The eyes are the first place where aging is first noticed and it’s usually in the form of wrinkles which form underneath the eyes.
These wrinkles can be quite unsightly and if you are the type who worries about such things – which honestly most persons are – it can make you a bit more self-conscious and less confident.Most persons succumb to defeat when these youth stealing ninjas prop up on their faces and that usually is because they are not aware of remedies to combat the attack. Several treatments are available to combat under eye wrinkles regardless of your social status.
What Actually Are Under Eye Wrinkles?
Under eye wrinkles usually start as fine lines which progress into the deeper lines called wrinkles which cause creases and ridges around your eyes which make you look older and less attractive. These lines form around the eyes mostly when the body loses its ability to produce collagen and elastin which help keep the skin vibrant, elastic and supple. In addition, repetitive facial motions like laughing, squinting and scrunching which are inevitable exacerbate wrinkle formation around the eyes.
How Do Under Eye Wrinkles Appear?
Before you get to know about remedies available to get rid of under eye wrinkles, it’s imperative you get a full understanding of how they came about. As can be seen above, under eye wrinkles can be caused by a lot of things and there are several other things that can cause wrinkles under the eyes, some of which can be prevented and others which can’t be prevented.
➢ Aging
As you already know, the most common cause of under eye wrinkles is aging and the natural aging process and the reduction of estrogen affect the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen is a type of protein, and it works with keratin to give the skin strength, resilience, smoothness and elasticity and as you start to age collagen production stops which leads to the formation of more wrinkles around the eyes. Elastin works like the skins “adjustment button,” allowing the skin to mold into expression and snap back into its normal resting position afterward.
In addition to the cessation of these essential proteins due to aging, the skin around the eyes are extremely thin and not capable of rehydrating itself by producing oils like the other parts of the skin does and this exacerbates aging signs around the eyes.
➢ Smoking
You need not be told that cigarette smoking is bad for your health as it’s responsible for several respiratory diseases and cancer even. Current research has even confirmed that cigarette smoking ages the skin considerably, mostly by releasing an enzyme which breaks down elastin and collagen, important components of the skin as you already know. Also, twin sibling research carried out by St Thomas Hospital in London found that the sibling who smoked had a much older and thinner skin than the sibling who didn’t.
Smoking damages the skin by causing a narrowing of the blood vessels found in the outer layer of the skin which reduces blood supply to the face, invariably making it impossible for the skin to stay healthy. And if you think your face is the only part of the body that bears the brunt for of your bad smoking habit, well think again, as smoking also makes your hands and neck look more wrinkled than they are supposed to be.
➢ Sunlight Exposure
Sun exposure is harmful to the skin in general and the squinting which is an almost immediate reaction whenever you step outside into the sunlight overtime leads to the formation of wrinkles around the eyes.
The sun also gives out harmful UV rays which contain free radicals that damage your skin and leads to wrinkle formation underneath the eyes. That’s why it advisable to put on sunscreen, wear sunglasses and wear large hats to protect your skin and face from sunlight.
➢ Poor Skin Care And Skin Care Products
In a bid to keep up with the Joneses, most persons pay little or no attention to their skin and use just any skin care product they pick off the shelf. A lot of skincare products available in the market are made from harmful recalcitrant chemicals which fail to degrade after use. And over time the chemicals from these skin care products degrade essential proteins like elastin and collagen found in the skin leading to wrinkles.
Many persons also don’t know that the skin around the eyes should be given special attention and kept moisturized by using specially formulated products rich in alpha hydroxyl acids and hyaluronic acids which exfoliate, stimulates and keeps the skin around the eyes plump.
➢ Poor Nutritional Habits
Poor eating habits affect your health and your skin even hence it’s advisable to watch what you put into your mouth. Fruits rich in vitamins like vegetables and fruits are a must for anyone looking to have that wrinkle-free skin as they are rich in antioxidants which detoxify the skin and protects it from the harmful effect of free radicals. Also, eating more fish, particularly salmon, cocoa and soy keeps wrinkles away from the eyes.
Junk foods which are high in carb and coffee should be avoided instead beneficial drinks like cocoa, smoothies, fresh juice, and water should be taken.
➢ Poor Sleeping Habits
Underneath the eyes is the first place where poor sleeping habits can first be noticed so it’s important you get enough sleep at least for your eye’s sake. When the body doesn’t get enough sleep it produces excess cortisol, a hormone which breaks down skin cells. So it is advisable to get enough sleep, at least seven hours daily and this helps keep the skin remain thick, stay elastic and keeps wrinkles away.
➢ Constant Rubbing Of The Eyes
As you know already, the skin underneath the eyes is extremely thin and sensitive and rubbing around the eyes, a habit most persons are guilty of causes friction which can, in turn, cause the skin pigmentation around the eyes to darken and lead to wrinkles around the eyes.
Ways How You Can Get Rid Of Under Eye Wrinkles
If you already have under eye wrinkles and you are already thinking it’s a lifetime badge, fret not as there are several ways available to get rid of those “age meters,” regardless of your personal preference and financial status. Each of the methods has their respective strengths and weakness and the onus is on you to decide which is most suitable for you.
Some of the methods available for removing wrinkles from under the eyes include medical/spa treatments and also natural methods of treating those so unwanted signs of aging.
Way #1 – Laser Light Treatment/ Resurfacing
Laser treatments involve introducing energy from a light source, usually a laser or a pulsed diode light. This energy source goes into the sub-layer of the skin and removes the top layer, causing a slight but unnoticeable skin which boosts the skin’s natural collagen and elastin production resulting in a smoother, wrinkle free skin. Laser treatment is a wonderful way of getting wrinkle free skin but the recovery time could be a little long.
Way #2 – Botox
You have definitely heard about Botox but if you haven’t, Botox involves injecting a purified version of the Botulinum toxin A, gotten from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum which paralyzes the muscles underneath the wrinkle, allowing the skin on top to lie smooth and crease-free after laughing or frowning.
Botox treatment is similar to getting fillers but with slightly different results. Botox treatments last for about a year, after which you go and get another one.
Way #3 – Wrinkle Fillers
One very effective method which provides immediate results is the use of fillers like hyaluronic acid, collagen, and other synthetic compounds. These fillers replace worn out flesh underneath the eyes with these substances, giving you a smooth wrinkle-free face and like Botox injections, they last for a year.
Way #4 – Dermabrasion
If you are not cool with laser, fillers or Botox because you find surgery a little intense, dermabrasion is just what you need. It involves the use of a vacuum suction device used concurrently with small diamond tips to remove the top layer of the skin cell, paving way for new and more evenly textured skin on the surface, leading to the disappearing of the fine lines and wrinkles on the face. Unlike the previously discussed procedures which have recovery times of up to seven days, dermabrasion has a short recovery time, usually 24 hours.
Way #5 – Chemical Peels
This method involves burning off the top layer of the skin with special chemicals, creating light injuries which activate higher collagen production by the body, leaving you with a younger, wrinkle-free skin.
Way #6 – Use Of Eye Wrinkle Removal Creams
There are several creams available to remove wrinkles and fine lines from under the eyes and also help with hyperpigmentation and bags. Among the active ingredients you should watch out for in these creams are vitamin C, retinol, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, patented peptides which help rid your eye of those wrinkles.
As you might expect, these creams don’t work as quickly as surgical procedures but they have the plus of being cheaper and easier to use. Few examples include 1 Minute Lift cream from Eye Secrets, also you can try Happy Skincare eye care products or maybe even to test LifeCell anti-wrinkle cream.
Way #7 – Natural Remedies For Wrinkles Under Eyes (eg. Eye Masks)
If the notion of going under the knife or having chemicals in your body scares you fret not as there are several natural methods available which are easier and cheaper, and don’t come with as many side effects as Botox or laser treatment. These natural treatments are not as fast acting as surgical or chemical procedures but when you consider the numerous side effects that come with them you might just prefer to go natural.
Eye masks are gaining increasing popularity because of their effectiveness in getting rid of under eye wrinkles and fine lines, and there are several natural materials which you can use as eye masks. The most common eye masks are made from cucumber and egg (mixed with honey and milk). Other materials used as eye masks include yogurt, pineapple, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil and rose flower water.
Way #8 – Eye Massage
This involves massaging the skin around the eyes using special creams which help relax the muscle around the eyes and increase blood flow to that area. When carrying out this massage you would need some massage oil or eye cream so you don’t pull or drag your skin, resulting in more damage to the skin.
The general idea when carrying out an eye massage is to rub from the inner corner inside the eye outwards in circular repeated motions. Repeat the process 10- 20 times on each eye once a day.
How To Prevent Under Eye Wrinkles
According to the old cliché, “prevention is better than cure” so now you have seen ways of getting rid of under eye wrinkles and the common causes of under eye wrinkles, you would need to know how to first prevent it so you don’t have to go through all those curative measures. From the earlier write-ups you can take a guess as to ways of preventing under eye wrinkles but for the sake of emphasis, here they are:
Wear sunglasses and hats when going out;
Use sunscreen creams;
Use a night time eye cream;
Drink lots and lots of water;
Watch your diet;
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables;
Get at least seven hours daily;
When avoidable, avoid rubbing your eyes;
Get reading glasses if you start having eye problems to avoid squinting;
Don’t smoke.
We would suggest you to follow as many as possible of the tips mentioned because it is much easier to prevent wrinkles from appearing that afterwords trying to get rid of them. Of course, if they already have appeared you have to try methods available to find the only one method that will suit your skin type and a number of wrinkles you have and hopefully it all will help to get back your youthful look.