What are crow’s feet?
As you age, you may notice fine lines forming in your skin on the outer corners of your eyes. These are lateral canthal lines, also known as crow’s feet or laugh lines. These small lines and wrinkles form from tiny muscles contracting in the outer corner of your eyes as you experience the many different emotions that influence your facial expressions: laughter, stress, grief and sadness. They usually start out as noticeable lines that form when you smile and your eyes naturally squint. Over time, these fine lines may start to appear on your face when you’re not smiling or even when you’re at rest.
Many other factors play a role in how your skin ages and the development of crow’s feet. Things like sun exposure, whether you use sunscreen, your diet and your genetics are all contributing factors.
Two proteins that help skin retain its plump, youthful appearance — collagen and elastin — naturally decrease as you age. As these proteins wane, you develop fine lines such as frown lines and crow’s feet. Using sunscreen and some facial moisturizers can help prevent crow’s feet from developing. But aging is an inevitable part of life.
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Do crow’s feet affect both men and women equally?
Aging affects everyone differently. Researchers have found that crow’s feet tend to appear earlier and form deeper wrinkles in men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB) than in women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB). Researchers attribute this to several factors, and some are behavioral in nature. For example, researchers theorize that men are less likely to wear sunglasses or use sunscreen than women. But researchers also discovered that men have higher amounts of matrix metalloproteinases, known as MMPs. MMPs are naturally occurring enzymes that break down collagen in your skin. If you have more MMPs, your skin will naturally break down quicker than if you don’t have as many MMPs.
How do crow’s feet affect my body?
The appearance of crow’s feet might not make your day when you look in the mirror, but they don’t have any ill effects on your body. They aren’t painful and shouldn’t affect you physically. But the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles can make some people feel insecure about their appearance.
If you don’t like the appearance of crow’s feet, it may help to remember that they’re a natural part of aging and most everyone will get them eventually. But you can also consult with your dermatologist (a medical doctor who specializes in skin conditions) about various treatment options that can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
