Fine lines are often the first visible signs of ageing. Fine lines that show up under the eyes are all the more noticeable thanks to their prominent location. While fine lines and wrinkles affect more or less every human being, you may want to reduce their appearance and even eliminate them to cut some years off your perceived age.
If you are trying to figure out how to get rid of fine lines under eyes, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to learn the different available options you can choose from to get rid of fine lines under eyes, including skincare solutions, home remedies, and cosmetic procedures.
A Quick Overview of Fine Lines Around Eyes and Their Causes
Fine lines are shallow creases in the skin that often develop into wrinkles, which are deeper creases. One of the first areas that starts developing fine lines is the area around your eyes. This is because the skin around your eyes is especially delicate and prone to damage.
While fine lines are a typical sign of ageing, there are several potential culprits which may be responsible for these unwelcome visitors. Understanding what causes them to develop is a crucial first step in deciding how to get rid of fine lines around eyes.
In many cases, the appearance of fine lines on your face is a natural consequence of regular facial muscle movements, such as blinking, smiling, laughing, squinting, and so on. The fine lines become more pronounced with age because the longer you’ve been alive, the more times you’ve used your facial muscles! Ageing also means a decrease in hydration, collagen, and elastin—all of which are responsible for youthful, smooth skin.
But that’s not all. Causes of fine lines under eyes include:
- Sun exposure
- Smoking or vaping
- High stress levels
- Repetitive facial expressions
- Ageing
- Genetic predisposition
- Unhealthy diet
- Inadequate water intake
- Aggressive handling of skin around your eyes
- Sleeping positions
Fine lines can be dynamic or static. While dynamic fine lines are visible only when there is some facial movement, static fine lines are visible even when there is no movement. Dynamic fine lines, if left unattended, may turn into static fine lines.
Fine lines may often be accompanied by other eye skin concerns, like eye bags. Curious about the causes of under-eye bags? We've got a separate guide that delves into that topic. Check it out here: ‘What Causes Bags Under Eyes?’"
How to Get Rid of Fine Lines Around Eyes
While there are several different methods you can try to get rid of fine lines around eyes, each varies in their effectiveness, costs, time and effort required, and duration of their results. Therefore, make sure to set realistic expectations according to the option you decide to try. That said, let’s take a look at how to get rid of fine lines around eyes.
Sun Protection
You can never go wrong with sun protection. Using an effective sun protectant with at least SPF30 is just as important for the skin around your eyes as for the rest of your face and body. Adding a pair of sunglasses with UV protection to your outfit and sporting wide-brimmed hats also helps.
Taking these measures helps reduce free radical damage that leads to the appearance of fine lines around your eyes. Beyond cosmetic benefits, protecting your skin from harmful sun exposure and avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible also greatly reduces the risk of skin cancer.
Lifestyle & Habit Changes
Another way to get rid of fine lines under eyes is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Similar to sun protection, these changes also offer a broad range of benefits beyond just the cosmetic improvements. Consuming a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids etc., along with proper hydration, can help reduce the appearance of fine lines from within by supplying your skin with the right tools to heal from within.
Quitting habits like drinking and smoking also helps significantly. In addition, pay attention to how you sleep at night; if you are pressing your face into the pillow when you sleep, that might be another reason for the fine lines around your eyes to become more pronounced.
Stress Management
When stress levels spike, it leads to an increase in the level of the stress hormone called cortisol. This suppresses the production of collagen, which is responsible for the firmness of skin, thus leading to fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, etc.
By finding effective ways to manage your stress levels, you can lower cortisol production and reduce fine lines around your eyes, besides enjoying better mental health. The same stress management methods might not work for everyone, so it’s important to figure out what works best for you.
Consistent & Effective Skincare
Following an effective skincare routine that is suited to your skin type is one of the best ways to supplement your positive lifestyle changes and achieve the best results. Look for scientifically formulated, doctor-approved skincare products with clinically proven results that boost collagen and elastin production and provide intense hydration lost due to ageing.
Depending on your personal preferences and expectations, you can choose from a range of skincare products, from eye serums to LED masks. Eye serums, packed with powerful actives, are often recommended for reducing and preventing visible signs of ageing around the eyes, including fine lines.
Dermatologists recommend looking for an eye serum that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, peptides, glutathione and caffeine. Often, the best eye serum for fine lines can have multiple benefits; besides getting rid of fine lines under eyes, it can also simultaneously be the best serum for puffy eyes, crepey skin, and other signs of ageing. Gentle exfoliation can also be helpful to remove dead skin and reveal the radiance underneath.
When applying topical products to the skin around your eyes, be very gentle with the application. Aggressively rubbing or tugging on the skin can exacerbate your fine lines and slow down the process of getting rid of them.
Home Remedies
While home remedies rarely have any supporting scientific evidence, they might be worth a shot thanks to the convenience they offer. You can explore options like homemade face masks, ice rollers, cucumber slices, coconut oil, etc. Results may vary between individuals. Before applying any new ingredient to your face, do a patch test to ensure that you don’t experience any adverse reactions.
Home remedies may be more effective in preventing fine lines from appearing or tackling them in their initial stages. However, for deeper creases, it is best to consult a medical professional to help decide what will be effective for you.
Vision Testing & Correction
If you find yourself squinting often, it might be responsible for the fine lines around your eyes. Get your vision checked to correct the blurriness and avoid squinting.
Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures
If you are looking for quicker ways to get rid of fine lines under eyes, you can also explore non-surgical cosmetic procedures. There are a variety of non-invasive and/or non-surgical options available, such as fillers, microneedling, lasers, and chemical peels.
Consult with a qualified and experienced professional to learn about each treatment option, its pros and cons, and which one is most suitable for your aesthetic goals and personal preferences.
Surgical Cosmetic Procedures
The aforementioned methods to remove fine lines under eyes give temporary results and need regular repetition. If you want results that last, surgical cosmetic procedures may be what you’re looking for. Some surgery options include blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), fat to face transfer, and brow lift.
While surgery has its associated risks, costs more, and usually requires downtime for complete recovery, the results can last for a long time. If you are considering a surgical cosmetic procedure, make sure to go to a well-established clinic with experienced professionals who have a proven track record of exceptional results to ensure your safety and satisfaction.
How to Prevent Fine Lines Around Eyes
We discussed how to get rid of fine lines around eyes, but you don’t have to wait for fine lines to show before doing something about it. Often, it is easier to prevent them from occurring than eliminate them once they have already developed. Let’s look at some ways to prevent fine lines around your eyes.
Proactive Skincare
You can start using well-crafted skincare products as early as your 20s. This helps the skin maintain its youthful appearance and minimises the chances of fine lines or other signs of ageing. Additionally, don’t miss the skin around your eyes when you put on sunscreen before stepping out.
Healthy Lifestyle
Following a healthy lifestyle can set you up for success in the long run, whether it is in terms of physical appearance, physical health, or mental health. You must have already heard this a million times, but let’s recap:
- Consume a balanced diet
- Maintain adequate water intake
- Exercise regularly
- Get quality sleep every night
- Find effective stress management methods
- Quit drinking alcohol and smoking
Skin Treatments
Pamper yourself with regular (or occasional) skin treatments, which will help your skin stay in the best shape possible. Supplementing a consistent skincare routine and a healthy lifestyle with skin treatments like chemical peels and facials can help you achieve and maintain healthy, glowing, and smooth skin.
Choose the Right Method to Get Rid of Fine Lines Around Eyes
When choosing how to remove fine lines under eyes, keep the following factors in mind and ask yourself these questions:
Cause:
Are the fine lines caused by ageing, genetics, excessive facial movements, or something else?
Severity:
How deep are the fine lines? Have they developed into wrinkles?
Personal Preferences:
For example, would you prefer a solution you can do at home or have it done by a professional?
Duration of Results:
Are you looking for a quick fix, lasting results, or something in between?
Aesthetic Goals:
What are your expectations? What would you want the end result to look like?
Finances, Time & Effort:
How much money, time, and effort are you willing to put into it?
Now You Know How To Remove Fine Lines Under Eyes
You have a wide array of options, ranging from home remedies and skincare to cosmetic procedures to remove fine lines under your eyes. The right option for you depends on factors like the underlying cause, severity, preferences, and aesthetic goals. Irrespective of how you decide to get rid of fine lines under eyes, always make sure to supplement your efforts with healthy lifestyle habits.
