Crow’s Feet
Among the three major types of eye wrinkles, crow’s feet are perhaps the ones that are most noticeable. Crow’s feet are lines that begin at the outer corners of the eyes and fan out into the facial skin. This natural fanning effect causes them to look very similar to the spiny foot of a crow; thus the name. Depending on the person, crow’s feet can be very deep and can stretch significantly into the side of the face.
Crow’s feet can be caused by a number of things including repetitive facial expressions and long-term exposure to sunlight or cold weather. For people who work outdoors, squinting to protect the eyes from bright sunlight is an easily developed habit. If you were a grounds keeper with a 40-year career for example, it would be understandable for you to develop crow’s feet as the result of squinting all day at work. Using sunglasses and a wide brim hat can reduce squinting and the onset of crow’s feet.
For people who work in colder climates, the winter winds can be especially damaging to the skin. In fact, wind burn is common for outdoor workers in northern states. Excessive exposure to cold weather and whipping winds dries out the skin severely, something which is exacerbated by the natural squinting reflex the body uses to protect the eyes during foul weather. A pair of snow goggles is a good idea for those who work outdoors in colder climates.
Tear Troughs and Bags
Bags under the eyes need little explanation as to what they are. Tear troughs are a different matter. These are wrinkles and lines that begin on the inside corners of the eyes and work downward along the slope of the nose. If a person has dark circles or bags under the eyes, tear troughs can go unnoticed. Otherwise, they are as visible and annoying as crow’s feet. The two biggest causes of these kinds of wrinkles are gravity and cigarette smoking.
As we get older, the fat deposits around the eye sockets and above the cheeks begins to fade away. These fatty deposits kept the skin tight in our younger days, but now skin hangs loosely as the underlying tissue disappears. As those fat deposits recede, gravity takes over and tear troughs and bags appear.
One of the things that bother us the most about eye wrinkles is that they cause us to look old and tired. Getting plenty of rest, maintaining a healthy diet, and applying topical anti-aging creams are all things we can do to reduce the appearance of eye wrinkles.
