Skincare Habits That Can Age Your Eyes

You may not realize it, but the seemingly harmless things you do every day can age your eyes and add years to your appearance. Apart from genetics, stress, and inadequate sleep, some of your skincare habits can also be the culprit as to why you notice visible signs of aging. 

Read on and learn the habits that can age your eyes and what you can do to turn things around.

Rubbing and scrubbing the eye area

Putting extra pressure and tension on the most delicate skin on your body can contribute to sagging and lines. This is because constant or vigorous rubbing can stretch the skin repetitively and then break down collagen and elastin fibers. The same is also true for stretching the area when putting on or removing makeup. 

What to do: It is best to treat the eye region with care and avoid persistent rubbing of eyes. You can also benefit from a gentle cleanser like micellar water when removing eye makeup. 

Skipping the eye cream

The delicate and fragile skin around your eyes makes it more susceptible to damage. It is also the first areas to show visible lines of aging like crow’s feet and wrinkles. 

What to do: Include an eye cream into your daily skin care regimen The right product can keep the area moisturized and decrease puffiness in the morning. If you notice some fine lines, we recommend Dr. Sylvia’s ELASTIfirm Eye Cream. This contains peptides that can protect the eye area against free radical damage.

Constant frowning and squinting

Facial expressions like frowning, squinting, and raising your eyebrow causes muscle contractions that can lead to skin wrinkling. Making those movements repetitively can cause lines and wrinkles or make existing ones become more prominent. 

What to do: You don’t necessarily have to stop moving your face to prevent lines and wrinkles. Just don’t do or repeat those expressions frequently or every day. You can also make a conscious effort not to frown, squint, or furrow your eyebrows.

Neglecting your eyebrow

As you age, the hairs in your body, including those of your eyebrows, can naturally thin out. It is also likely that they may not grow out as thick anymore, especially if you pluck them early or in your teenage years. 

What to do: The right makeup can create the appearance of a fuller eyebrow. You can also use an eyebrow serum or visit an aesthetician for eyebrow etching and other enhancing treatments.

Skipping sun protection

Repeated sun exposure without sun protection can damage your skin and contribute to premature aging. You may not be able to see the effects of recent exposure, but you can see cumulative effects after some years. These include sunspots, wrinkling, sagging, and easily bruised skin.

What to do: Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever going out. Don’t forget to apply some in your eye area, neck, and back of the hands. It is also a good idea to avoid sun exposure, especially between 10 am and 3 pm (sun’s peak hours).

Beating Eye Aging with Botulinum Toxin

While wearing sunscreen daily and using anti-aging products help, you also need to consider nonsurgical aesthetic treatments for visible signs of aging. Here at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics, we offer injectable treatments in the form of Botulinum Toxin (Botox) to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

What is it: Botox (a brand name for Botulinum Toxin) is a US FDA cleared anti-wrinkle injectable treatment. It is commonly used for treating dynamic wrinkles or those that are formed due to repetitive facial expressions. 

How does it work: It works by temporarily blocking the signal from a nerve to muscles to soften and relax the wrinkles formed by muscle contraction (like smiling, squinting, and frowning)

What is it great for: Botox can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles in the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet), frown lines (angry 11s or glabella lines), and horizontal forehead lines.

What does the procedure involve: The entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes and may involve the use of topical anesthetic cream to improve patient comfort. There is also no downtime, so you can immediately go back to your routines.

What results can I expect: The results of the treatment can last between three and six months, but it is likely to last longer with repeated injections. A consultation with an aesthetic doctor can help you know more about what to expect. 

Things to remember after Botox: Avoid lying down and do not manipulate the area at least four hours after the treatment. You should also avoid drinking alcohol and doing any strenuous exercise for at least 24 hours after their procedure. This is to avoid the spread of Botox on where they shouldn’t be and to avoid the risk of bruising.

Avoid the habits mentioned above and consider aesthetic procedures. If you want to know more about Botox or other anti-wrinkle treatments, contact Cutis Medical Laser Clinics today and schedule a consultation with our Harvard-trained aesthetic doctor, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez.