A Basic Guide to Caring for the Skin Around Your Eyes

It’s said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, since they convey our deepest emotions. The appearance of the eyes can also be the aspect of your body that reveals your age. Although it’s tempting to just use the same skin products on every area of your face—especially if you’re hoping to simplify your skin routine—remember that the skin around your eyes has a different quality than the skin on other parts of your face. With that in mind, it requires special treatment. Microdermabrasion is what the Albuquerque-based team at Western Dermatology Consultants often recommends for improving the eye area, but it’s important to combine any in-office treatment with a good, at-home skin care routine that you use every day.

Many people neglect this delicate area of skin or believe that eye creams are unnecessary, leading them to see the effects of accelerated aging such as dark circles, bags, and tiny wrinkles. Most people will notice the earliest tell-tale signs of aging in this area of the face because the skin there is much thinner than the skin that covers other parts of the body, meaning it’s more prone to losing elasticity and becoming wrinkled. Adding to that, there’s not much soft tissue below the eyes, so they can become hollow looking over time.

As we repeatedly blink and use the muscles around our eyes when making facial expressions each day, the skin in this area gets stretched a lot. Not to mention, the action of constantly rubbing the skin when we’re applying or taking off eyeliner, eyeshadow, or mascara also causes the skin to break down faster. All of these habits can sometimes lead to those small lines around the eyes called crow’s feet and the vertical straight lines between the brows known as frown lines. The muscles around your eyes also tend to become weaker with age.

Here are some of the steps you can take to prevent aging of the skin around your eyes or hide common issues such as wrinkles, puffiness, and discoloration.

1. Use Eye Creams Religiously

If you don’t already use eye creams, know that they can be one of the most important investments you’ll make for caring for your skin. Keeping the area well hydrated is essential, since the drier your skin is, the more likely it is that wrinkles and lines will look prominent. Normal face moisturizers are safe for around the eyes, but the skin there is sensitive and may have an adverse reaction to it as the ingredients may be too strong, so it’s better to choose creams that are specifically designed for the area around your eyes. Use creams containing humectants to add fullness to your skin and ingredients that encourage collagen production like peptides to prevent signs of aging.

2. Make Sun Protection Your Priority

Sun damage is a major cause of premature aging around the eyes. To protect your skin from UV rays from sunlight that destroy collagen, you need to apply broad-spectrum sunscreen to the area each day on both the upper eyelid as well as below the eye, consider wearing UV protective sunglasses or wide-brimmed hats, and avoid going into bright sunlight when the rays are strongest during the daytime.

3. Change Your Lifestyle

When you aren’t getting enough sleep at night, are dehydrated, aren’t exercising enough, and are consuming too much salt (or your diet is unbalanced in other ways), the skin around your eyes will reflect your health. During sleep, the skin around your eyes has the opportunity to heal and repair itself. Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep each night, and you’ll notice a difference. People who are sleep deprived are more likely to have wrinkles around the eyes, as well as darker circles.

Find out more about the benefits of a variety of skin-improving options, including microdermabrasion, from Western Dermatology Consultants to reduce signs of aging around the eyes. If you’d like to explore this or other in-office aesthetic treatments—like lasers, BOTOX®, and chemical peels—call 505-855-9267, or submit a contact form to request a consultation.