Aside from Botox or fillers, any other ideas to reduce crow's feet and aging eyes?

Question

I'm 46 and notice significant crow's-feet started this last year. I've lost orbital eye fat and have just recovered from a partial facial paralysis that was caused from dissolving filler in my orbital eye area that became Lumpy. Unfortunately I'm very sensitive and could not tolerate Botox any other ideas? Will plasma rich micro-needling help or any lasers without causing more fat loss?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

For facial rejuvenation I would suggest a combination approach this is what will get you the best results.  deep peels, lasers like co2, and microneedling regularlly will give you improvements along with botox and fillers.
1) skin care with products and PRP/microneedling
2) PDT light therapy few times a month with growth factors
3) laser treatments like clear and brilliant regularly and a few times a year Fraxel, Viva, Co2/Erbium
4) Sculptra injections a few times a year for collagen production with fillers like juvederm/restylane/belotero/radiesse/bellafill
5) thermage/ultherapy for yearly skin tightening with or without PDO or cone based instalift threads for lifting
6) botox every 2-3 months to stop movement lines and prevent lines at restBest,  Dr. Emer.

Amiya Prasad, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. You are asking about different treatments for crow’s feet and aging eyes aside from fillers and Botox. You state that you just recovered from partial facial paralysis, and orbital fat loss from dissolving filler orbital area. You also indicate that you’re 46, and you have tried Botox but had a reaction to it, so you prefer alternatives.
I can certainly help guide you with this question, without the benefit of a physical exam. I’m Dr. Amiya Prasad. I’m a Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon and Fellowship Trained Oculoplastic Surgeon. I’ve been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years.  I was one of the first doctors to apply PRP for aesthetic medicine, and I’m also a longtime member of the Vampire Facelift Network of doctors. I was also among the first doctors to administer Botox prior to its cosmetic use, and also perform wrinkle treatments with microneedling, lasers, and radiofrequency treatments.
PRP can be used to treat under eye wrinkles and crow’s feet lines. PRP can thicken the under eye skin, increase blood supply, and improve skin quality. PRP is comprised of the wound healing and growth factors present in the blood, and is also a collagen stimulation treatment which works through a wound healing mechanism to trigger a collagen response. PRP can be applied with injection alone, through microneedling, or through the skin booster.
Botox works on crow’s feet by limiting muscle movement. Crow’s feet are generally caused by repeated muscle movement creasing the skin. While PRP does not treat the muscle, it can treat the skin. It is important to realize that these treatments are about improvement of wrinkles, and cannot erase wrinkles entirely.
Depending on your skin type and color, laser or radiofrequency devices can also be used to tighten the skin. These devices use heat to produce a controlled injury, which the body reacts to by producing collagen. They can also be used to remove or ablate the top layer of skin so a fresh layer of skin can come in.
It’s important to avoid overexposure of thermal energy treatments to prevent loss of the fat layer. Too much thermal energy treatment can literally cook the fat beneath the skin, so it’s important to have an experienced doctor use these devices. I often alternate between laser or radiofrequency treatment with PRP injections, as it does take several treatments for best results, and also to reduce exposure in a single treatment session.
I suggest you meet with doctors who perform different skin treatments, and are experienced in PRP. PRP is proven, and has remarkable benefits, but not all doctors are using it yet. Also seek a doctor who has several thermal devices to choose from to determine which will work best for you, and ask them about how they prevent overexposure and fat loss. I hope you found this information helpful. Thank you for your question.

Leslie Pickens, MD · Answer

I recommend a skin tightening and resurfacing procedure such as triniti (R), which will also help with any hyperpigmentation changes.  You can skip the IPL portion if unneeded.  Without relaxation of your muscles there will still be some lines of expression with smiling or squinting.  Use spf daily to avoid worsening of lines, eat a healthy diet containing anti-oxidants with plenty of water (preferably alkalinized) and avoid exposure to sun, smoke and toxins.  A good medical grade skin care system can stimulate collagen production and give an improvement in texture as can PRP enhanced with microneedling.  PRP is a safe way to add volume.  Good luck.

Cynthia Stolovitz, MD · Answer

You are unlucky with the fillers.
Unfortunately since crows feet are dynamic wrinkles, the ideal treatment is a neuromodulator such as Botox or Dysport. If you are not a Botox fan, then PRP is an alternative but while it may help with the texturing of the skin, the dynamic wrinkles will NOT go away with PRP alone.

Aside from Botox or fillers, any other ideas to reduce crow's feet and aging eyes?

Answers (4)

Answer: Crows feet treatment alternative

Answer: Crows feet treatment alternative

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Vampire Facelift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Aside from Botox or fillers, any other ideas to reduce crow's feet and aging eyes?

Answers (4)

Answer: Crows feet treatment alternative

Answer: Crows feet treatment alternative

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Vampire Facelift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.