How to care for the skin around your eyes?

During this past year and a half, our eyes have been a focal point of our faces. With masks or without, the eyes are the windows to the soul, and one of the first things people notice about us. The skin around the eyes is quicker to show age and fatigue. Smiling, frowning, and squinting can also speed up the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Fluids can collect under the eyes and cause puffiness. Genetics, and lifestyle choices can emphasize the appearance of dark circles. Further, the skin around our eyes is very delicate, and measurably thinner than skin elsewhere on the body. 

Due to these unique properties, the skin around the eyes must be treated with care. The eyelid skin should never be pulled on or scrubbed with a rough cloth or scrub.  Further, most people cannot tolerate a retinol or retinoid around the skin as this can be too irritating. Two of the best treatments available for eyes are eye creams and sunscreen. Good eye creams should be formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eyes, so they tend to be thicker. As the skin is more sensitive, they should not contain fragrance, as this may lead to allergic reactions. 

For my patients in Houston, TX, I recommend 2 types of eye creams in my practice, and personally alternate between both.  The first is Skinceuticals A.G.E. eye complex. This eye cream helps to reverse some of the signs of aging caused by advanced glycation end-products (A.G.E.) and offers optical diffusers for immediate results.  The second is DEJ eye cream by Revision Skincare.  This eye cream is uniquely formulated with the layers of the skin in mind and targets the cause of sagging and fine lines. Due to this, it is formulated for use on the upper and lower eyelid skin. It also contains prebiotics, which help fortify the skin’s microbiome.