Medical grade eye creams, especially those designed to stimulate collagen, such as Alastin Restorative Eye Cream, are also helpful. Medical skin treatments with lasers works well to improve the quality of the skin under your eyes. These treatments deliver energy through and under the skin.
Dr. Kassouf recommends retinol topical creams to help reduce that crepey look. Retinols help restore skin's elasticity and thicken collagen (which gives our skin its structure) as well as elastin (which gives our skin its stretch).
Nonsurgical treatments — including hyaluronic acid fillers, or injections like Botox® or Dysport® — can help you look more youthful. These treatments can smooth out wrinkles around your eyes, fill in hollows or tighten sagging eyelids.
“Typically, fair skinned people have the most sun damage and collagen breakdown, which thins skin and causes that crepey appearance,” confirms Dr. Kazin. However, even if you're not of the fair-skinned variety, the areas of the skin that are naturally thin are likely to develop creping at some point.
Unfortunately, no at-home fix will reverse the look of crepey skin, but methods used by dermatologists can often vastly improve the look of your skin.
Retinoids are a class of compounds that derive from vitamin A. They have many uses in cosmetics to help reduce wrinkles and signs of aging on the face. Doctors also prescribe them to treat several skin conditions, such as psoriasis. While retinoids offer benefits, they also have side effects, such as skin irritation.
Very Little Makeup on the Eyelid
As your skin improves, you can use more makeup products on the lid, but in general, keep products like concealer, foundation, eye base, and powder off the lid area. When you put products on crepey eyelids, they tend to look garish and not settle into the skin as they normally would.
It's also not recommended to apply eye cream on your eyelids unless the directions say it's safe to do so. Generally, eye cream should be applied before daytime moisturizer and sunscreen. That's because eye cream is usually light, and heavier formulas should go on last.
But rather than using your standard retinol cream, it's best to use a product formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eyes. "The under-eye area is quite sensitive as it is some of the thinnest skin on the body," explains New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Anthony Rossi.
In general, retinoids are stronger than retinol. They contain a higher concentration of the product, and the molecular structure of vitamin A in this form allows it to turn over skin cells at a faster rate than retinol.
Who should skip retinol? “Retinols can be a beneficial addition for most skin types, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all approach,” Panzica says. Board certified dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, MD, notes that “people with sensitive skin conditions like rosacea cannot tolerate really strong topicals like retinols.”
These two anti-aging ingredients aren't entirely different. In fact, retinol is a type of retinoid. However, retinoid most often describes more powerful prescription products, while retinol generally refers to weaker over-the-counter (OTC) formulas. As board certified dermatologist Dr.
Waldorf, MD, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, recommends products with glycerin or hyaluronic acid to prevent or improve the appearance of crepey skin. These ingredients pull in and hold moisture so your skin stays hydrated and looks plump.
Dry skin brushing tightens and tones your skin by increasing the flow of blood to your skin's outer layers. This increased circulation can also help lessen the appearance of cellulite.
Remember: It's All About The Collagen
In the skin, we see these cracks as wrinkles. To repair the eyes, you need to increase your collagen production and, to do that, you need to stimulate the cells—called fibroblasts—located in the lower layers of the skin known as the dermis.
Should you use retinol under your eyes? Yes, definitely. While it is true that retinol – a form of vitamin A – is a powerful ingredient and the skin under your eyes is delicate, there's no reason why you should miss out on the amazing benefits of retinol.
An under-eye filler is a cosmetic procedure that uses hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Juvederm, Belotero) to treat dark circles under your eyes. Deep tear troughs can cause shadows that mirror dark circles. Also known as a tear trough, under-eye fillers can help with a tired or sunken appearance and deep indentations.
Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps up skin, giving you a youthful and radiant glow. By brightening the skin, it can help mask darkness under the eyes.
High-strength retinol – 0.3%-1%
Look for those with a retinol percentage of between 0.3% and 1%. The strongest retinol product that we offer is our Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment and 1% Retinol Booster.