Thoughts from Skin Medica....

What makes the skin around the eyes so fragile and vulnerable to the aging process?

You may have noticed that the first signs of aging are typically seen around the eye in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles and even puffiness.

Here are a few reasons:

* Skin thickness: Skin varies in thickness depending on the location of the body. The thinnest skin is on the eyelids (0.05 mm thick) and the thickest skin is on the palms and the soles of the feet (1.5 mm thick). As we age, skin loses its elasticity and becomes even thinner due to a natural decrease in collagen production.
* The amount of oil glands: Skin around the eyes and the eyelids contains fewer oil glands, which makes it dryer and more prone to losing moisture faster than any other surface on the body.
* Skin motion: The skin around the contour of the eye is constantly moving. Repetitive facial expressions, such as smiling, squinting and blinking, create fine lines and "crow's feet," or lines that appear on the outer corner of the eyes.
* Environmental factors: Pollution and excessive sun exposure can contribute to free radical damage and early signs of aging.
* The last reason is - gravity: We all know the natural - albeit unwelcome - effect gravity has on our bodies.

Considering all of these factors, what can be done to reverse any damage and improve the appearance of the skin around the eyes?

One way is to use skincare products specifically designed for the delicate skin around the eyes. Most importantly, products that have been tested for skin sensitivity and ocular irritancy.

When choosing an eye cream, use products that contain potent antioxidants, such as topical Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which protect the skin from free radical damage and enhance collagen production for firmer skin.

Other important ingredients to look for in a topical eye cream:

* Growth factors: These proteins are naturally present in healthy skin and are responsible for tissue repair. For example, SkinMedica eye creams - TNS Night Eye RepairTM and TNS Illuminating Eye Cream® - contain Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media, a combination of multiple growth factors including soluble collagen and antioxidants clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
* Sodium Hyaluronate: A derivative of hyaluronic acid that immediately smoothes the surface of dry skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines. Try SkinMedica's TNS Night Eye Repair, a luxurious anti-aging treatment that helps increase skin firmness and elasticity, improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and minimizes dark circles.
* Peptides: Known to stimulate cell growth and connective tissues, peptides help reduce the depth, length and volume of wrinkles and increases skin thickness. Both TNS Night Eye Repair and TNS Illuminating Eye Cream contain peptides.
* Botanical extracts: Extracts such as licorice root, algae and green tea leaf, found in SkinMedica's Uplifting Eye Cream, help reduce redness, suppress skin inflammation and irritation and can produce a brightening effect.
* Kojic acid: A fungal (mushroom) product and skin-lightening agent that treats dark circles under the eyes. Kojic acid, found in the Uplifting Eye Serum, inhibits the activity of enzymes responsible for the production of skin pigment cells.
* Chrysin: Helps to reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles by eliminating excess iron and other pigments that cause them. Both the TNS Illuminating Eye Cream and TNS Night Eye Repair contain chrysin.

In addition to using appropriate skincare products to take care of the fragile and delicate skin around the eyes, don't forget to ALWAYS use sunscreen and wear sunglasses whenever you go outdoors to prevent future damage.