Stress and incorrect nutrition can speed up skin aging in quarantine. Two experts explain what care works against eye wrinkles and crow’s feet – and when only a Botulinumtoxin injection and lasers help.
The eyes, or more precisely: the area of the skin that surrounds them, reveal a lot about everyday life and the state of human health. Not only can you insinuate the wrinkles on age, you can also see whether the person is tired or stressed or whether they have drunk too little water.
Especially in the age of Corona, these small lines and signs of ageing are more noticeable, and the new living conditions can even strengthen the wrinkles. “During this quarantine period, during which we isolated ourselves at home, we had the opportunity to observe the changes in our face more clearly,” explains dermatologist Serkan Aygin.
You spend a lot of time with your digital mirror image in video calls and also perceive the wrinkles on the eyes more clearly, because the rest of the face is covered with a mask. The expert explains why these times do not good the skin with the harmful blue light of the screens emanating from mobile phones, computers and Televisions. On the other hand, he also sees the new form of psychological stress as a major factor in why the wrinkles can increase in isolation: “Unlike the usual daily stress, which is more familiar to us, we experience the harmful effects of the stress caused by the pandemic, which makes us age faster.”
But the wrong diet or the changed eating habits in quarantine can also drive skin aging, as dermatologist Aygin explains: “The renunciation of processed foods, the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables and sufficient water intake, even if it sounds like a cliché, are always the right way. Although the effectiveness of dietary supplements is controversial, liquid collagen and vitamin C also have a positive effect on the skin.”
But if you gradually return to normal conditions, will the skin return to normal? “Of course we all want these wrinkles to disappear by themselves when this isolation comes to an end, but we have to accept reality,” says Aygin. So if you want to look younger and reduce your eye wrinkles, the four stages of anti-wrinkle treatment help – from the right care substances to professional laser treatment.
Does it really need to be a special eye care?
But isn’t a normal moisturizer and a large bottle of drinking water enough to reduce these traces? No. For both women and men, the skin surrounding the eyes is particularly thin and sensitive and therefore requires particularly concentrated care. The delicate skin at this point makes the underlying blood vessels more easily visible, swells easily, and the constant wink of the eyes causes tiny wrinkles, which can later become pronounced, usually undesirable “crow’s feet” without care or professional treatment.
Which care substances work against eye wrinkles?
Moisturizers and eye sera usually contain a high proportion of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C or CBD Oil. But which active ingredient helps against which problem? Dermatologists are currently particularly recommending the rediscovered antioxidant vitamin C, as it softens rough spots and can even cause acne scars, eye rings and dark spots to fade. But even if the skin immediately feels softer and well-groomed, the wrinkle-reducing effect is expected to take a few months to be clearly visible. This is because the anti-wrinkle effect is caused by the stimulation of collagen production, which is only an additional bonus on the pro list of vitamin C products, which are primarily intended to ensure a uniform skin pattern.
CBD oil is more effective as it is the only ingredient in skin care that both increases collagen production and stops collagen degradation. Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil tricks the cells so they think they are younger than they are, making them fresh, wrinkle-free skin faster. For this purpose, the product should be used regularly. Also happy several times a day. The additionally contained hyaluronic in the eyeMATRIX eye cream fights the fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and is a guaranteed irritant free active ingredient. The hyaluronic acid molecules act like a sponge in the skin that sucks in water from the air to fill fine lines and smooth your face.
When should I start using botulinum toxin syringes?
With botulinum toxin injections, a holistically smooth face is achieved by a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon deliberately paralysing the muscles with the poison. After a few days, the effect becomes finally visible, the usual facial expressions are reduced, and especially laughter folds and crow’s feet are not. But even if the effect is faster and more visible than with care creams: after three to four months, the effect of the nerve agent decreases. This means that repetitive treatment can be costly.
But in many cases, it is not necessary to use Botox for life, as dermatologist Christian Merkel from the Skin and Laser Center in Munich explains: “Through botulinum toxin, the muscles forget to make the facial movement that leads to the wrinkles. That’s why few applications are enough, and the wrinkles are reduced even without botulinum toxin afterwards.” This is why the expert recommends that you can start with botulinum toxin even with small wrinkles before the lines become more memorable over the years. Depending on the face area, the prices for a Botox treatment vary. The eye area around crow’s feet and folds of laughter starts at 200 euros, if you want a uniform result with forehead and wrinkle of anger, the treatment can cost up to 600 euros.
Is Microneedling a Possibility?
The needle-studded skin roller smoothes lines within a few months when using the tool once a week. Microneedling, also known as dermarolling, pierces tiny holes in the skin with a needle-studded roll to stimulate collagen production. They essentially damage your skin to create a newer, younger skin. The treatment sounds rabiat, but is minimally painful.
However, the skin is more sensitive afterwards, should be treated with soothing care and should not be exposed directly to the sun. With a treatment once a week, it takes about four to six weeks for the smoothing results to show up, but even longer for the reduction of fine lines. In addition, it is not recommended for sensitive skin that tends to rosacea, eczema or psoriasis. If you are unsure, you should not use any of the micro needling sets for your home, but rather visit a cosmetics studio or a dermatological practice.
For example, the combination of “Agnes” of radio frequency treatment and microneedling, which is offered, for example, in the skin and laser centre at the Opera House in Munich, where you can treat tear bags and folds of the eyes as well as mouth wrinkles, double chins or neck wrinkles. The treatment lasts only 15 minutes, costing 80 euros.
When will only laser treatment help?
The Fraxel laser ensures smooth and wrinkle-free skin on the face. It is moderately painful, but most effective. “Although botulinum toxin is one of the world’s most popular treatments, there are many other alternatives,” says Aygin. “There is a wide range of treatments ranging from laser treatments, possible applications of thermal therapies such as radiofrequency, ultrasound, electromagnetic wavelengths to intradermal drug applications.”
But the Fraxel laser is particularly popular in patients between 30 and 50 years of age. In the method, small wrinkles are smoothed with the laser, by the rays of the laser only occasionally processing the facial skin. Microscopic holes are drilled into the skin at high speed, but the surrounding tissue remains intact.
This leads to a rapid healing process that stimulates the formation of the body’s own collagen and elastin. The damaged cells are thus replaced by new, plump skin, and the skin is smoothed and also freed from age spots. In most cases, four sessions are necessary, four to eight weeks apart. The costs for the dermatologist are 200 to 700 euros.
