Crow's Feet: What Are They And How Do You Get Rid of Them
Crow’s feet might have very little to do with the creepy, ominous blackbirds that you might see on Halloween night. But they might still give you a little bit of a fright if you notice them forming on your face.
The good news is that crow’s feet, as well as many other signs of premature skin aging, are reversible if you utilize your resources through a proper skin care regimen. Here’s everything you need to know about crow’s feet, as well as what you need to do to get rid of them.
What Are Crow’s Feet?
Crow’s feet are little lines from the outer corner of your eyes. They sort of look like the imprint of a bird’s foot, hence their name. People may lovingly refer to them as “smile lines” because they become more noticeable when you grin.
While most people get crow’s feet when they smile, it’s not as exciting when they become permanent facial features.
While crow’s feet don’t pose any risk to your health, they can bring down your self-confidence and make you feel insecure about your skin health. But don’t worry -- they are entirely normal, and there are ways to reverse them.
What Causes Crow’s Feet?
One of the main reasons why crow’s feet occur is simply because of skin aging. Over time, your skin produces less of a protein known as collagen. This is what helps keep your skin elastic, voluptuous, and wrinkle-free. It also is a major structural component of your bones, muscles, tendons, and cartilage.
After the age of 20, your skin starts to lose as much as 1% of your collagen every single year once you reach adulthood. Couple that with loss of elastin, another skin protein that helps with structural skin integrity.
So naturally, as these two proteins lessen, your skin becomes less “snappy” and can result in age features such as crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Additionally, the skin naturally thins with age as well. This becomes more apparent in the area around the eyes, as this skin is thinner, to begin with. That’s why dark circles, crow’s feet, and eye bags become a bit more apparent with age, too.
Risk Factors
While these symptoms are inevitable with age, certain activities can accelerate premature signs of aging. For one, smoking cigarettes can have detrimental effects on skin health because it exposes your body to oxidative stress.
This is the process that causes your cells to die off over time.
Exposure to the sun can weaken the structural integrity of your skin and lead to premature signs of aging, such as crow’s feet. Direct UV rays, as well as frequent use of tanning beds, can cause your skin to look a little bit older than it actually is.
Your diet and lifestyle habits can also play a role in the appearance and health of your skin. Some research has shown that diets high in sugar and refined carbs can dull the appearance of your skin over time. Also, poor sleeping habits can highlight dark circles under your eyes and make crow’s feet look even more pronounced.
Other factors that can contribute to the enhanced onset of crow’s feet include caffeine and alcohol intake, excessive stress, and even genetics.
While it might seem impossible to avoid dark circles entirely, there are some steps you can take to reverse their appearance.
How To Get Rid of Crow’s Feet
There are some simple tips and tricks that you can try to eliminate crow’s feet when you start to notice them on the sides of your eyes. Here are some of our favorite methods.
Natural Marine Ingredients
The organisms that live under the sea possess extraordinary properties that allow them to survive in one of the most intense habitats on Earth. For that reason, we can harness some of their powers sustainably to bring some relief to even the most frustrating skin conditions.
Using marine actives that focus on restoring hydration and elasticity to the skin are fantastic options for reducing the appearance of crow’s feet. Marine algae, for instance, is like a superfood for your skin. It’s rich in amino acids that make up both collagen and elastin, so it can help restore buoyancy to your skin and reduce wrinkles.
Marine collagen is another fantastic ingredient for rejuvenating your skin and reducing the effects of crow’s feet. It’s taken from the scales of fish, and it can help speed up the production of collagen that your body already creates on its own.
If you don’t even know where to start when it comes to the right skincare ingredients, our Beauty Skin System has everything you need to get clearer, healthier, and more vibrant skin.
Botox
Believe it or not, one of the more widely utilized methods for reducing crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles is through botox injections.
Botox, or botulinum toxin A, is a type of bacteria that blocks certain nerve signals that make muscles contract.
When injected into the skin, botox causes your muscles to relax and wrinkles to be reduced.
While Botox is effective, its effects only last about three to six months, meaning you’ll need to go back for subsequent injections later on. Additionally, some people experience headaches, eye redness, or other unwanted symptoms after injection.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of skin. Not only do exfoliating masks and creams feel satisfying to apply, but they can be extremely helpful to your overall skin health. This includes reducing the appearance of crow’s feet.
Exfoliating once or twice a week can make your skin look more vibrant, but long-term exfoliation can stimulate collagen production to help keep crow’s feet at bay for longer.
Conceal
If you’re finding it difficult to get rid of crow’s feet, there are some ways you may be able to cover them up before a social outing. For one, using a moisturizing eye cream can help hydrate the skin around your eyes to reduce both crow’s feet and dark circles.
Additionally, using primer and other types of make-up in moderation can cover up the appearance of stubborn crow’s feet. Just be sure you don’t put on too much concealer, as this may actually draw too much attention to the eyes and worsen their look.
How To Prevent Crow’s Feet
One of the best ways to treat crow’s feet is by preventing them from occurring in the first place. And while it’s impossible to stop aging, you can still hold off the unwanted effects of skin oxidation by making some healthy lifestyle changes.
Eating a nutritious diet filled with fruits and vegetables is one way to maintain your skin’s elasticity and youthful nature. Other antioxidants include almonds, fish and shellfish, and brown rice.
Not to mention, regular physical activity can have profound benefits for your skin health and overall holistic well-being. This is because exercise provides oxygen and nutrients to the skin to help maintain its integrity. Just make sure you practice good hygiene and take a shower after sweating up a storm during that next indoor cycling class.
Finally, practicing a proper skincare routine that incorporates regular cleansing and moisturizing can help regulate skin health in multiple ways, including reducing the risk of premature aging.
In Conclusion
Crow’s feet are those little lines that jut out from the side of your eyes. And while most people get these when they smile, loss of collagen and elastin due to oxidative stress can make them more pronounced.
To help reverse the signs of premature aging, crow’s feet can be alleviated with natural skincare ingredients such as those from deep sea sources, as well as botox injections, regular exfoliation, and physical concealing. You can also prevent crow’s feet by quitting smoking, eating nutritious foods, and exercising regularly.
If you’re still struggling to get the results you crave, it might boil down to the skincare products that you’re using.
One Ocean Beauty harnesses the power of marine life through sustainable measures, allowing you to feel and look your best.
Sources:
Collagen | The Nutrition Source | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging | NCBI
How Does Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Work? | American Academy of Ophthalmology
Antioxidants | The Nutrition Source | Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
How your workout can affect your skin | American Academy of Dermatology Association
