By Wendy Lewis
What is the first thing people notice about you? Usually, it’s your eyes.
As you age, the tone and shape of your eyelids tends to change as skin sags. Skin laxity can make you appear older than you really are. When the fat pad that cushions the eye begins to pull away from the bony rim of the lower eye and sag, it creates fat bags. Sagging upper eyelids causes hooding when the skin becomes heavier and fuller and your natural eyelid crease becomes less defined.
Eye rejuvenation can take years off your face and restore a brighter, open eyed look. Botulinum toxin treatments can help to raise the eyebrows or reduce the appearance of wrinkles and crow’s feet around the eyes. Results last around four months. If your lower eye area looks hollow, dermal fillers such as Radiesse, Restylane, Juvederm Ultra, and Prevelle Silk, can be added to restore a more even contour. Results will last six to twelve months in some cases. Thermage® radio frequency skin tightening is another age restoring procedure for the eyes. By tightening up the skin around the eyes and gently lifting sagging eyelids, eyes look younger and less fatigued. Results last up to one year.
The eyelid area, due to the delicate and thin tissue and the lack of oil glands, requires extra gentle care. Constant exposure to the sun without the protection of sunglasses may weaken elastin and collagen fibers. Always use an SPF15 or higher to protect eyelid skin when you will be in direct sunlight for 20 minutes or more. Prescription retinoids such as Retin-A® and Renova®, and eye creams containing retinol such as RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream ($22) can be extremely beneficial to reduce fine lines and discoloration around the eyelids.
Photo Credit: lancome.ca
For temporarily subduing puffiness, Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage has a rollerball tip to calm and soothe tired eyes and minimize dark circles ($25). Lancome Génifique Eye Youth Activating Eye Concentrate has a light creamy-gel texture that is touted to boost protein production to rejuvenate slack, thinning skin ($59). Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Firming Eye Cream offers moisturizing and lifting benefits plus natural shitake mushroom complex to lighten dark circles ($14). Another trick to reduce fine lines is to start with a primer under your concealer. Lorac Behind The Scenes Eye Primer goes on silky to prepare your upper and lower eyelids to hold pigment longer, smoother and better ($20).
Finally, to add the perfect finishing touch to younger looking eyes, Allergan Latisse® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is the first and only FDA approved prescription treatment for growing lashes longer, fuller and darker in 8-16 weeks. Apply the topical solution every night to the upper eyelid at the lash line until you reach your optimal results, then taper off to three times a week for maintenance.
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