Facial Ageing
Fine lines that fan out from the outer corners of the eyes with smiling, squinting and skin aging.
Physician-led assessment · individualized care · Vancouver clinic
Understanding Crow’s Feet
Often it's a laughing photo or the bright light of a car mirror: little lines fanning out from the corners of your eyes that seem to stay a moment longer than they used to. Crow's feet are usually the first lines people notice, and they're a sign of a face that smiles a lot.
They show up early because the skin beside the eyes is some of the thinnest on the body, and it sits over a ring of muscle that tightens every time you smile or squint. Lines that appear only when you smile come mostly from that movement. Lines that stay when your face is relaxed also reflect sun exposure and collagen changes in that delicate skin. Each type responds to its own approach, so two people with crow's feet can have quite different plans.
Causes and Contributing Factors
Crow's feet result mainly from repeated contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle that surrounds the eye during smiling, laughing and squinting. The skin at the outer eye is thin and has less structural support, so it shows the effects of movement early. Cumulative sun exposure, natural collagen and elastin loss, smoking, dryness and genetics all contribute to how quickly the lines deepen and whether they persist at rest.
Signs and Symptoms
Assessment
We'll look at your eye area in person, at rest and while you smile and squint, to see how much of the lining comes from muscle movement and how much from skin quality or volume changes. We'll also look at where your brow sits, the health of the skin around your eyes, and how the lines relate to your smile. Our cosmetic consultants may assist with your initial assessment, and the treating physician confirms your plan and performs your injections.
Cosmetic consultations are complimentary.
Prevention and Ongoing Care
The skin around the eyes responds well to steady care. Daily sunscreen and good sunglasses protect collagen and cut down on squinting, a gentle eye cream keeps the area hydrated, and a retinoid or peptide product, used as advised, supports smoother texture over time. These habits help most with lines that show at rest. You'll find the products we recommend in our online shop.
Treatment Options
These are some of the options connected to this concern. The appropriate plan depends on assessment, suitability, and your goals.
Your plan depends on whether the lines show mainly when you move or also at rest. For movement lines, Wrinkle Softening & Neuromodulators gently relax the muscle around the outer eye so the lines soften while your smile still reaches your eyes. These injections are performed by our experienced physicians.
Emface, a needle-free treatment that combines radiofrequency with muscle stimulation to tone and lift facial muscles, is delivered by our senior laser technicians under the medical direction of Dr. Gidon Frame.
For the fuller picture, explore the treatment pages above or discuss the options during a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dynamic lines appear only when you smile or squint, while static lines stay visible when your face is relaxed. Over time some dynamic lines become static, and the two respond to different approaches, so we'll look at both when we plan your treatment.
Yes, that's the goal. Our physicians soften the muscle around the outer eye just enough to smooth the lines, so your smile still reaches your eyes and your expression stays your own.
You can slow them down quite a bit. Consistent sun protection, sunglasses, not smoking and good skincare all help protect the skin around your eyes. Prevention works on future lines, and we can look at treatment for the ones already there.
Physician Assessment
An assessment can help clarify what may be contributing, which options may be appropriate, and what a reasonable next step could look like for you.
Visit Our Clinic
Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic combines medical assessment, individualized planning, physician oversight, and a broad range of treatment options in its Vancouver clinic.
Bring your questions, treatment history, and goals. Your provider can help you understand appropriate options, expected recovery, and realistic outcomes.
Make an Appointment
Use our consultation form below and the clinic can guide you toward the appropriate starting point.
