Are these lines at the outside corners of my eyes smile lines or crow’s feet?”. To answer that question, ask yourself another question. Are you currently smiling? If those lines remain after you are finished smiling, you are looking at crow’s feet. Crow’s feet are some of the first wrinkles to appear on most individuals due to the thin nature of the skin in that area. Unlike cheeks, there is no fatty tissue surrounding the eyes. Fatty tissue in other areas of the body help to keep skin firm and tight. It fills in the fine lines. These left over “smile lines” appear as early as twenty-something, but for most people, these wrinkles make their debut in their mid-thirties. Here are a few major causes of crow’s feet:
- Smiling and squinting are movements made by small muscle contractions at the corners of our eyes. When done repetatively, over many years, these actions can weaken the collagen and elastin fibers in the skin, not allowing the skin to spring back into position.
- Sun-exposure will also break down elastin fibers and collagen in the skin due to the ability of ultraviolet light to penetrate the skin.
- Smoking cuts off the blood flow and oxygen to the skin which will damage the collagen and elastin.
Considering the causes of crow’s feet, methods of preventing crow’s feet may seem obvious in some instances. Sunglasses can be worn to avoid squinting. Sunscreen may be applied to block UV rays. Discontinued use of nicotine would be another clear proactive step. What does not seem rational is to resist smiling! Nothing can improve someone’s appearance quicker than a smile! So, perhaps escaping crow’s feet all together may not be a realistic possibility. It is, however, possible to minimize their appearance by improving the firmness and elasticity of the skin.
Skin care products containing peptides have proven to be effective tools used to improve the smoothness of expression lines and the general appearance of skin. Peptides are long chains of amino acids; protein building blocks. When collagen deteriorates, certain peptides are formed which activates the skin to produce new collagen. Applying peptides to the skin topically “fools” the skin by convincing the skin collagen has been lost and needs to be replaced.
Minimize the presence of crow’s feet by throwing out the cigarettes, wearing sunglasses, using sunscreen and keep smiling with the help of peptides! YNS Cosmeceutical Skincare products contain these effective peptides as key ingredients to diminish the appearance of fine lines, such as crow’s feet. No one needs to stop smiling!
