WE have heard the saying before, “Eyes are the windows to your soul”, and if that is the case, it should be one of our most beautiful features. That’s why as an aesthetician my clients’ top concerns are crows feet and wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, crepe-like lids, and under-eye bags.

The eyes are usually the first place that show signs of stress, fatigue and age. Whilst the skin is more delicate and presents its fair share of challenges, it presents the opportunity for aesthetic professionals to make the most change.

UNDERSTANDING THE SKIN AROUND OUR EYES

In order to properly care for the skin around the eyes, it is important to understand not only the anatomy of this area, but also the process of skin cell renewal.

Eyelid skin is composed of several layers. The deepest, the subcutaneous layer, which lies on top of the orbicularis muscle, a muscle that allows the eyelid to move. Next is the dermis, which forms the support layer of the skin, is made up of thread-like proteins, including bundles of elastin and collagen, fibroblasts, nerves, and vessels. The top layer, the epidermis, is made up of basal cells, melanocytes, Langerhans cells, keratinocytes, and on top, the dead cell layer (also known as the stratum corneum) made up of corneocytes.

The epidermal layer gives the skin its appearance, colour, suppleness, texture, and health. Basal cells reproduce new cells every few days. As these cells migrate upward, they become drier and flatter. Once they reach the surface of the skin, they are no longer alive and are referred to as corneocytes. This process of migration from basal cell to corneocytes is what gives the epidermis the ability to regenerate itself. This skin renewal process is known as desquamation

Desquamation is an ongoing process that takes about two weeks in a young person, and significantly longer — about 37 days — for individuals over 50. The build-up of corneocytes gives skin a callous or dry, aged and thickened look. The skin feels and looks rough and its ability to retain water becomes impaired.

COMMON CONCERNS

1. Crows feet and wrinkles

The skin around the eyes is 10 times thinner than the skin on the face, wrinkles may appear prematurely. As we age, skin loses its elasticity and becomes even thinner due to a breakdown of collagen. This can be further aggravated by sun exposure, smoking, and other environmental exposures

The skin of the eye contour is constantly moving, and blinking alone produces 10,000 movements per day. Other facial movements and expressions, such as smiles, squinting and stress, can also affect the eye area, creating fine lines or crows feet – lines that appear on the outside corner of the eye.

Rubbing and tugging of the delicate skin under the eye due to allergies, crying, eye make-up removal, and insertion and removal of contact lenses can contribute to sagging of the this area. the skin’s elasticity is similar to a rubber band — constant tugging and pulling eventually causes loss of elasticity. Because the tissue around the eyes has very few oil glands, it lacks the natural moisture present on other parts of the body.

Crows feet treatment

There are quite a few treatments that one can get to remove fine lines from under the eye.

Laser is one of the top choices. It changes the outer layer of the skin in which wrinkles are formed. This process works by short pulse of laser light that goes deep into the skin’s sub layer to help provide support from the inside out. After this procedure, the body will take over and filter the older damaged tissue, revealing fresher new collagen and elastin that will make your skin look younger and smoother.

Microdermabrasion is a classic way to reduce under-eye wrinkles. This uses small diamond tip to exfoliate and scrub away the dead skin cells, leading to increase in cell turnover for a tighter orbital area.

The current technology used by creams is the best it has been in years. Now creams and serums you purchase should contain proven actives like retinol, vitamin C, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, and peptides that will improve your eye wrinkles quickly.

2. Puffiness

Lack of sleep, meals high in salt, high blood pressure, alcohol, and stress can all result in puffy eyes, particularly in the morning when the periorbital area retains fluid. Most often, this is not a serious condition and usually improves as the day goes by, mainly because being in a vertical position helps redistribute the fluid around the skin.

In some cases the puffiness is not caused by the skin retaining fluid, but by the protrusion of the fatty pad under the eye.

Treatments for puffiness

Radiofrequency uses heat waves to break up the fat pockets under the eyes to give a less bulgy appearance. A series of treatments are needed to see maximum results.

Microcurrent: A device sends microcurrents that sculpt and contour your eye muscles. It helps thicken the skin to better hold in the bulging fat below. You’re more likely to see long-lasting results with consistent use, but an instantaneous lift is always achieved

There are a plethora of creams promising to reduce puffiness and bags, but I personally see results from using Preparation H. This cream causes the muscles on blood vessel walls to constrict, which can help minimise puffiness from leaky blood vessels.

3. Dark circles

Dark circles are caused by blood vessels showing through the delicate skin around the eye area, giving the under eyes a bluish, purple cast, often a hereditary condition. Fluid and haemoglobin from the broken capillaries can gather under the eyes, given a bruised effect or what we Jamaicans like to call “batta blood”. When one is congested or sick, the dark veins that drain from the eyes to the nose are more pronounced and causes this to be more noticeable.

Dark circles can also be caused by anaemia. The thinner the skin and the more deep set the eyes are, the worse the condition can appear. Skin can appear more pale due to lack of sleep, hormonal changes and pregnancy, which intensify the look of the dark circles though these factors do not actually cause dark circles.

Dark circles under-eye treatment

Before undergoing dark circles treatment, it is important to know exactly what is causing the dark circles. Treatment for dark circles caused by allergies will be different from a dark circles treatment designed to correct bulging under-eye fat.

In some cases, a combination of treatments may be appropriate, especially if there are multiple factors causing your dark circles. Common aesthetics procedures to get rid of dark circles are as follows:

• Dark circle eye cream: Skin lightening with topical natural bleaching agents such as arbutin, kojic acid, vitamins C and K, green tea or licorice may be recommended for hyperpigmentation from melasma or sun damage

• IPL for eye circles: When blood vessels are visible as dark purple or blue under-eye circles, intense pulse light therapy or photofacial are recommended to reduce these dark circles.

• Skin resurfacing for under-eye circles: Laser resurfacing and chemical peels may be used to help reduce dark circles by increasing collagen production, decreasing pigmentation problems, and improving overall skin quality. However, laser treatments and chemical peels are most effective when used as part of a combination approach in treating dark circles.

• Hyaluronic acid facial fillers for dark circles: Non-invasive treatments containing hyaluronic acid are often used to correct dark circles created by thinning under-eye skin or fat and tissue loss in the under eyes or upper cheeks. Restylane is a commonly recommended hyaluronic acid filler for restoring volume to the tear trough or upper cheek area. Hyaluronic acid fillers are absorbed by the body within a few months to one year, so results are temporary.

• Dark circles creams: Although over-the-counter eye creams rarely provide a long-term solution with significant results, they may help to reduce or temporarily mask dark circles.

4. Milia

Milia is the technical term for small, hard, white bumps that are rarely swollen or inflamed. Milia occur when dead skin cells clump together, becoming trapped under the skin’s surface, forming small, hard cysts. The under-eye area is a common location where many people notice (or are bothered by) milia, and these bumps tend to be extra stubborn.

How to treat milia under the eyes

Milia under the eyes often go away on their own without treatment, so being patient and waiting it out is an option — but waiting is definitely not for everyone. Because milia form when the skin’s natural exfoliation process malfunctions, using a targeted exfoliating treatment with salicylic acid (BHA) on a regular basis will immediately improve what’s become a faulty process.

It may also allow the bump to dissolve on its own (relatively quickly, too) and prevent new ones from forming.

Another option would be seeking a professional who can remove them right there in the office using a needle or a tiny lancing utensil and, sometimes, a comedone extractor. This in-office procedure is fast, painless (numbing cream may be applied) and heals quickly for most people. Going forward, adding a BHA exfoliant product to your daily skincare routine should help keep milia from popping up under the eyes again — or at least minimise how many you get.

Another treatment option to consider is applying an over-the-counter or prescription retinoid product. Because both retinol and prescription versions like tretinoin can change how new skin cells are formed and how they move through the pore lining to skin’s surface, they can play a role in reducing the tendency for the pores around the eyes to become clogged, leading to fewer (possibly no) under-eye milia.

Chemical peels using AHA (glycolic acid) or BHA (salicylic acid) of higher concentrations may also help, but must be done by a professional at all times as these can be tricky to use around the eyes, as the risk of irritation and lingering side effects is more significant compared to peeling other areas of the face.

Michelle Vernon is a licensed esthetician who operates the Body Studio Skincare establishment, located at 23 Central Plaza, Kingston 10. She may be reached at telephone 908-0438 IG @bodystudioskincare Website: www.bodystudioskincare.com