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For most of us, the area around our eyes ages faster than the rest of our skin. Why? Most often it is because the eyelid skin is thinner, there are very few oil glands to lubricate the skin naturally, and the fat pad there is thinner and shrinks over time. So… the lower lid tends to get dark circles, wrinkling and sagging.
dr Brandith’s fundamental principle #1
Anything we do to protect and build our own natural collagen and skin elasticity over time is a good thing! It makes your skin appear younger and firmer.
Protect and support the collagen and elasticity around your eyes:
- Use an eye cream with active ingredients like retinol, antioxidants etc. like the Eye Rescue from MadisonMD in our shop.
- Wear sunglasses that are polarized for glare and protect against UV rays when outdoors. Also helps to keep you from squinting.
- I love the Colorescience 3-in-1 Total Eye Eyelid Sunscreen SPF 35.
- Make sure your morning sunscreen is zinc-rich, like MadisonMD’s Everyday Tinted UV Protections Sunscreen SPF 46, gentle enough for you to apply directly to and over the brow bone, crow’s foot area, and bone on the lower lid .
- If you work outdoors or spend a lot of time outdoors, you might want to consider a specialized eyelid sunscreen that can be applied to the actual lids like the one pictured above.
- Do not pull or rub the eyelid skin.
- Get allergies treated to keep your eyes from watering, etc.
Build more collagen and keep improving it:
- Thermage manufactures an FDA-approved eye tip. It helps tighten the eyelid skin and is especially good for grooming.
- Platelet Rich Plasma FM (we use Selphyl Fibrin Matrix) used around the eye with a special technique improves skin texture and quality.
- Fraxel manufactures an FDA approved eye tip. Especially good for early crepeness and brown spots.
- Fractional CO2 lasers like the DEKA Dot are great around the eyes for more advanced sagging and wrinkles. We combine this with the PRP above.
- Don’t overlook the obvious! Botox/Dysport around the eyes can also reduce the laugh lines/crow’s feet and raise the eyebrows a bit.
- Filler injections can help with a hollow tear trough. BUT… only MD experts please. This is an off-label range from the FDA.
Safety first:
- Please only MDs with at least 5-10 years of experience in injecting fillers for injections around the eye area! There are now many Instagramers promoting themselves as “expert injectors” who have very little education or training other than a few “weekend” classes. It’s spooky out there right now. Be careful.
- Contact lens-style eye protection, which is placed in the eye with numbing drops and a special cushioning gel, must be used with any laser or radiofrequency treatment in the eye area.
Hope that helps!
dr Brandith Irwin, MD
founder of SkinTour & MadisonMD skin care
Follow my skin tips and keep traveling Instagram!