Under eye wrinkles form because the skin there is thin and folds every time you smile or squint, and daily sunscreen plus sunglasses is the prevention dermatology sources agree on. Sun, smoking and the slow loss of collagen deepen the lines over time. Cleveland Clinic says a retinoid can help reduce fine lines, but it needs care this close to the eye; injections, lasers and peels are a dermatologist’s call. Wrinkles are not a health problem, and Cleveland Clinic says they do not need treatment, so anything you do about them is a choice about how they look.
Why the Skin Under Your Eyes Creases First
The skin under your eyes creases early because it is thin, it moves every time you smile or squint, and it gets the same sun as the rest of your face.
Cleveland Clinic’s page on dark circles under the eyes notes that “as you age, the skin below your eyes begins to loosen and thin out.” Its overview of treatments to reduce wrinkles adds: “You also lose about 1% of your collagen each year starting in your 30s.” That slow loss is also why a treatment meant to prompt new collagen, such as a microneedling facial designed to prompt new collagen, works over weeks rather than overnight. Our guide to protecting and building collagen in your face covers the protein itself.
Movement is the second cause. According to Cleveland Clinic’s page on crow’s feet, these lines form from “tiny muscles contracting” as you laugh, frown or squint. They start as lines that show when you smile and, over time, may appear “even when you’re at rest.” The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) agrees in its dermatologists’ tips on premature skin aging: “If you repeatedly contract the same muscles for many years, these lines become permanent.”
Sun and smoking add to it: Cleveland Clinic says UV rays “can damage collagen in your skin” and tobacco slows its production. In Ho Chi Minh City the sun counts all year, as our guide to skincare in Saigon’s climate explains.
Crow’s Feet, Crepey Skin or Dry Lines: Reading Your Under Eye Wrinkles
The next step depends on which kind of line you see. Look in daylight with a bare face, once still and once smiling.
| What You See | Likely Cause | What May Help | Who to Ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines at the outer corners only when you smile or squint | Muscle movement: early crow’s feet | Sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat to cut squinting; daily sunscreen | No one, unless they bother you; then a dermatologist |
| Lines that stay when your face is still | Years of the same movement, plus collagen loss and sun damage | Daily sunscreen; a retinoid, introduced carefully | A dermatologist, who may discuss peels, lasers or fillers |
| Crepey texture: fine creases like thin paper | Skin below the eye loosening and thinning with age; sun damage | Sun protection, a daily moisturizer, a retinoid if a dermatologist agrees | A dermatologist |
| Fine dry lines that fade after moisturizer | Dryness rather than lost structure | A daily moisturizer, gentle cleansing, no products that sting | Usually no one |
| Lines with hollows or dark circles | Tear troughs that cast shadows; thin skin showing blood vessels | Sleep, and sun protection around the eyes | A dermatologist; a doctor promptly if it is under one eye only |
Dry lines are the easy case: the AAD says a moisturizer “traps water in our skin.” Our hydrating Korean glass skin facial (60 minutes, 350,000 ₫) is honest about the limit: hydration “plumps lines temporarily but does not rebuild structure.” For hollows and shadows, see our guide to what causes dark circles under the eyes.
What Helps at Home, and What the Evidence Says
The home steps with real backing are daily sun protection, a moisturizer and, if your skin tolerates it, a retinoid. In a randomized trial of daily sunscreen and skin aging among 903 Australian adults under 55, the group assigned to daily sunscreen showed no detectable increase in skin aging after four and a half years. Each step below comes from the AAD or Cleveland Clinic.
- Sunscreen every day. The AAD advises sunscreen that is “broad-spectrum, SPF 30 (or higher), and water-resistant” on all skin not covered by clothing. Cleveland Clinic asks you to put it on your face “especially around your eyes.”
- Sunglasses with UV protection, and a wide-brimmed hat. “Wearing sunglasses can help reduce lines caused by squinting,” says the AAD.
- Cleanse gently. The AAD warns that scrubbing irritates skin and “irritating your skin accelerates skin aging.”
- Moisturize daily. Trapping water in the skin is what softens dry lines.
- Add a retinoid carefully. Cleveland Clinic says retinoids “help reduce lines and wrinkles.” Irritation (itching, peeling, redness, puffiness or scaly patches) is more likely the first time or at high concentrations, and you should avoid direct sunlight after applying it. Its advice: “Check with your healthcare provider to make sure products that include retinoids are right for you.” A prescription-strength retinoid is a dermatologist’s decision.
- Drop anything that stings. The AAD says to stop using products that sting or burn, because irritated skin can look older. A dermatologist’s prescription product may sting; tell them if it does.
- Stop smoking and drink less alcohol. “If you smoke, stop,” says the AAD; smokers who stop often notice their skin looks healthier.
Eye Creams, Massage and Masks: What They Can and Cannot Do
Eye creams, massage, gua sha and sheet masks can make the skin feel comfortable and may soften dry lines for a while, but none of the sources we read shows any of them removing a wrinkle.
An eye cream works by its ingredients, not the word “eye” on the jar. Cleveland Clinic’s crow’s feet page names peptide creams and retinol among the over-the-counter options, saying peptides prompt a repair that “plumps fine lines and wrinkles.” A cream with neither is a moisturizer, and so is a hydrating eye mask. Our own facial gua sha page says the stone “does not build collagen or change skin structure.” Gentle work around the eyes is for tired or puffy eyes, and our guide to massaging around your eyes safely shows how. If you have had a wrinkle injection, skip massage there for now: Cleveland Clinic’s aftercare includes “not rubbing or massaging your skin where you received an injection.”
Treatments a Dermatologist Offers
For lines that stay at rest, a dermatologist can go further than any cream. Cleveland Clinic lists these options and notes that “the type of treatment that works for one person may not work for another.”
- Wrinkle-relaxing injections (botulinum toxin) block the signals that make muscles contract and are used for crow’s feet. Results last up to six months; side effects can include pain or swelling where the needle went in, headache and drooping eyelids.
- Laser skin resurfacing suits wrinkles “under or around your eyes,” though people with dark skin have a higher risk of the skin darkening with certain treatments. Recovery: one to three weeks.
- Chemical peels remove the top layers of skin. Recovery: one to three weeks.
- Fillers are for wrinkles that remain at rest. Recovery: one to three days.
- Microneedling makes tiny wounds so that new collagen and elastin form; Cleveland Clinic calls it “effective at improving wrinkles or fine lines in your skin.”
Wrinkles themselves are harmless, but Cleveland Clinic says a dark circle or swelling under just one eye calls for a healthcare provider.
Where a Spa Fits, and What It Will Not Change
A spa cannot diagnose or offer injections, lasers or prescription creams. At Chạm Spa, the treatment our facial menu matches to fine lines is microneedling. Our eye treatment is for tired eyes, not lines.
The page to read is our microneedling treatment with GSC stem-cell serum for fine lines and firmness: 60 minutes, 1,200,000 ₫ per session, with numbing cream first. It is designed to prompt the skin’s own collagen production. Its page is plain: “A single session gives visible improvement; meaningful change to established lines or laxity generally takes a course of three to six sessions spaced four to six weeks apart.” It also involves recovery time, set out on that page.
It is not for everyone. Its page says it is not performed during pregnancy or breastfeeding, on active acne or inflamed breakouts in the area, on anyone taking isotretinoin now or recently, with a history of keloid scarring or wounds that are slow to close, or with an active skin infection, eczema, cold sores or recent sunburn in the area. Mention any of these when booking.
Our massage-and-mask treatment for tired eyes takes 60 minutes and costs 350,000 ₫. Its page states the limit outright: “It is not designed to change dark circles, eye bags or fine lines, and we do not promise that it will.” Book it to look rested, not to smooth a line.
Both are on our menu of facial treatments in District 1, which says: “If a concern needs a dermatologist rather than a spa, we will tell you.”
Under Eye Wrinkles, in Short
Under eye wrinkles come from thin skin, constant movement, sun and time. Protect the area daily with sunscreen and sunglasses, keep it moisturized, and add a retinoid carefully, with a dermatologist’s advice. Treat eye creams and massage as comfort; procedures are a dermatologist’s call.
We are at 82/20A Mạc Đĩnh Chi in Tân Định Ward, District 1. Open every day, 09:00–21:00. Book online through Fresha, or on Zalo or WhatsApp at 0986 837 471.
Frequently Asked Questions About Under Eye Wrinkles
Are Under Eye Wrinkles When Smiling Normal?
Yes. Cleveland Clinic says crow’s feet usually start as lines that form when you smile and your eyes naturally squint, from tiny muscles contracting at the outer corners. Over the years they may show at rest too. They have no ill effects on your body, so treating them is a cosmetic choice.
Can You Get Under Eye Wrinkles at 25?
Yes, fine lines can start around then. Cleveland Clinic says most people begin to see signs of skin aging after turning 25, first as fine lines that deepen as the skin loses elasticity. Crow’s feet often show later, in your 30s or 40s, depending on your skin care routine and genetics.
Do Eye Creams Get Rid of Fine Lines Under the Eyes?
Not on their own. Most eye creams moisturize, and moisturizer traps water in the skin, which can soften dry lines while you keep using it. Anything more depends on the ingredients: Cleveland Clinic names peptide creams and retinol among the over-the-counter options for crow’s feet. Stop any product that stings or burns, as the AAD advises.
Can You Use Retinol Under Your Eyes?
Ask a dermatologist first. Cleveland Clinic says retinoids help reduce lines and wrinkles, but advises checking with your healthcare provider that they are right for you. Irritation, including itching, peeling, redness, puffiness and scaly patches, is more likely the first time you use retinol or at high concentrations, and the skin below the eyes is thin. Avoid direct sunlight after applying it.
Why Do Crow’s Feet Appear Earlier in Men?
Partly habit, partly biology. Cleveland Clinic reports that crow’s feet tend to appear earlier and form deeper wrinkles in men. Researchers think men are less likely to wear sunglasses or use sunscreen, and men also have higher amounts of matrix metalloproteinases, enzymes that break down collagen in the skin.
Are Wrinkles Under the Eyes a Sign of a Health Problem?
No, not on their own. Cleveland Clinic says wrinkles are a natural part of aging and do not need treatment, and that crow’s feet have no ill effects on your body. A dark circle or swelling under only one eye is different: Cleveland Clinic advises calling a healthcare provider, since it may point to an underlying health condition.
Can a Spa Facial Smooth Lines Under the Eyes?
Not much, unless the facial is built to prompt new collagen. At Chạm Spa that is the microneedling collagen treatment, and its page says meaningful change to established lines generally takes a course of three to six sessions. Our eye treatment is for tired-looking eyes, and its page says it is not designed to change fine lines. Deep lines at rest are a question for a dermatologist.
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