Eye Wrinkles
What Can I Do About Them?

As we age, eye wrinkles begin to appear, it is an inevitable sign of passing years that we will all experience. While a few of us consider these lines to be the tell tale sign of a long and happy life, most just consider them a nuisance.

As part of any wrinkle free skin care you may be looking to minimize or prevent wrinkles around your eyes—you will find there are several techniques and treatments that can help.

You aren't going to rid yourself of these signs of aging but can reduce, sometimes substantially, how noticeable they are to others.

What Causes Wrinkles Around the Eye?

While everyone is prone to wrinkles due to aging, research has shown that certain factors cause and speed up the appearance of wrinkles. Known causes of facial and eye wrinkles include:

• Loss of elasticity—It is a proven fact that the skin around your eyes is some of the thinnest to be found anywhere on your body, making it more prone to wrinkling. It is also important to note that because the area contains almost no sweat glands it to can dry and wrinkle easily.
• Sun Exposure—Research has shown that exposure to UV rays in sunlight can accelerate the formation of wrinkles around the eyes. The sunlight causes damage to the collagen and elastin proteins in the skin.
• Lack of Nutrients—If you are not eating correctly, your body is not getting enough of the nutrients it needs to properly repair your skin when damaged.
• Blinking and facial expression—Every day we make movements with our face that contribute to the wrinkling process. Activities such as blinking, smiling and frowning create tiny folds and wrinkles in the facial skin that deepen and become more visible over time.

What Can I Do to Prevent and Slow Down Wrinkles?

Certain daily activities put a lot of unnecessary strain on facial skin. Avoiding these activities and or altering the way you perform them can be a great help in slowing down the appearance of eye wrinkles. Some of these activities include:

• Don't rub your eyes—Millions of Americans have the bad habit of rubbing their eyes when they are itchy or when they are tired. This behavior not only puts dangerous pressure on the eyeball, but also crushes and folds the skin around the eyes, speeding up the appearance of wrinkles.
• Washing your face gently—Daily grooming and hygiene require one washes their face. Just don't use unnecessary force. Scrubbing and wiping at the face stretches and puts stress on the delicate skin around the eyes, which can promote wrinkling.
• Don't smoke—Smoking tobacco products constricts the tiny blood vessels that surround the eye, which eventually leads to the break down of collagen in the skin causing eye wrinkles.
• Drink enough water—Consumption of water keeps the skin hydrated and helps it retain its youth and elasticity.
• Consume less alcohol—Alcohol dehydrates the body and the skin which promotes premature wrinkling.
• Wear protective eyewear—While exposed to sunlight, wear sunglasses to prevent squinting which over time can create eye wrinkles.
• Exercise Regularly—Exercise is important to skin care because sweating releases toxins from your body and helps keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Minimizing Eye Wrinkles

If you have already started noticing the appearance of crow's feet and wrinkles around your eyes, several easy at-home fixes can help reduce the appearance of these existing wrinkles. Some of our remedies include:

• Moisturize using a gentle, oil-based facial lotion around your eyes. Apply daily using a soft cotton ball and gently rub in the lotion using a soft circular motion. This will help rehydrate the skin and help repair elasticity to the area.
• Use a cotton swab and apply a small amount of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil to the skin beneath your eyes to help rejuvenate the skin in that sensitive area.
• Separate the white from an egg and apply to the skin around your eyes to tighten the skin and minimize existing wrinkles.

Wrinkle Creams—Do They Work?

Unfortunately, not all wrinkle creams are the miracle solution they make themselves out to be. Some products however are effective in helping to revitalize and rejuvenate the skin adding life and elasticity, which can help minimize eye wrinkles, including crow's feet.

When selecting a cream, read the ingredients carefully and choose products that include components that are known to slow down the wrinkling process. Ingredients to look for on the label include:

• Collagen
• Retinol
• Coenzyme Q10
• Kinetin
• Various tea extracts
• Copper peptides
• Hydroxy acids

Taking proper precautions to care for your skin and provide it with the hydration and nutrients it needs is a surefire way to help slow the skin aging process as well as to prevent and minimize the appearance of premature wrinkles that ultimately may make us look older than we are.

Minimizing or totally preventing crow's feet and other forms of eye wrinkles can be an important step to aging gracefully.