The skin beneath the eyes is prone to puffiness and dark circles, and is the first part of the face to show signs of ageing. Dr Catherine Stone of Auckland clinic The Face Place shares some expert advice on how to slow the ageing process.
Why is the under-eye area prone to ageing faster?
The skin is much thinner than on the rest of your face, and also has fewer oil glands so is drier and more fragile. The supportive tissues are much looser too.
Swelling under the eyes can be due to fluid retention, which often worsens with high salt foods, hormonal fluctuation, sinus infection, allergies or lack of sleep.
Eye bags can also occur with age. If your parents, aunties and uncles all have fatty bags under the eyes, it’s likely you will develop them as well. Some people experience a purple/blue discolouration of the under-eye area, which makes them look constantly tired. This is more common in people of Mediterranean and Arab descent and is thought to be due to congested micro-vessels in this area, which become more visible as the skin thins.
Dark shadows can also be caused by deepening of the tear trough, which occurs as our eyes sink back into our eye sockets as we age. Some people develop this much earlier than others due to the shape of their eye sockets.
Slow the anti-ageing process by wearing sunscreen, avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of sleep.
How can we slow the process?
By wearing a good sunscreen and avoiding excessive sun exposure, avoiding smoking and other toxins, eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of sleep.
UVA rays are the most likely to cause collagen destruction and wrinkles – these rays can penetrate through glass, are found in high concentration in many office lights and sun beds, and are just as damaging on a cloudy day as they are on a sunny one, so it’s important to wear a good zinc or titanium-based sunscreen every day.
What treatments would you recommend?
My favourite for the under-eye area right now is PRP (platelet-rich plasma), which uses your own platelets and your body’s own repair systems to thicken the skin, improving fine lines, crepeyness, and generally helping it look fresher and more youthful.
Try daily lymphatic massage if you suffer from puffiness .
Do you have any advice to treat puffiness?
If it’s due to fluid retention, you’ll probably have more puffiness in the morning, which settles over the course of the day. You may want to try daily lymphatic massage.
Place the heel of your hand across your eye socket, and very gently roll the base of your hands across your eye from the nose to the temples, without dragging the skin. Repeat on each eye about 8-10 times or as needed during the day.
Avoid strong pressure with this technique, as you are likely to block the lymph and also create more damage by stretching and stressing the skin.
