Are Crow’s Feet Permanent? We Asked Dermatologists
February 13, 2023 by Lisa Cupido
Promises, promises — there is no lack of them when it comes to skincare. So many bottles and tubes on so many beauty counter shelves boast labels that shout the same vow (more or less): this is the miracle serum that “gets rid of wrinkles!”
But how realistic are these claims and what’s actually worth the money (and what isn’t)? Gaining more knowledge about the skin issues that bother you and that you want to address is your first step toward making informed decisions about what can really make a difference, and what is just lovely marketing speak. Crow’s feet, those irresistible fine lines and deeper wrinkles that pop up around the eyes at a certain age, are a common complaint — but what, exactly, causes them? And can you really get rid of them? We asked dermatologists if crow’s feet are permanent — here’s what they had to say.
What are crow’s feet?Despite being given a funny name, crow’s feet is a pretty simple thing, Crow’s feet are the colloquial way to describe the lines around one’s eyes that develop with age and are visible when smiling, says Dr. Mary Alice Mina, a double-board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon practicing at Baucom & Mina Derm Surgery, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, who is also the host of THE SKIN REAL podcast, “While sometimes thought of as ‘happy lines’ they can be bothersome to people and give the skin an aged appearance and make the skin appear crepey,” Dr. Mina said. “Crow’s feet or the lines around the eyes are caused by contraction of the orbicularis oculi, which is the large muscle that encompasses the skin around the eye. It makes a circle that goes from under the brow to under the eye and around. Crow’s feet naturally occur with age as our bodies lose collagen and the skin thins. UV radiation from the sun as well as smoking can exacerbate the appearance of crow’s feet.”