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Though we cherish the memories that made them, the smile lines around our eyes are a different story. Since the skin around our eyes is the thinnest on our body and extra delicate, it’s one of the first areas to show signs of aging, particularly fine lines and wrinkles. Crow’s feet, eye wrinkles or whatever you want to call them, are an inevitable part of aging — but that doesn’t mean you can’t minimize them if you’d like.

We asked Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab scientists and top dermatologists for the real deal on crow’s feet, including what causes them and treatment options that really work.

First, what causes crow’s feet?

Any movement around the eyes — we’re talking squinting, laughing, frowning — works those muscles, eventually causing crow’s feet. “Lines around the eyes are caused by the action of the orbicularis oculi muscle,” explains Dr. Dustin Portela, a board-certified dermatologist in Boise, Idaho. “This is a circular muscle that goes all the way around the eye. When we smile or express with our eyes it contracts and pulls inward. It is directly attached to the overlying skin and therefore the skin is pulled with it. Repeating this action over the course of years will cause grooves or lines to develop in the skin.”

When do crow’s feet start to appear?

There’s no hard and fast rule for when you can expect to first see fine lines around the eyes, since everyone is different. However, for most people these lines will start to become apparent in their mid-30s.

“Depending on genetic and environmental factors one may notice crow’s feet as early as their 20s,” says Dr. Sherwin Parikh, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist and founder of the Tribeca Skin Center. “We often see people as young as that because it can be very much hereditary.”

Genes aren’t the only determining factor, though. Behavior and lifestyle play a huge role. Smoking, excessive tanning or UV exposure and even skipping moisturizer can lead to seeing crow’s feet sooner. “Sun exposure and tanning beds will cause ultraviolet light exposure which is one way to accelerate the breakdown of collagen in the skin,” Dr. Portela says. “The thin skin around the eyes is especially susceptible to these effects. As we lose collagen there is less support of the skin and lines will develop much easier.”

What is the best way to prevent crow’s feet?

1. Sunscreen is your best friend. Look for one with an SPF of 30 or higher to protect your peepers. “To avoid the look of overly-rugged lines around the eyes, always moisturize and hydrate, use a thicker, richer eye cream when desired and wear SPF,” Dr. Parikh says. “Sunglasses provide extra UV protection, and also reduce glare, so we don’t squint, causing unnecessary muscle strain.”
2. Products with ingredients that fortify the delicate under-eye skin are your best bet. According to Dr. Parikh, those include hyaluronic acid and peptides that boost hydration and collagen. Lancome Absolue Revitalizing Eye Cream was the winner in our Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab’s most recent anti-aging eye cream tests, ranking the best among consumers for reducing the look of crow’s feet, with its combination of grand rose extracts and shea butter. It topped our list for hydration and firming skin, plus it didn’t cause irritation around the eyes. One tester raved, “It was effective in making my skin softer and reducing crow’s feet.” While the ROC’s Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Anti-Aging Eye Cream also measurably reduced wrinkles and crow’s feet.
3. Eye creams aren’t the only option you can do from home to prevent and minimize fine lines. “There is some small evidence that at-home red-light therapy can be helpful to stimulate collagen production, and there are a number of red-light masks available for purchase,” Dr. Portela says. “In my experience you must be very consistent with these and have realistic expectations about the modest results.” LED face masks use visible light to improve the skin by sparking collagen production and decreasing inflammation and bacteria.

What is the best treatment for crow’s feet?

• When you want to take wrinkle-fighting up a notch, see a dermatologist or professional for treatments to reduce crow’s feet. Injectables are one of the most effective treatments to prevent and reverse crow’s feet. They work to relax those muscles of expression, so lines don’t form on the skin. “The muscles around the eye contract and lead to line formations, which is how tiny injections of neuromodulators help reduce the look of crow’s feet,” Dr. Parikh explains. “They also prevent future lines from getting deeper by inhibiting constant muscular contraction and tension.”
• Tightening treatments can also deliver results, such as radiofrequency, which can help diminish the appearance of crow’s feet by tightening the collagen and helping to stimulate new collagen growth. Lasers are especially effective in reducing the appearance of crow’s feet. There are many types of lasers that can deliver results, so be sure to have a discussion with your doctor about the best treatments for the results you want to achieve and what the expected downtime is. “Lasers and microneedling can help, but must be used with absolute precision around the eyes to avoid any damage,” Dr. Parikh says. “Only a board-certified physician should do those procedures. Newer, safer technologies such as Tixel by Sentient have entered the US market, and also help the look of the skin around the eyes.”
• Another option to help reduce the appearance of fine lines is microneedling. “The small injuries to the skin caused by microneedling can help to induce new collagen growth, as well as tighten the skin,” Dr. Portela says. “Radiofrequency microneedling is a new treatment that can have excellent results to induce collagen formation and tighten the skin.”

Bottom line:

When it comes to crow’s feet, sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. Dr. Portela says, “The best ways to prevent crow’s feet are to avoid smoking, wear sunscreen daily, get plenty of sleep each night and consume a healthy and well-balanced diet.”