You notice them most in a proper smile: the little fan of lines at the corners of your eyes. Perhaps they've become deeper, spread further or started to linger once your face relaxes. You'd like that area to look smoother.
Crow's feet treatment reduces the muscle movement that creases the skin beside the eyes. Dr Alex will ask how much smoothing you want and look at your smile as a whole, including the way your cheeks rise. The aim is a result that looks good on your face, in movement as well as in a photograph.
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Dr Alex teaches botulinum toxin treatments to medical professionals and has contributed published clinical cases on its use around the eyes.
When the smile brings out the lines
What do you notice around your eyes?
Laugh lines, smile lines, crow's feet - the name matters less than the change you'd like to see.
A fan of wrinkles when you smile
Makeup gathers in the creases
Some lines stay between smiles
Before you book
Crow's feet treatment at a glance
The effect develops gradually, while the injections themselves usually involve little interruption to your day.
A smoother eye area
Softer crow's feet in a full smile
The treatment targets wrinkles that form as the skin folds at the outer corners of your eyes.
The fan of lines can look finer and less deeply creased. For some people, that is enough to make the whole eye area look fresher, even though the treatment is focused on a small region.
You can discuss how much smoothing appeals to you. A gentle change and a stronger reduction in movement are different preferences, and Dr Alex will explain what each could mean for your smile.
The skin beside the eyes is thin, and not every line comes from muscle movement alone. Wrinkles that remain at rest may soften, but skin texture, sun damage or laxity can need a different treatment. Crow's feet Botox also doesn't fill under-eye hollows or remove eye bags.
The result is temporary. Movement returns gradually, and further treatment can be considered if you liked the change.
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Finding the right eye treatment
Where are the wrinkles you want to change?
Point to the area that bothers you. Lines beside the eyes and changes beneath them can look similar in a mirror but need different treatment.
When the concern is under the eye
Crow's feet treatment isn't an all-purpose eye treatment
Hollows, puffiness, loose eyelid skin and crepey under-eye texture have different causes. If one of these is your main concern, Dr Alex will assess it separately and explain the relevant options. More toxin at the outer corner is not automatically the answer.
The movement behind the wrinkles
Why smiling creates a fan of lines
The muscle surrounding the eye contracts as you smile and squint, gathering the skin into folds at the outer corner.
Botulinum toxin reduces activity in the part of that muscle being treated. The skin then folds less strongly, so the wrinkles look softer.
This muscle also helps the eyelids function, which is why treatment needs to be planned around your eye health and natural movement. Dr Alex will ask about dryness, previous eye procedures and any problems closing your eyes.
Treatment is directed at the outer-eye lines. It doesn't add volume beneath the eye or resurface the skin in the way a laser treatment does.
From consultation to result
Show us your usual smile
Dr Alex assesses a relaxed face and an animated one. The smile you use in everyday life is more useful than trying to pose perfectly.
Look at the lines in movement
Agree the amount of smoothing
Small injections beside the eyes
Allow time for the change
Experience around the eyes
Why Dr Alex for crow's feet?
Dr Alex trains medical professionals in botulinum toxin and is an international key opinion leader for Evolus. His toxin-related education includes presentations at BCAM and Aesthetic Medicine North.
He has also contributed clinical cases to an Aesthetics Journal article on eyelid ptosis and botulinum toxin.
For your treatment, he looks beyond the wrinkle itself: how your eye closes, how the cheek rises and what happens when you smile fully. He will also distinguish an outer-eye movement line from a skin or eyelid concern that toxin is unlikely to solve. That assessment helps you choose a treatment for the change you actually want.
GMC-registered doctor · 7072776
Full Member of BCAM
International toxin trainer
Aesthetics Awards winner 2021
Looking after the eye area
What side effects can happen?
Brief redness, small bumps, tenderness and bruising are possible after the injections. The skin around the eyes can show marks quite easily.
Possible side effects
Treatment can cause an uneven effect or an unwanted change in the way the smile or eyelid moves. Dryness, watering, swelling or difficulty closing the eye can occur; changes in vision also need prompt attention.
These risks make existing eye symptoms relevant, even if they seem unrelated to the wrinkles. Tell Dr Alex about dry eyes, contact-lens discomfort, previous eyelid surgery or any weakness around the eye.
Allergic reactions and effects on muscles beyond the intended area are also possible. Dr Alex will discuss the risks that matter for your treatment before you decide.
When to contact the clinic
Contact the clinic promptly for new eye pain, persistent irritation, trouble closing an eye, a drooping lid or altered vision. Sudden loss of vision needs emergency assessment. Seek urgent medical care for difficulty swallowing or speaking or widespread weakness; call 999 for breathing difficulty or a severe allergic reaction.
When another plan may be needed
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, an active infection at the injection site or certain nerve and muscle conditions may rule out treatment. Previous reactions, medicines, recent toxin elsewhere and eye-health problems must be discussed before going ahead.
Ask about anything you are unsure of before deciding on treatment.
Treatment pricing
What does crow's feet treatment cost?
Both sides of the crow's feet count as one area and cost £200. Two areas cost £280, three £350 and four £430. Dr Alex will confirm your plan before treatment.
Your questions
Questions about Botox around the eyes
These answers focus on the wrinkles at the outer corners, where the treatment works differently from procedures for under-eye hollows or loose eyelid skin.
Are crow's feet the same as smile lines?
Will my smile look different?
Can it treat lines underneath my eyes?
What if I already have dry eyes?
Can I choose to keep some smile lines?
Will it remove crow's feet that are visible at rest?
How soon before an event should I have it?
How long does crow's feet Botox last?
Would laser be better for wrinkles around my eyes?
Can I have this with forehead or frown-line treatment?
Other eye and expression treatments
The right option depends on the cause
Polynucleotides and selected laser treatments address skin-quality concerns around the eyes. Forehead and frown-line Botox treat different expression lines. Dr Alex can explain which, if any, belongs in your plan.
Bring your smile
Find out how much those wrinkles could soften
At SONÜ in Hale, Altrincham, Dr Alex will look at the lines you notice when you smile and explain the change treatment could make. Bring questions about expression, eye comfort or previous results - there's time to discuss them before deciding.
SONÜ Medical Aesthetics
34 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EX
Doctor-led treatment in a relaxed, private clinic
Close to Hale station and easy to reach from Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire