The skin around our eyes is about ten times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face, and is very vulnerable to pulling, dragging, and puffiness.

It also has far fewer oil glands than the rest of our skin; the lack of natural hydration making it even more prone to damage.

When we lose collagen and elastin as we get older, the eye area is one of the first places to see evidence of ageing. The fact that our eyes are such a focal point in the human face means that wrinkles, bags and damage in this area is very noticeable, and can make us look tired or sad.

Constant movement leads to wrinkles, lines and sagging

The skin around the eye contour is constantly moving – blinking alone produces over 10,000 movements a day. Incessant smiling, squinting and other natural facial expression mean this delicate skin is under constant stress, made worse by smoking; sun exposure and pollution.

Fine lines begin to appear at the outer corners, giving us ‘crow’s feet’, and as the years pass the network of lines radiates further outwards and even downwards onto the cheeks.

Under-eye puffiness is another common problem, and is exacerbated by salty foods, allergies and internal dehydration. Rubbing and tugging of the delicate skin under the eye due to allergies, crying, eye makeup removal, as well as daily insertion and removal of contact lenses, contributes further to the general sagging of the this area.

The tissue around the eye area has very few oil glands compared to that on the rest of the face; the lack of natural moisture means it’s even more prone to wrinkles and bags. Years of pulling and tugging at it leads to eventual loss of elasticity.

Maintaining Healthy Skin around the Eyes

Special care is needed to look after the delicate skin around the eye; it’s sensitive and easily irritated. Cosmetic Doctor offer several eye care products for use as part of a regular skin care regime, and can help reduce signs of ageing using anti-wrinkle injectables (recently approved for use on crow’s feet) as well as dermal fillers.

Products that contain gentle, non-irritating compounds that reduce the appearance of wrinkles (exfoliants), along with a wide range of vitamins, antioxidants, and skin-plumping substances are ideal choices.

Products containing oil increase the likelihood of clogged glands around the eyes that can lead to styes and other ocular problems.

To minimize the potential for contamination, people should avoid products packaged in a manner that requires “dipping” fingers into a jar; most eye care products should come with a little spatula to avoid this kind of contamination.

To book an appointment with Cosmetic Doctor in Dublin, call 01 685 3100.