Priorities
Crepey eyelids and lip lines
Thin, crinkled skin on the eyelids and fine lines above the lip.
Treatments from $699
The short version
Crepey eyelids and lip lines develop where facial skin is thinnest. On the eyelids, the skin becomes thin and finely crinkled, and eyeshadow creases into it. Above the top lip, fine vertical lines form and lipstick can bleed into them. These aren’t deep wrinkles, and most devices can’t treat these areas safely, so the options are more limited and each involves trade-offs we’ll review with you.
Why it happens
Why eyelids and lips show it first
Your eyelids have the thinnest skin on your body, so they show the loss of collagen and elastin before anywhere else. Above the lip, the skin folds every time you talk, sip or purse, and over the years those folds start to stay.
Thin skin shows change first
With so little depth to work with, eyelid skin creases into fine crinkles as its collagen and elastin thin out with age.
Sun adds up
Years of sun break down the collagen and elastic fibers that keep skin smooth. Sunscreen and sunglasses help protect what you have.
Movement leaves lines
Lines above the lip that show only when you purse come from the muscle around your mouth. Lines that stay when your face is relaxed also involve thinner skin.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, eyelids, Sun exposure and collagen, PubMed
Your options
How we'd approach it
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Step 1We'd start with
Forma
From $699
About FormaFor mild crinkling, Forma is a good place to start. It uses radiofrequency heat from the surface, with no needles and no downtime, and it can be used right up to the eye and lip. A series of four to six sessions with our medical esthetician gives a subtle, gradual change.
-
Step 2If you need a little more
Morpheus8 around the eyes, or Plasma Pen by request
From $799
About Morpheus8 around the eyes, or Plasma Pen by requestIf Forma isn't enough, Morpheus8 with the small Prime tip can treat around the eyes and the upper lip, with a few days of redness. The Plasma Pen, which tightens the eyelid surface dot by dot, isn't on our online booking menu here, but you're welcome to request it at your consult.
Side by side
Your options side by side
Each option suits a different amount of crinkling and a different tolerance for downtime. Here's how they compare.
We'd start with
Forma
From $699
- Best for
- Mild crinkling, with no downtime
- Appointment
- 30 to 45 minutes, no numbing
- Downtime
- None. Pink and warm for a few hours
- First results
- Subtle firming after the first few sessions
- Sessions
- A series, often 4 to 6, then maintenance
If you need a little more
Morpheus8
From $799
- Best for
- More than mild crepiness around the eyes or upper lip
- Appointment
- 60 to 90 minutes, numbing included
- Downtime
- 2 to 5 days of redness, and possible bruising around the eyes
- First results
- Some tightening in the first few weeks
- Sessions
- 1 to 3, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart
Plasma Pen
Priced at your consult
- Best for
- Lid laxity on lighter skin (types I to III), by request
- Appointment
- 30 to 60 minutes, plus 30 to 45 minutes of numbing
- Downtime
- About a week of crusting, then weeks of pink dots
- First results
- 1 to 2 weeks, as the swelling settles
- Sessions
- 1 to 3, about 4 to 8 weeks apart
Botox for lip lines
Starting at $10 a unit
- Best for
- Lines above the lip that show only when you purse
- Appointment
- About 10 minutes
- Downtime
- None. Small bumps for 30 minutes, possible bruise
- First results
- 3 to 7 days
- Sessions
- One, repeated when movement returns
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
Your first few months with Forma
Forma works gradually. Most people notice a little firmness around the third session, and the full change settles about three months after the last one.
Day 0
Pink and warm
Pink and warm, then back to normal by evening. Skin may feel slightly tighter.
Weeks 2 to 6
Sessions continue
Sessions weekly or every other week. Subtle firming often shows up around the third session.
Month 3
Full result
Full result from the series. We’ll take follow-up photos to compare.
Months 6 to 12
Holds, then maintain
Improvement still holding at six months. A good time for maintenance at a year if you’d like to stay where you are.
Timeline for Forma, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
How we decide
First, we’ll assess how much excess skin there is and your skin tone. A little crinkle on a lid above the lash line is a texture question. A fold of skin resting on your lashes is excess skin, and that calls for a blepharoplasty rather than a device. For the lip, lines that show only when you purse often do better with a few units of Botox than with any device.
For mild crinkling, we’ll usually suggest Forma. It’s FDA-cleared radiofrequency, and we use it for tightening. The evidence comes from small studies, and the change is subtle. It’s also a good choice for medium or dark skin, because radiofrequency doesn’t target pigment.
If it’s more than mild, we’ll look at Morpheus8 with the Prime tip at shallow depth and low energy. You can expect more pinpoint bruising there than elsewhere on the face.
The Plasma Pen is for lighter skin only, types I to III. Two small uncontrolled trials of three sessions a month apart found improved upper-lid laxity at three months, per the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Plasma devices are cleared for removing lesions, so using them for eyelid tightening is off-label. Individual results vary.
Your questions, answered
Can you tighten eyelids without surgery?
Yes, to a mild degree. Forma and Morpheus8 firm crepey lid skin, and the Plasma Pen tightens the surface with more downtime. None of them removes a fold of skin resting on the lashes. That calls for a surgeon, and we're happy to point you to one.
What about Botox for lip lines?
A few units above the lip can soften lines that show when you purse. It's off-label, it can make drinking through a straw awkward for a couple of weeks, and it doesn't help lines that are visible at rest. For those, we'd look at Forma or Morpheus8 instead.
Is the Plasma Pen on your menu?
It's not on the online booking menu at Arlington Heights, but you can request it at your consult. We'll quote the treatment area and confirm whether your skin type is suitable.
What causes crepey eyelids?
Mostly time and sun. Eyelid skin is the thinnest on your body, so as collagen and elastin thin out with age and sun exposure, it creases into fine crinkles sooner than skin elsewhere. Rubbing your eyes and dryness can make it more noticeable.
Can eye cream fix crepey eyelids?
A good moisturizer can make crinkling look softer for a while by plumping up the surface, but it won't rebuild collagen. For that, we'd look at Forma or Morpheus8.
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