Young lady (22) deep eye wrinkles, what am I doing wrong, what can I do to improve? (photos)

First, you aren't doing anything “wrong” and should not restrict yourself from smiling. Everybody's skin is different and some people develop wrinkles caused by dynamic muscles – such as those at the corners of the eyes – at a quite young age. Botox can be a good choice to relax the muscles that are causing the wrinkles, while still allowing you to smile and laugh normally and unselfconsciously. In addition, there are a variety of FDA approved fillers that can be precisely placed under the skin toi increase fullness and smooth out deep wrinkles. Often times, both of these procedures are performed together. Finally, lasers are available to help build collagen which also acts to smooth put both deep and superficial wrinkles. Please schedule a consult with a board-certified dermatologist to learn more.

You can start using Botox at 22.  It is an excellent way to prevent wrinkles from causing permanent creases.  I have many patients in their early 20's that I treat with Botox.

You can certainly use Botox to treat your crow’s feet. Botox blocks signals from your nerves to the muscles, essentially stopping the muscle from creating deeper lines in your face. In fact, we are seeing even more patients who are in their 20’s and 30’s who want to be treated with Botox because using it early on in life will help to stop your wrinkles from even developing in the first place. Additionally, I would recommend using sunscreen daily and incorporating an eye cream into your daily skincare routine. I love SkinMedica’s TNS Eye Repair.

Botox is a neuromodulator that temporarily relaxes muscles for a period of 3-4 months.  When the muscles are relaxed the skin overlying tends to smooth out.  Seek our a board certified plastic surgeon/dermatologist for a consultation and see what's best for you.

At your young age I can imagine how distressing this can be. Before you start botox, I would really recommend looking into a treatment like the Thermismooth 250, which works with radiofrequency and feels like a hot stone massage. This works by inducing remodeling in your skin and new collagen to be produced. I think at your age it will be more cost effective and make more sense than jumping straight to botox. I have seen great improvement especially in the area around eyes with Thermismooth. In the meantime continue daily sunscreen, wear UVA/UVB sunglasses, and start a retinol containing cream for the night. See the video linked to see how easy the Thermismooth 250 treatment is.

Relaxing the orbicularis oculi -- which allows the eyes to squint and can cause crow's feet – with a small amount of Botox will allow you to smile and laugh normally without wrinkling. Depending on your particular case, I might also fill in some of the wrinkles under your eyes very lightly with a hyaluronic acid filler, such as Juvederm or Restylane Silk. Consulting with a board-certified dermatologist will allow him or her to evaluate your wrinkling pattern and decide on the best treatments for you.

First of all, I’m glad to hear you consistently use sunscreen on your face. This is arguably the most important step you can take to ensuring your skin will remain healthy. I am sorry to hear about your concern over premature wrinkles around the eye area, but you are correct in assuming that BOTOX® is likely a good solution. The wrinkles you’re showing in your photos are the result of dynamic muscle contractions that occur when you smile. BOTOX® can help by prohibiting the contraction of the muscles that are creating these wrinkles on the skin. Carefully choose your BOTOX® practitioner. Just because someone has the credentials to inject this product doesn’t mean they’re highly experienced or will deliver the best results. Keep up the use of sunscreen and a healthy skin care regimen, too. This will help keep your skin looking its best. 

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with getting Botox in your twenties. Especially if this is preventing you or causing insecurities when smiling. Please do your homework and find a professional in your area.

Botox may be an excellent option to minimize wrinkles around the eyes and prevent them from getting deeper. Another option may be to consider underage filler to add a little volume to plump up the area. Consult with an experienced provider and this should be a relatively easy problem to solve

Thanks for the question. I would recommend that you see your physician for Botox for the crows feet area around the eyes. Make sure you are using a broad spectrum sunscreen daily.