What Crow's Feet Are
The orbicularis oculi is the ring of muscle around each eye. It closes your eyelids, and it also contracts when you smile, which is why a genuine smile reaches the eyes. Years of smiling and squinting, along with sun exposure, cause the skin at the outer corners to crease into the small lines called crow's feet. They're often the first lines to appear in people who spend time outdoors or who simply smile a lot, which isn't the worst reason to have a wrinkle.
How Botox Treats Them
A few small injections at the outer corner of each eye relax the part of the muscle responsible for the lines. Botox is FDA-approved for crow's feet. The rest of the muscle keeps working, so your eyes still close and your smile still reaches them. Lines that appear only with expression usually smooth out completely. Lines that have set in at rest soften and continue to improve with regular treatment and good sun protection.
Pricing
| Product | Non-Member | Member |
|---|---|---|
| Botox or Xeomin | $12 per unit | $11 per unit |
| Dysport | $5 per unit | $4 per unit |
Priced per unit, both sides treated together. We'll confirm the count and your total before treating you. See Membership Pricing
What to Expect at Home
Dr. Bashian or Rachel Fey, PA will have you smile big, look at where the lines fall, and mark the points on each side. The injections are quick and this area tends to be one of the more comfortable ones. The skin here is thin, so a small bruise is a bit more likely than elsewhere. It's easily covered and fades in a few days. Avoid rubbing the area for the rest of the day. Results show in three to five days, settle at two weeks, and last three to four months.
Who It's For
Adults with lines at the outer corners of the eyes that show with expression or at rest. If you also have hollowness or dark shadows under the eyes, that's a different concern, and under-eye filler may be a better fit or a good pairing. We do not treat anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding.
Risks and Side Effects
Bruising is the most common, because of the thin skin and the small vessels around the eye. Rarely, the medication can affect nearby muscles and cause a temporary change in your smile or a slight droop at the corner of the eye. This resolves on its own. Individual results vary.
