16 Derm-Loved Under-Eye Wrinkle Treatments, from Topicals to In-Office Innovations

As we age, we begin to see the physical manifestations of every smile, laugh, and emotion we've experienced. Fine lines and wrinkles around the under-eye area are usually the first to form, but they're no reason to lose sleep at night. (Ironically, that would only deepen the creases.) Still, if you want to seek out under-eye wrinkle treatments, you have plenty of options.

Under-eye wrinkles and crow's feet are nothing to be frightened of; these are just gentle signs that we are, in fact, alive . Also skin cells are losing collagen and reducing their ability to renew themselves—and the under-eye region happens to be the most sensitive. But, if you're concerned that they may stretch and deepen, making your face look older or more tired, we've got you covered.

Ahead, we asked leading dermatologists and estheticians how to soften the appearance of under-eye wrinkles and keep new ones from forming in the first place.

Meet the Expert

• Lily Talakoub , MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist at the  McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center in Virginia. She is also the co-founder of LANARI Skincare.

• Serena Mraz , MD, is a board-certified dermatologist of Solano Dermatology and Associates, Vallejo, CA.

• Renée Rouleau is a celebrity esthetician and the founder and creator of an eponymous skincare line.

• Rhea Souhleris Grous is the founder of La Suite Skincare at UnionDerm and an aesthetics specialist with more than two decades of experience. She's also part of Byrdie's Beauty & Wellness Board .

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Try Professional Collagen-Boosting Treatments

Consulting a professional about your under-eye concerns will get to the root of the cause and provide you with a line-up of potential solutions. If you're currently following an expert-recommended routine to a T, yet you still see new wrinkles pop up, then it might be time to book an in-clinic appointment. Certain professional treatments have the power to make a massive difference in the appearance of the skin.

For example, Virginia-based dermatologist, Lily Talakoub, MD's clinic uses "a radio frequency tightening device paired with yearly gentle resurfacing treatments to build collagen around the eye." Rhea Souhleris Grous, the founder of La Suite Skincare, relies on a laser treatment called Periocular Fraxel . "It improves fine lines and wrinkles and stimulates new collagen and elastin formation. It also visibly tightens the skin around the eyes," she says.

" Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) [or] exosomes may be used to provide potent growth factors or messages to boost the collagen-producing cells called fibroblasts to step up output," adds board-certified dermatologist Serena Mraz, MD. "Energy-based devices such as fractionated lasers, micro-focused high-intensity ultrasound, and radiofrequency devices are commonly used to smooth and tighten loose or wrinkled skin."

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Moisturize Your Under-Eye Area

Talakoub recommends incorporating an eye cream into your routine to keep the skin plump and prevent wrinkles from setting more deeply. Look for wrinkle-fighting ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E , vitamin C , and peptides . And remember, thicker is not always better; if you find traditional eye creams too heavy for everyday use, consider applying a hydrating serum or toner like the AESTURA ATOBARRIER365 Hydrating and Lightweight Capsule Toner for Sensitive Skin , which contains skin-plumping compressed hyaluronic acid and barrier-boosting ceramides.

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Get a Targeted Chemical Peel

You're likely familiar with chemical peels as a professional treatment option for exfoliating away damage and various concerns across your skin as a whole. To target these to the delicate under-eye area, many providers use lighter or superficial peels that address wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven pigmentation without excessive irritation. This can be great if you want a more noticeable reset than what at-home products can do, but aren't ready to try some of the stronger treatment options.

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Consider Botox

While you may be weary of the word injectable , these treatments are safe when administered by a trusted professional. " Botox pauses the muscle movement that causes fine lines (a line you never make is a line you never get!)," Grous says.

"Additional medical procedures may be helpful for many individuals to address crows feet and under-eye wrinkles," Mraz adds. "This includes administration of neuromodulators (e.g. Botox, Dysport , or Daxxify ), which relax the muscles creating lines of expression."

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Start Using Retinol

Talakoub says the single most effective skincare ingredient for getting rid of wrinkles is none other than retinol , so there's a good reason it has dominated the skincare market as of late. According to celebrity esthetician, Renée Rouleau, "It can stimulate the metabolism of skin cells and encourage collagen production." Collagen is what makes the skin look plump and smooth. Generally speaking, the less collagen in your skin, the more wrinkles and lines you'll have. "Retinol can be absorbed within the skin, and, when combined with certain enzymes, it's converted into tretinoin (the acid form of vitamin A, also known as retinoic acid)," Rouleau adds. " Using a well-formulated and stable product with retinol will visibly reduce the appearance of sun damage, brown spots, lines, wrinkles, and large pores.Its magic is in its ability to resurface the skin's texture for a smoother, more even-toned look."

So step one in the ever-waging battle against wrinkles is to incorporate a retinol-rich product into your routine. Talakoub recommends using "a low-potency Retin-A or topical retinaldehyde mixed with a deeply hydrating moisturizer."

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Dermal Fillers

For lines at rest, hyaluronic acid fillers volumize, smooth, and plump them up. "Strategic placement of injectable fillers may help to replace structure around the eye socket (Juvederm Volbella and Restylane Eyelight are approved in the US for this indication)," Mraz explains. 

Injectables are one of the most sought-after wrinkle treatments , however, they're not the only solution—especially for the under-eye area, which is so sensitive. You have plenty of less-invasive alternatives to consider if you don't want to jump directly to injectables.

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Seal in Hydration with an Oil

Combat under-eye wrinkles by keeping the area well-hydrated. Do this by applying a rich face cream, then sealing it in with an oil. The oil will prevent any water from evaporating, locking in moisture and plumpness. "Oils are my favorite. Argan , marula , sunflower—you name it. The key to avoiding wrinkles is oil and hydration," Talakoub says. 

Dry and dehydrated skin is more prone to succumbing to fine lines and wrinkles. A hydrated eye area, on the other hand, will look healthier, younger, and plumper. "Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate," Talakoub emphasizes.

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Try Facial Massages

For those with minimal issues, facial exercises prescribed by a qualified skincare professional might help stimulate bloodflow and depuff the eye area. Grous, recommends a gentle acupressure facial massage meant to stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage to depuff, relax, and tone.

"Applying a small amount of eye cream to your ring finger, start at the outer corner, working your way to the inner corner under the eye along the orbital bone. Gently tap the cream into the skin, giving a little double-tap just before reaching the inner corner to 'pump' lymphatic fluid away," Grous explains. This technique is also purported to enhance product penetration.

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Apply Face Masks

Face masks are designed to nourish, balance, and restore the skin—all of which are good for under-eye wrinkle treatment. Grous says she loves to use a targeted eye mask that tackles everything from wrinkles to dark circles to puffiness. She explains that the main difference between sheet masks and cream masks is their ability to penetrate the skin: "Sheet masks are serum-infused fibers that allow deeper penetration, whereas cream masks tend to hydrate the skin's superficial layers."

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Always Remember SPF

Never forget to apply SPF each morning before heading out the door. It helps prevent a slew of aging-related concerns, including wrinkles, discoloration, and dark spots—other enormous consequences of sun damage, along with the loss of collagen.

Remember: prevention is the best treatment.According to Mraz, faithful application of eye cream in the morning and evening paired with twice-daily facial cleansing and sun protection is as important as brushing your teeth twice daily between dental cleanings.

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Be Gentle with Application

Follow the prevention theme by being gentle when you apply products to the under-eye area. Don't pull on the skin around your eyes. Instead, use your ring finger to carefully pat in a product.

"Don't rub, scratch, or touch your eyes," Talakoub warns. "Even pulling on the eye to put in contacts can loosen the eyelid skin. People who rub their eyes often get deep wrinkles."

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Eat a Healthy Diet

Target long-term skin health by starting in the kitchen with a healthy diet. Drink lots of water to keep your system hydrated and promote regular elimination. According to Grous, eating foods rich in antioxidants like berries, nuts, and dark green vegetables helps support healthy skin. As the saying goes, eat the rainbow. Look for omega-rich foods like salmon, avocado, and walnuts that support a healthy skin barrier , which helps prevent transepidermal water loss. Collagen-boosting foods like bone broth are also part of a healthy skin diet.

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Cut Out Drinking Alcohol and Smoking

Drinking alcohol results in inflammation and dehydration. It also interrupts good sleep and leads to the dreaded "hangover face" and puffy eyes. Skincare and professional treatments aim to restore a healthy, plump appearance to the skin—alcohol does the opposite.

Grous says smoking is another habit that sabotages skin. "Smoke is a carcinogen that damages every cell in the body, including skin cells. It also inhibits the ability to carry fresh, oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to the skin cells, leading to a dull, sallow look, aka 'smoker's skin.'" 

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Try Microneedling

When done properly under the care of a qualified skincare professional, microneedling can produce great results that help promote the penetration of beneficial ingredients and encourage collagen production. Grous explains that microneedling helps tighten, plump, and re-texturize the skin, ultimately reducing the visible signs of under-eye wrinkles and dark circles. At her clinic, she also performs Fractional Radio Frequency Microneedling, a procedure using needles and heat energy that creates a wound and stimulates the skin to create new collagen, making the skin taut and reducing fine lines.

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Look for the Right Ingredients

Not all skincare products are as effective as they claim, so it's always important to pay attention to the ingredients. And while some might be worth the hype, they may not be beneficial for the under-eye area. The best way to get the most out of your arsenal is to shop for formulas with the right ingredients. Mraz suggests keeping an eye out for these powerhouse ingredients:

• L-Glutamine: improves the elasticity of skin and lightens, brightens, and strengthens the skin by increasing collagen production.

• Genistein: a plant-derived, hormone-like molecule that has potent anti-aging effects on the skin for both women and men.

• Troxuretine: helps to normalize the small blood vessels to improve microcirculation and delivery of important micronutrients to the skin and clean up dark and dull skin as well as decreasing under-eye puffiness.

• Hyaluronic acid :hydrates the skin and plumps up fine lines.

As mentioned above, Mraz's favorite pick is the Alphascience Eye Matrix. "This is a soothing, moisturizing, preservative-free, and fragrance-free eye cream with a combination of non-irritating and potent ingredients to address skin elasticity, and collagen production, and reduce puffiness and dark circles," she says. "Eye matrix contains 5% L-glutamine, genistein, 3% niosome troxerutin, and a 2% patented tripeptide that acts to smooth fine expression lines."

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Consider Surgical Procedures If Needed

"In some situations, surgical measures are required to adequately address excessive sagging or excessive under-eye fat protrusion in addition to skin quality improvement measures," Mraz tells us. "A qualified, board-certified physician can best help guide you to appropriate treatment."

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