Today's topic comes from a viewer from the LetzMakeup YouTube channel. This viewer asked, "how do you apply skincare products meant for the eye area?" In this episode of DermTV, Dr. Schultz explains how to apply products to the eye area.
How to Apply Skincare Eye ProductsHello. Im Doctor Neil Schultz and welcome to DermTVTodays topic comes from one of Siobhans viewers from the Letz Make Up YouTube channel, thats L-E-T-Z M-A-K-E U-P and the questions a real important question because it concerns, is there a special technique to use when applying skincare products to that special area around your eye, especially the area below the eye and next to the eye. Because most people understand that that skin is special skin compared to the skin on the rest of your face, its thinner, its much more sensitive and youve heard me say many times before with skincare products in general that less is more and nowhere else does that apply as it does here.So, this is how to put on your eye area skincare products. First of all take a very small amount, you see how much I have here, and dab it very gently first starting in the crows feet area next to the eye, then the lower lid and then right down to the bone below the eye which is called the orbital bone and very gently massage it in for just a few seconds until it absorbs or sets and if you can still see the product after youve finished massaging it in then youve put too much on and thats all there is to it. Then people say, “what about the upper lids? Can we put skincare products on the upper lids?” and generally speaking I dont recommend it because regardless of what you put up there, in the course of the day when you sweat, or just from normal activities, some of it can leech down off the skin of the upper lid, get into the eye and irritate inside the eye. Having said that, some people feel that they have dry skin of the upper lid so moisturizers which are very mild and gentle usually are okay but I wouldnt use antioxidants or exfoliants and not even sunscreen on the upper lid. Now you just heard me say not to apply sunscreen, youve never heard me say that before.First of all if its sunny out, wear sunglasses. Second of all, most of the skin of your upper lid when your eyes are open, and I hope theyre open when your outside, when your eyes are open its retracted underneath another piece of skin and the little part that is showing, its actually shadowed and protected by the bone up here which is also called the orbital bone. So, the bottom line is you really dont need sunscreen on the upper lid. Most skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, Ive been treating patients for over 25 years and Ive seen skin cancers of the lower lid but never in 25 years have I even seen a skin cancer of the upper lid. So the bottom line when applying eye area skincare products is, less is more and apply it very, very gently.Please join me again at DermTv.comIf you have a question, please send to me by visiting dermtv.com/question. Im Doctor Neil Schultz and thank you for watching today.