Perhaps first we should define the problem: what are people talking about when they say “crow’s feet”? At the outer corners of the eyes, there are radial lines that form when someone squints or smiles. These lines resemble the shape of a bird or crow’s feet. As we age, they begin to appear with movement. Then as we age further, some of these lines are still present at rest even when we are not squinting or smiling.
Depending on the severity, there are a number of treatment approaches. The first approach is usually to block the movement of the orbicularis oculi muscle, which is responsible for the typical movement at the outer corner of the eyes when we squint or smile. This is most commonly treated with botulinum toxin injections such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport®, XEOMIN® or DAXXIFY®.
If the signs of crow’s feet are relatively mild (smooth at rest, but noticeable with movement), using toxin to paralyze the orbicularis oculi muscle usually takes care of it. This is a treatment that typically should be repeated every 3-4 months to maintain its effectiveness. If the lines are more severe and are present at rest, sometimes resurfacing techniques such as fractionated laser therapy may also be needed to fully smooth them out.
Some things I feel do not work well for BOTOX® Cosmetic; however, while skin care companies make many claims, I have not yet found a cream or topical treatment that makes a significant impact on crow’s feet the way BOTOX® injections do. I also feel this is an area that is not appropriate to treat with dermal fillers.
If you have additional questions about effective treatment options for crow’s feet or other aesthetic concerns, please contact The Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery Center, Inc. today.
- Dr. Catherine Weng – Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
