Description

• Crows feet, named for their appearance, are wrinkles that show up as fine lines around your eyes, dermatology professor Dr. Roy Geronemus of New York University explains. These wrinkles are medically harmless, but they are highly visible because they appear on such a prominent part of your face. Often crows feet are accompanied by dark bags underneath the eyes, accentuating the unpleasant appearance and often making you appear tired.
  
  

Cause

• The skin surrounding your eyes is extremely thin, according to Dr. Geronemus, making it particularly vulnerable to aging. It is only a millimeter thick in certain spots. Over time, ultraviolet rays from sun exposure thin the skin even more and damage its elastin and collagen. Eventually your skin cannot easily snap back into place when you make normal facial expressions. These factors lead to development of fine lines. Crow's feet are often one of the first prominent aging signs because the skin around the eyes is so delicate. Genetics also play a role in wrinkle development, the National Institutes of Health explains.
  
  

Prevention

• Many environmental factors worsen the speed at which you develop wrinkles, including crows feet. Common culprits include dust, wind, heat and smoking tobacco, the Mayo Clinic advises. Use sunscreen and sunglasses when you are outdoors and stop smoking cigarettes to minimize the damage to your delicate facial skin. Moisturize your face regularly, as this prevents and temporarily masks fine lines like crow's feet. The Mayo Clinic also recommends eating foods rich in vitamins A, B-3, C and E because there is some evidence that these nutrients benefit the skin and slow wrinkling.
  
  

Treatment

• You can reduce the prominence of your crows feet with various treatments. Boxtox controls them by reducing facial movement, while dermal fillers like fat, collagen and hyaluronic acid hide them by expanding the skin. Fractional laser resurfacing is also effective, according to Dr. Geronemus. Many dermatologists use a combination approach for the best results. Wrinkle creams are available over-the-counter, and some are temporarily effective, but the Mayo Clinic warns that they contain low concentrations of wrinkle-fighting ingredients so the effect wears off quickly.