What Are Crow's Feet?

Crow's feet are the small lines that fan out from the outer corners of your eyes when you smile or squint. In clinical writing they go by lateral canthal rhytids. Most people just call them smile lines.

Why do crow's feet affect how a face looks?

These lines sit right at the outer edge of the eyes, where the skin is thin and delicate. That is part of why they are one of the first signs of aging, an early hint that the skin is losing some of its bounce. They usually turn up in the mid-30s, though some people see them sooner.

Left alone, the lines around the eyes deepen, and they can make a person look older than they really are.

What causes crow's feet?

Sun damage

A little sun is good for you. Too much of it breaks down the structure of the skin, drying it out and pushing existing wrinkles deeper.

Because the skin around the eyes is so thin, it feels long sun exposure faster than anywhere else on the face. (1)

Facial expressions

Every time you smile, squint, or frown, the orbicularis oculi muscle around your eyes pulls the skin and then lets it go. You cannot stop your face from making expressions, which is exactly why crow's feet are such a common sign of age.

Over time the skin loses elasticity as it makes less collagen and elastin. Think of your skin like fabric. When you are young, collagen keeps it springy. As collagen production drops, the skin creases when you stretch it and is slower to bounce back. (2), 3)

Weight gain and loss

Gaining and losing weight can bring out every kind of facial wrinkle, crow's feet included. Putting weight on stretches the facial skin, and when that weight comes off the lines can surface. (4)

Smoking

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your face. It lowers the oxygen reaching the skin and leaves the circulation there poor, so your skin has a harder time holding wrinkles off.

It also slows collagen and elastin production while speeding up the breakdown of the collagen you already have. (5), 6)

Aging

And some of it is simply getting older. As the skin loses collagen and the facial muscles lose tone, every kind of wrinkle and fine line eventually shows up. (7)

How can you prevent crow's feet?

Cut back on repeated squinting

This does not mean stop smiling or laughing. The expression worth cutting back on is squinting in bright light, and a good pair of sunglasses goes a long way there.

Change your pillow

Good sleep is essential for healthy skin, but the way you sleep can also cause wrinkles. When your face is pressed and pulled by the pillowcase night after night, it creases.

A U-shaped travel pillow helps, and a silk pillowcase keeps the facial skin from getting tugged overnight.

Sunscreen

SPF, or sun protection factor, is one of the best defenses your skin has against UV rays. The number next to it tells you how well it shields you from the sun.

Wear at least SPF 30 to help hold off crow's feet. (8)

Antioxidant-rich foods

Good skin starts with what you eat. Studies suggest antioxidant-rich foods like coconut oil, walnuts, and strawberries can push back against aging signs such as wrinkles and fine lines. (9)

Exfoliate

Exfoliating is worth doing if you want to soften crow's feet, especially once they have started to form. Clearing the dead cells off the top layer of skin helps smooth the lines out.

How are crow's feet treated?

Topical creams and moisturizers

Plenty of prescription and over-the-counter creams can soften fine lines. Look for one that nudges your skin to make new cells.

An anti-aging moisturizer will improve the look of early, surface-level wrinkles around the eyes too, usually after about six months of daily use. Deeper crow's feet need something stronger. (10)

Botulinum toxin (Botox)

Botox works well on crow's feet, especially the ones just starting to form, which makes it a good option for younger people with shallow lines.

The injection targets the muscles around the eyes, and the effect lasts about three to six months. (11)

Chemical peels

A chemical peel puts a solution on the skin to strip away the dead cells on the outer layer. It softens crow's feet and leaves the skin looking healthier and younger. (12)

Dermal fillers

Fillers are another route. They go into the outer corner of the eyes through a small needle, and depending on the type they last anywhere from three to twelve months. Some hold up better and longer than others. (13)

Laser resurfacing

Laser resurfacing removes the upper layers of skin to reveal fresher skin underneath. It is the best option for deep crow's feet, since the heat also prompts the skin to make more collagen, and the skin around the eyes heals more smoothly.

It is not a quick fix. Full healing can take weeks, and your face may stay in dressings for several days.

The payoff is real, though. Resurfacing tightens the skin, and people can look ten to twenty years younger afterward. The results can last more than a decade, and the treatment is often paired with Botox to keep them. (14)