T
he eyes are special. They inspire poetry
and music, works of art and first loves.
They’re the lens through which we
view the world, and often the first thing the
world notices about us.
From a skin care perspective, the delicate area sur-
rounding the eyes is equally complex and there is
so much to address — dark circles, puffiness, loose
skin, fine lines. To understand more about why
this area of the face is so prone to visible ageing,
we spoke to two of the industry’s eye experts, Dr
Sheraz Daya and Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai.
For starters, this is ‘special skin’
While the skin on the face varies from the fore-
head to the cheeks and chin, the eye area is the
most delicate. “The skin around the eyes is ten
times thinner than the rest of the face,” says
Dr Sheraz Daya, a pioneering ophthalmologist
and the clinical director at Centre For Sight.
“Therefore, extra care needs to be given to this
area.” Ten times thinner. This knowledge is a
fundamental starting point. Such thin skin is
why many issues are so visible here; it’s also why
the weakest finger — the ring finger — should
always be used to apply eye creams and serums.
How and why your eyes show the signs
of ageing
Most women have had that moment — looking
at our crow’s feet in a selfie or staring sleepily
at our puffy eyes in the mirror — when we
thought: ‘When did that happen?’
According to Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, interna-
tionally-renowned ophthalmic reconstructive
surgeon and Director of Perfect Eyes Ltd, this
delicate area is the first to show any signs of
ageing. “As we get older, we lose the fat padding
under the eyebrows,” she explains. “This causes
the brows to appear hollow at the inner corner
and droopy on the outer corner, which can make
our eyes look sad.” And then there are those
permanent lines fanning out from the outer
corners of the eyes, almost like whiskers. As
we hit our thirties, she says, “smile lines give
way to crow's feet around the outer corners of
the eyes.” In addition to age, these lines can
be caused by “sun damage, squinting, smiling
and smoking.” Now, we’re not saying you need
to eradicate these lines completely - they add
character and remind us of happy times - but
softening them can make the eyes appear more
rested and, yes, youthful.
Why the eye bags and dark circles?
The state of the area under our eyes is particu-
larly susceptible to lifestyle factors. According
to Dr Shah-Desai, the puffiness and dark circles
often visible here (especially first thing in the
morning) can be caused by “a lack of sleep,
eye rubbing, dehydration — through excess
alcohol and caffeine consumption — and poor
skin care.” These, she says, “can have the same
effect as smoking-induced loss of collagen.”
Then there’s that annoying thin-skin situation.
“Thin skin under the eyes makes underlying
blood vessels more visible,” she says. “The fat
pads under the eyes change as they age, leading
to hollowing and puffy eyes.”
Prevention and treatment
A blend of good choices and strategic skin care
can help keep your eye issues from worsen-
ing and treat the ones already taking hold.
Dr Shah-Desai recommends, as a preventative
measure, protecting delicate under-eye skin
with regular use of eye creams containing
hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and brightening
Vitamin C. And, “for dark circles and crepey
skin,” she recommends the use of “a combina-
tion of superficial skin-boosting products and
deep Hyaluronic Acid filler injections, which
work to plump thin skin and restore volume.”
To further combat damage to the delicate skin
around the eyes, Dr Daya emphasises the impor-
tance of good lifestyle choices. “Wear sunglasses
to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays,” he
says. “Remove eye make-up every night, ensure
you get enough sleep, and stop smoking. This
will not only help with the appearance of your
eyes but also improve your overall eye health.”
ISSUE #10 | 2019 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 15