East Asian woman in her forties with natural, gently lined skin around her eyes in soft daylight, representing eye wrinkle treatment at IN Eternity Clinic, Singapore

Eye Wrinkles · Under-Eye Lines · Crepey Skin · Guide · Orchard Road

Eye Wrinkles and Under-Eye Lines: Causes and Treatment Options

Name: Eye Wrinkles and Under-Eye Lines Explained | IN Eternity
Creator: Dr Sin Yong
Published: 2026-10-21

Find the kind of line first. The treatment follows.

Why the skin around the eyes lines first, how to tell crepey skin from muscle lines and hollows, and which treatments help each, from Medical Director Dr Sin Yong at IN Eternity Clinic.

WhatsApp to Enquire →Key facts ↓

5 types

Of eye line

Skin first

For under-eye lines

Filler

For hollows only

Doctor-led

Assessment first

In short

Eye wrinkles are not one problem. Crow’s feet come mainly from muscle, while under-eye lines are usually thin, crepey skin, lines from a hollow, or dryness. Crepey skin responds to eye-area skin boosters, non-ablative laser or radiofrequency; a true hollow may suit a small amount of filler; filler under crepey skin can look puffy. Daily sun protection slows further lines. The type is identified first.

Reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, Medical Director, IN Eternity Clinic · Updated 21 October 2026

Key facts

Main types: crow’s feet, crepey under-eye skin, dynamic under-eye lines, lines from hollowing and dehydration lines.
Why the eyes line first: very thin skin, constant movement, sun from above and below, and lost support with age.
For crepey skin: eye-area skin boosters (Rejuran Eye, Plinest Eye), non-ablative laser, Thermage FLX eyes.
For hollows: a small amount of soft filler placed deep, only where the skin is good enough.
Crow’s feet: covered in full on the crow’s feet treatment page.
Consultation: S$120, waived with any medical treatment. IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza.

Five kinds of line

Which eye wrinkles do you have?

“Eye wrinkles” covers several different lines, and each has its own cause. Telling them apart is the most useful step, because the treatment that softens one can worsen another. Look in a mirror in good daylight, first with your face relaxed and then while smiling.

Most people have two or three types at once. The plan follows the main one first.
Type	Where and when you see it	Main cause	What usually answers it
Crow’s feet	Fan of lines at the outer corner, mainly when smiling	The ring muscle around the eye folding the skin	Crow’s feet treatment: anti-wrinkle injections, then skin quality
Crepey under-eye skin	Fine, criss-cross crinkling of the lower lid, present at rest	Thin skin with less collagen and elastin, mostly from age and sun	Skin boosters for the eye area, non-ablative laser, radiofrequency
Dynamic under-eye lines	Lines or a small roll under the lashes that appear when smiling	The lower part of the same ring muscle bunching the skin	Skin quality first; injections here only with great care
Lines from hollowing	A crease or shadow along the tear trough that deepens with tiredness	Lost support of fat and bone beneath thin skin	Under-eye filler for the hollow, if it suits
Dehydration lines	Fine lines that come and go, worse in air-conditioning or after poor sleep	A dry, irritated skin surface	Barrier care; skin boosters if persistent

Upper-lid crepe and hooding are a related but separate problem, covered in hooded eyes: causes and non-surgical options.

Why the eyes first

Why does the skin under the eyes wrinkle first?

The eyelid skin is among the thinnest on the body, with few oil glands and little fat beneath it. It is folded thousands of times a day by blinking and expression, and it receives sun from above and reflected from below. Ultraviolet light switches on enzymes that break down collagen and slows the making of new collagen, so the dermis thins further with every year of exposure. The first fine lines of the face therefore usually appear at the outer corners and under the eyes.

Other things add to this. Rubbing itchy or allergic eyes stretches and inflames the skin. Long screen hours and air-conditioned offices dry the surface. Losing support in the cheek and around the eye socket with age lets the lower lid skin drape and crease. In Singapore, high year-round UV and the shift between humid streets and cold, dry offices are part of the picture; so is eczema around the eyes, which is common and worth treating in its own right.

Under-eye lines

Under-eye lines: crepey skin, dynamic lines or hollows?

Three simple checks separate the main causes of under-eye lines. A doctor will do the same, with better light and magnification.

The rest test. Lines that are present with your face completely relaxed are etched into the skin. Lines that appear only when you smile come mainly from muscle.
The gentle lift. Place a fingertip on the upper cheek and lift very slightly. If the lines and the shadow soften, part of the cause is lost support below; if fine crinkling remains, the skin itself is thin.
The pinch. Gently pinch the lower-lid skin and let go. Skin that is slow to settle back, or looks like crumpled tissue paper, points to crepe rather than to a hollow.

These checks matter because the commonest mistake is to treat crepey skin with filler. Filler placed under thin, crepey skin can make the area look puffy or bluish, and it does nothing for the skin’s own texture. The opposite mistake is to treat a deep tear-trough hollow only with skin treatments, which leaves the shadow in place. The full picture of hollows, bags and dark circles is on under eye hollows and dark circles.

Options

Treatment for under-eye lines and eye wrinkles at IN Eternity Clinic

Most plans for under-eye lines work on the skin first, and add support or muscle treatment only where they answer a specific cause.

Options described in general terms. Which suit you, and in what order, is decided at assessment.
Option	What it does	Suits	Read more
Polynucleotide boosters for the eye area	Support repair, hydration and thickness of thin skin; add little volume	Crepey, thin under-eye skin and fine lines	Rejuran Eye, Plinest Eye
Hyaluronic acid skin boosters	Improve hydration and fine texture	Dehydration lines, dull crepey skin	Skin boosters
Non-ablative fractional laser	Heats the dermis in fine columns to prompt new collagen, surface intact	Fine lines and crepe, with short recovery	FSX Laser
Thermage FLX with the eye tip	Monopolar radiofrequency that tightens and remodels eyelid skin	Crepey lids, mild upper-lid hooding	Thermage for eyes
Anti-wrinkle injections	Soften the muscle that folds the skin	Crow’s feet; very selectively for under-eye lines	Micro-dose anti-wrinkle
Under-eye filler	Restores support along the tear trough	A true hollow with reasonable skin, not crepe or bags	Under-eye filler

Polynucleotide boosters are usually given as a short course a few weeks apart; the number varies and is set at assessment. Laser and radiofrequency build collagen over two to six months, so they are judged late. Where crow’s feet are the main concern rather than under-eye lines, the plan is set out on crow’s feet treatment in Singapore.

Cautions

Can fillers or anti-wrinkle injections make under-eye lines worse?

They can, which is why both are used sparingly here. Under-eye filler placed too superficially, or in too large an amount, can show as a bluish tinge or a soft ridge, hold water and look puffy, especially in the morning. Under thin, crepey skin it can make the texture look worse rather than better. When it is used, a small amount of soft hyaluronic acid is placed deep along the bone, usually with a fine blunt cannula, and it can be dissolved if needed.

Anti-wrinkle injections close to the lower lid can weaken the muscle that supports it. That can make a fat-pad bag look more prominent, show more white below the iris or slow the drainage of fluid. For most people, under-eye lines are better treated through the skin, and injections are kept to the outer corner where crow’s feet form.

At assessment

What Dr Sin Yong looks for

Lines at rest versus in motion. Which lines remain with the face relaxed, and which appear only with expression.
Skin thickness and recoil. How thin the lower-lid skin is, and how quickly it settles after a gentle pinch.
Support below. The tear trough, the cheek and the rim of the eye socket, because lost support creases the skin above it.
Eye bags and puffiness. Fat-pad bags and fluid swelling change what can safely be injected.
Pigment and vessels. Brown pigment or visible vessels that make lines look deeper than they are.
The surface. Eczema, allergy or rubbing that keeps the skin inflamed.
History. Previous filler, threads or energy treatments around the eyes, and how the area reacted.

General clinical observations used at consultation; they describe what is checked, not any individual result.

Daily care

What helps eye wrinkles at home?

Sun protection every day. A sunscreen safe for the eye area, applied up to the lower lid, plus sunglasses that wrap around. Ultraviolet light is the main avoidable cause of collagen loss.
A gentle retinoid. Topical retinol has been shown to improve fine wrinkling in naturally aged skin. Around the eyes, start with a low strength a few nights a week and stop if the skin stings or peels.
A plain, fragrance-free moisturiser for the eye area, especially in air-conditioned rooms.
Stop rubbing. Treat itchy, allergic or eczematous eyelids rather than rubbing them.
Sleep and screen breaks. They do not erase lines, but they reduce the puffiness and squinting that exaggerate them.

Eye creams cannot fill hollows or remove bags. They can protect and hydrate thin skin, and a retinoid can improve fine lines slowly over months.

When this is not cosmetic

When eye-area changes are not cosmetic

Most eye wrinkles are part of normal ageing. These changes need a medical opinion first.

A drooping upper eyelid with double vision, headache or a change in pupil size: this is assessed urgently, not cosmetically.
Sudden swelling of both eyelids, especially with swelling of the lips or tongue, wheeze or difficulty breathing: call 995.
Puffy eyelids every morning with swollen ankles or frothy urine: a medical check for kidney or thyroid causes comes first.
Yellowish flat patches on the eyelids: these may be xanthelasma, and a cholesterol check is advised.
A lump on the eyelid that bleeds, crusts or does not heal, or that causes lashes to fall out: this is examined to exclude skin cancer.
Eye pain, redness or reduced vision: see an eye doctor.

Where any of these apply, the first step is a diagnosis. A cosmetic plan, if still wanted, follows once that is settled.

Cost

How much does treatment for under-eye lines cost in Singapore?

The cost depends on the cause and the method: a course of eye-area skin boosters, a laser or radiofrequency treatment, injections for crow’s feet, or a combination over a few months. A plan that treats only the main cause is often simpler, and less costly, than treating every line at once.

At IN Eternity Clinic the plan and its cost are written down after the assessment, before anything is agreed. The consultation fee is S$120, waived with any medical treatment.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What causes wrinkles under the eyes?

Thin skin that loses collagen with age and sun, constant folding by blinking and smiling, lost support beneath the skin, and dryness or rubbing. Most people have more than one cause, which is why the type of line is identified before treatment.

Can under-eye wrinkles be reversed?

They can be softened. Skin boosters, non-ablative laser and radiofrequency can improve crepe and fine lines gradually, and anti-wrinkle injections soften lines from movement. The skin keeps ageing, so results vary between people and are usually maintained.

Is filler good for under-eye wrinkles?

Usually not for the wrinkles themselves. Filler restores a hollow; under thin, crepey skin it can look puffy or bluish. Crepey under-eye skin is usually treated with skin boosters, laser or radiofrequency instead.

What is the difference between crow’s feet and under-eye lines?

Crow’s feet fan out from the outer corner and come mainly from the eye muscle when you smile. Under-eye lines sit on the lower lid and are more often crepey skin or lines from hollowing. The treatments differ.

Do eye creams work for eye wrinkles?

They protect and hydrate, and a retinoid used carefully can improve fine lines slowly. Creams cannot fill hollows, remove bags or rebuild very thin skin.

Is Rejuran Eye or Plinest good for crepey under-eye skin?

Polynucleotide boosters made for the eye area are commonly used for thin, crepey under-eye skin. They add little volume, so they do not fill a hollow. Whether they suit you is decided at assessment.

At what age do eye wrinkles start?

Fine lines at the outer corners often appear in the late twenties or thirties, earlier with a lot of sun exposure, and under-eye crepe becomes more noticeable from the forties. Genetics, sun and skin type make a large difference.

What is the downtime for under-eye line treatment?

Usually small: tiny bumps or bruises for a few days after eye-area boosters, a day or two of puffiness after radiofrequency, and mild redness after non-ablative laser. Timing around events is planned at assessment.

References

Fisher GJ, Kang S, Varani J, et al. Mechanisms of photoaging and chronological skin aging. Arch Dermatol 2002;138(11):1462-1470. doi:10.1001/archderm.138.11.1462
Goldberg RA. The three periorbital hollows: a paradigm for periorbital rejuvenation. Plast Reconstr Surg 2005;116(6):1796-1804. doi:10.1097/01.prs.0000185623.36795.38
Hirmand H. Anatomy and nonsurgical correction of the tear trough deformity. Plast Reconstr Surg 2010;125(2):699-708. doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181c82f90
Sharad J. Dermal fillers for the treatment of tear trough deformity: a review of anatomy, treatment techniques, and their outcomes. J Cutan Aesthet Surg 2012;5(4):229-238. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.104910
Fitzpatrick R, Geronemus R, Goldberg D, Kaminer M, Kilmer S, Ruiz-Esparza J. Multicenter study of noninvasive radiofrequency for periorbital tissue tightening. Lasers Surg Med 2003;33(4):232-242. doi:10.1002/lsm.10225
Biesman BS, Baker SS, Carruthers J, Silva HL, Holloman EL. Monopolar radiofrequency treatment of human eyelids: a prospective, multicenter, efficacy trial. Lasers Surg Med 2006;38(10):890-898. doi:10.1002/lsm.20452
Cavallini M, Bartoletti E, Maioli L, et al. Consensus report on the use of PN-HPT (polynucleotides highly purified technology) in aesthetic medicine. J Cosmet Dermatol 2021;20(3):922-928 (online 2020). doi:10.1111/jocd.13679
Lee KWA, Chan KWL, Lee A, et al. Polynucleotides in aesthetic medicine: a review of current practices and perceived effectiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2024;25(15):8224. doi:10.3390/ijms25158224
Kafi R, Kwak HSR, Schumacher WE, et al. Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). Arch Dermatol 2007;143(5):606-612. doi:10.1001/archderm.143.5.606
Li X, Qin S, Shi S, et al. Prospective study of efficacy and safety of non-ablative 1927 nm fractional thulium fiber laser in Asian skin photoaging. Front Surg 2023;10:1076848. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2023.1076848
Carruthers A, Carruthers J, Hardas B, et al. A validated grading scale for crow's feet. Dermatol Surg 2008;34 Suppl 2:S173-S178. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34367.x
Singapore Medical Council. Guidelines on Aesthetic Practices for Doctors (2016 edition). healthprofessionals.gov.sg/smc

These sources describe mechanisms and general evidence. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.