The eyes may be the windows of the soul, but why is it that the skin around the eyes is always the first to age? Heavy brows, crow’s feet, drooping eye lids, dark bags under the eyes, the list goes on.
Not only is the skin around the eye very delicate – in fact it’s ten times thinner than on the rest of the face – but the eyes are in constant use. They are both the most expressive and the most delicate part of our face. They express our emotions, moods, and fears, and 80% of our communication is all about eye contact. So not only does the area around our eyes age first, but it’s also the first to be noticed. If you haven’t seen a friend for a while, I bet that one of the first things you secretly notice, while you’re chatting away, is her crows feet (come on, be honest!).
But what causes this ageing process in the first place? When we reach our 30s (and around the eye area it can be as early as your mid-20s), cell turnover begins to slow down, and environmental damage from the sun, pollution, and smoke starts to cause collagen fibres to loosen so that the skin begins to lose its tone and elasticity. Fine lines and wrinkles start to appear, and the skin loses some of its youthfulness.
But it’s during our 40s that the skin really begins to change. Collagen fibres start to decrease, stiffen and break apart, and the skin loses more elasticity and volume as a result. As you head for the menopause the skin dries out further, due to oestrogen levels declining. Research has also shown that at about 43, bone volume starts to decline – oestrogen helps build bones - resulting in thinner facial bones which cause the skin to start to hang off the face, and because it is not so elastic it doesn’t spring back.
But as well as environmental factors and the natural ageing process, there is a new enemy on the block. According to cosmetic doctor, Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh, younger women should also be worried. ‘Smartphone ageing’ is a modern phenomenon, affecting women, and men, at a rate faster than you can say, ‘Where’s my BlackBerry?’
Dr Sebagh has found that many women are developing premature wrinkles from staring at their phones. Peering at a small screen causes your face to scrunch up and create an area of tension around and between the brows, and it’s affecting anyone who regularly checks a BlackBerry or iPhone.
But what can we do about it? The good news is that the answer is, in fact, a lot. Botox, facial fillers, and of course, surgery, offer everything from short term fixes to long term solutions. But there are less invasive methods too, that many swear by, such as facial massage, and of course, eye creams with all the latest high-tech ingredients.
