Treating Crows Feet NYC

Treating Crows Feet NYC

up close of blue eyes

TREATING CROWS FEET AND MORE WITH BOTOX

New York City, NY – One of the first areas to show the signs of aging is the crows feet area. These are the lines that are adjacent to one’s eyes. We all have some lines when we smile but and the lines remain when the smile is long gone, it may be time to do something about them. Maybe this is why oversized sunglasses are so popular; for the younger set sunglasses can help prevent lines and cover them in the older set.

Thank goodness we have Botox. Years ago, we used to inject collagen filler into these lines. Unfortunately, this skin is so thin and delicate, that no fillers are really useful and can leave behind both lumps and serious bruising. While many very popular creams and lasers are touted to remedy crow’s feet, if the cause isn’t addressed (overactive underlying muscle) all these treatments will be ineffective. Botox relaxes the thin circular muscle around the eye called the orbicularis oculi muscle. The skin is less compressed with smiling and squinting so most of the lines go away. However some lines will always remain. If you push your cheek up to simulate a smile, a few lines still form from the skin being bunched.

As an experienced Botox physician, we can extend treatment to adjacent areas. The tail of the brow can be raised in many patients creating a “Botox brow lift.”

Deep lines under the eyes can also be treated… however, they should be treated with caution. If a patient has a weak eyelid, the eyelids can become droopy. Also, the orbicularis muscle may be the only layer left holding back lower eyelid fat from pouching out. If you have early “eye-bags” then you might not be a candidate for treatment within this area of the eyelid. I caution all patients who are treated in this area of the eyelids and find that about 1 out of three do not repeat treatment under the eyes.

Some patients even have lines extending down their faces from and below the crow’s feet. Now that we are getting into the mid-face area, Micro-Botox is a better solution. Very tiny amounts are used to help the superficial lines but not change the smile.

Lastly, relaxing the muscle needs help with the overlying skin. Quality skin products such as TNS and rejuvenating eye creams work very well with Botox beneath. Many of the popular over the counter creams make amazing claims but produce little results.

Steven J. Pearlman, M.D., F.A.C.S.