How can I choose between the different treatments for crow's feet?

Probably the best way to help choose between treatments for crow's feet is visiting with an experienced surgeon who offers all of the alternatives to treatment. Botox is a great treatment for crow's feet. By paralyzing the outside part of the orbicularis oculi muscle (a big round muscle that circles your eye), the bunching that you see on the outside part of the eye can be relaxed. For some people, laser treatments or medium to deep chemical peels is an option. Caution should be taken though in patients with dark skin as pigment irregularities can be a serious problem.

Crow's feet are caused by 2 things:

• When you smile or squint, the muscles contract and pull the skin together. This bunches up the skin like an accordion and, over time, repetitive bunching leads to creases or wrinkles in the skin. You can treat this by preventing the muscle from bunching up with Botox and then smoothing the skin with peels or laser resurfacing. Occasionally, I'll inject a small amount of filler into the line after the Botox.

• Crow's feet can be worsened by the effects of a drooping forehead and brow.  This causes the skin from the brow and upper eyelid to fall downward towards the cheek. Once again, the skin bunches up there, creating the "crow's feet". If this is contributing to your problem, then a browlift may be in your future.