Dr. Bonnie Marting

Every now and then I’ll get asked if wrinkle removal around the eyes is possible without using Botox. They want the lines to disappear but for whatever reason they don’t want to use Botox or Dysport.

This is a good question, though the answer is a bit tougher. See, the beauty of Botox and Dysport is they work by stopping the muscle movement that causes the wrinkles to appear. If you don’t stop or at least minimize that movement, the lines will continue to form. And as we age, our skin loses our hydrating body lubrication (hyaluronic acid) that allows our skin to literally slide over our muscles. When that liquid is gone, the skin begins to adhere and actually cling to the muscle underneath. That is what causes our skin to look wrinkled- it has actually taken on the shape of the contracted muscle.
This is most obvious on our foreheads, around the eyes, and on the chin.

So if you want to see a reduction in the wrinkled appearance on your face, certain changes must occur. First, a product to increase new skin production is essential. Most of us have heard of Retin-A by now. Retinoids like Retin-A and Tazorac speed up this process and increase your skin’s depth. Many people think it thins. That’s a misconception -it thins the epidermis but thickens the actual skin depth. Imagine your bed is made of sticks and straw all woven together to create a mattress. Now which would you rather have lying over that mattress?- a thin flimsy sheet that shows every stick and straw poking underneath it or a fat downy comforter which floats above the mattress, not giving way to the sticks and straws underneath? I liken our skin and faces to that. When it comes to our skin, thicker is better!

Other great items to use with Retinoids are Apha-hydroxy acids and micro- dermabraisions. These three things coupled with good nutrition contribute to better skin. You may find the most difficult part in battling wrinkles is not in getting treatments or buying products, but in actually training yourself to make less animated movements with your face. The more expressive your face, the more wrinkles you’re likely to develop. (I should do a self-help seminar for Mimes. I bet they get lots of wrinkles!)

Another thing to note is how fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm can help facial lines. These aren’t great for fixing crow’s feet but they are super for the vertical lines (Angry 11′s) that crop up between your eyes.

I hope I’ve answered your question on ways to reduce eye wrinkles without Botox. But I do hope you’ll consider the significant difference these products are making in facial rejuvenation today. It’s because they work. Regardless of the route you take to combat those wrinkles, take good care of your skin and you’ll look beautiful naturally, with or without them.