reduce the effects of aging skin.