I had a lovely new patient come in for her initial consultation with me the other day. Before we even sat down she expressed her concern: “I need to stop these fine lines from getting deeper!” and proceeded to trace her fingers around her eyes. Preventing under eye wrinkles is one of the most common concerns I hear, so I immediately let her know that she's not alone!

Are the fine lines around your eyes also one of your top beauty concerns? I completely understand, and am right there with you! Wrinkles around your eyes, crow’s feet… whatever name we give them, fine lines are rarely a welcome sight on our beautiful skin.

These fine lines and wrinkles we start to notice in the mirror are a result of both sun damage and our skin producing less collagen and elastin as we age.

Thankfully, there are a number of steps you can take to help prevent and diminish those pesky wrinkles and dark under-eye circles. Here are a few tips I regularly divulge to my aesthetics patients to help you achieve that bright, youthful look.

How to Prevent Fine Lines Around Your Eyes [8 Tips]

Tip 1: Sleep on your back.

Sleeping on your side (or even worse, your stomach) night after night takes a toll on the delicate skin of your face. The friction from your pillow has been proven to result in more pronounced wrinkles, and the dirt and oil commonly found in pillows just adds to the damage.

If you’re like me, it’s nearly impossible to sleep entirely on your back, so in order to prevent smooshing the side of my face at night, my ‘must have’ is the enVy Pillow - with a patented ‘wrinkle protection’ design. I wish I had trained my much younger self to do this years ago as a great way to prevent premature aging, but better late than never. I started using my envy pillow a few years back and definitely notice a difference.

Tip 2: Drink H2O!

In addition to affecting energy levels and brain function, if you are dehydrated, one of the first places it will show is under your eyes. Trust your thirst - if you’re thirsty, drink more water. Regularly replenish your H2O levels, especially in Arizona, where we’re prone to sweat in the scorching hot summers. I also recommend switching to water 3-4 hours before bed to ensure you’re well hydrated, and prevent that last glass of wine from disrupting your sleep.

Tip 3: Don't rub your eyes, no matter how tired you are.

The delicate, thin skin under your eyes can age faster by the tugging and pulling - take note contact lens wearers! Every time you pull your under eye skin down to put contacts in, you could potentially be aging yourself faster and damaging the delicate skin under your eyes. Be gentle!

Tip 4: Be gentle when removing your eye makeup.

I remind all of my patients that the area below the eyes is lacking in soft tissues such as fat or muscle and is more fragile and susceptible to damage. To help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, refrain from harsh scrubbing, pulling, or tugging when wiping off your eye makeup.

If you wear waterproof makeup that’s difficult to remove, invest in a quality makeup remover that can do the job with minimal effort on your part.

Tip 5: Wear UV protective sunglasses...even on a cloudy day!

Did you know that UV rays are so powerful they can penetrate through clouds up to 80%? Not only do sunglasses prevent your precious eyesight from diminishing, they also keep you from squinting (which causes crow’s feet) and reduce the chance of sun damage to the skin around your eyes.

Tip 6: Wear a physical sunblock - every. single. day.

If you and I have had a conversation, I’ve probably been able to sneak this tip in. I recommend this as often as I can to anyone who comes my way. You would be shocked at how much UV rays make their way through your car, home and office windows. These powerful rays can cause faster aging, sun damage, discoloration, wrinkles, and even skin cancer. Protect your lovely skin (and your health) by applying a physical sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every single day. The SPF in your makeup doesn’t count and should instead just be thought of as an added layer of protection.

Avoid common mistakes by using at least a tablespoon on your face and 1-2 ounces on your body (even skin that isn’t exposed directly to the sun!).

Tip 7: Invest in a great eye cream.

Prevention is key here - every 20+ year old should be using an eye cream! My new favorite is SkinBetter Science Instant Effect Eye Gel. I have sensitive eyes and eye creams tend to irritate and burn, but this one I can use without irritation and it gives me noticeable results. The benefits of using a cream specifically formulated for under your eyes are significant: 

• Eye creams contain a number of active ingredients for fighting dark circles and fine lines
• Common eye cream ingredients, such as sodium ascorbate, or vitamin C, can thicken skin and conceal dark circles after about six months use. Niacinamide, or vitamin B3, and kojic acid can also lighten dark circles.
• Refrigerated eye cream can even reduce eye puffiness upon application! Puffiness is a buildup of fluid and blood under the eyes which can be diminished with a cold eye cream, in addition to all of the other wonderful eye cream ingredients that soak into your skin.

Tip 8: Check your vitamin levels.

Dark circles could be a sign of low vitamin K, iron, or other deficiencies - but can also just be a sign that you’re a new mom getting very little sleep. Either way, getting your bloodwork done can help you identify the root cause of your dark under eye circles and help create a plan for correcting and maintaining.

These expert-level tips will help stop new eye wrinkles and fine lines from appearing, as well as preventing the deepening of lines that may already exist.

Aesthetics Treatment Options for Under Eye Wrinkles

If you’re looking to take under eye care a step further, consider a variety of aesthetics treatment options. I personally recommend the HydraFacial Eye Perk to a number of my patients experiencing fine lines or dark under eye circles. This is the only FDA-approved option for under eye treatment that gently exfoliates, hydrates and plumps. I administer the facial in-office and there’s no downtime required post-treatment!

Additional in-office treatments I recommend for diminishing fine lines:

• PDO Threads: tightens and builds collagen to help plump skin and diminishes fine lines and wrinkles
• PRP Injections: rejuvenates skin and minimizes the appearance of dark circles
• Sublative Rejuvenation: builds collagen, tightens, plumps and diminishes fine lines and dark circles
• Microneedling Treatments: builds collagen

Help maintain your youthful look by treating the thin, delicate skin that surrounds your eyes with gentle love and care!

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