The Sensitive Skin Around Your Eyes

The skin on your face is actually some of the thinnest on your body, and the skin around your eyes is approximately 10 times thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your facial skin.

Our eyes are said to be the mirror of our souls, and because we use our eyes so much when smiling, laughing, frowning, squinting, or even concentrating, this delicate, fragile skin is subject to a great deal of use and stress. Whether you call the lines at the outer corners of your eyes laugh lines or crow’s feet, we can probably all agree that they do not enhance your appearance.

What Can Cause Harm to the Skin Around Your Eyes

For many people, the first place that aging first shows up on the face is around the eyes. This is because not only is this skin very thin, it also gets a good deal of use. However, there are a number of factors that can contribute to damaging the skin around your eyes, some of which are avoidable and some which are not.

• Once again, we can point to the sun as perhaps the greatest enemy of the skin around our eyes. While the sun’s UV rays can harm the skin all over your body, it will cause even more damage to your eyes’ skin, drying it out and making it more susceptible to cracking and wrinkling.
• Although few of us think of the skin directly below and above our eyes as being prone to acne, it is quite possible to have outbreaks in these sensitive spots. While the pimples themselves might be smaller than those affecting other parts of the face, they are no less unsightly. Because of where they are located, it can be more difficult to deal with them; to find out ways to handle acne of all kinds, visit this site for more information.
• The wrong kind of makeup can cause clogging of the pores in this area as well as irritation. Clogged pores are much more likely to develop blemishes, and makeup that dries out the skin will lead to the formation of lines at the corners of the eyes.
• If you smoke, you are depriving your skin of the nutrients that the blood ordinarily delivers. Smoking tobacco causes the blood vessels to contract and become narrower, which restricts the blood flow. Cells that are deprived of oxygen and other nutrients are not able to provide sufficient elastin and collagen to keep the skin firm and youthful.
• Drinking alcohol is also detrimental to the skin around your eyes. Alcohol causes the body to become dehydrated. When you drink alcohol, you are suppressing the production of a hormone that helps keep fluids in your body, meaning that you will lose more fluid through urination than is good for you. When the skin surrounding your eyes becomes dehydrated, it will begin to develop wrinkles.

Keeping This Delicate Skin Healthy

Maintaining the health and good appearance of the skin around your eyes is not overly difficult, and most of these suggestions are also applicable to the skin on your face as well. You might consider that if you are taking good care of the skin surrounding your eyes, you are also taking good care of all your facial skin.

• You should never use an exfoliant on this skin, it is simply too sensitive for this. When cleansing the skin around your eyes, make sure that you use a cleanser that is mild and suits your skin type. Even those with oily skin might use a cream cleanser for this area, rather than their usual cleansing agent.
• The sun will definitely damage the skin around your eyes, not only directly by UV rays, but also by causing you to squint. The first will cause direct harm to both the epidermal and dermal layers of your eyes’ skin, while the second will result in the formation or deepening of lines at the corners of your eyes. Use a sunscreen, wear a hat, and always wear sunglasses when outside, even on cloudy days.
• It’s best not to use a washcloth on the skin surrounding your eyes, instead use cotton balls not only to remove makeup but also to gently cleanse the area.
• Make sure that you use a moisturizer on the skin around your eyes, especially at the corners to help prevent or correct laugh lines. Vitamins, such as Vitamins D, E, K, and A, applied directly to the skin or added to your moisturizer also provide a boost for this delicate skin.
• Always remember to get enough sleep. Too many sleepless nights or nights of inadequate rest will affect the skin surrounding your eyes quickly. Sleep also helps to erase the stress that has accumulated during the day.

Rather than letting your eyes become the most aged part of your face, take some effort to keep them healthy and young-looking. A combination of good lifestyle choices and smart skin care can preserve the skin around your eyes, and keep you looking young longer.

How do you take care of the sensitive skin around your eyes? Share it in the comments!