Envision the New Year With a Brighter Look!
We’ve all heard that “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” As we age, the area around our eyes can tell a similar story. The constant presence of bags under the eyes or perpetually drooping, hanging skin on the upper lids can add years to your appearance, making you look weary and tired. For older patients, this can even begin to impair vision. For most of us, this is part of the aging process. Just because this occurrence is natural doesn’t mean that it is any less concerning ,annoying, and frustrating. When evaluating the eyes, there are three components that contribute to your appearance. The puffy bags under the eyes can give you a tired look, while the upper eye area has two components which affect the upper eye: the upper eyelid and the eyebrow.
Dr. James Shire of Shire Facial Plastic Surgery says that upper eyelid issues are among the most common problems that he sees among patients concerned about the aged look of their face. “Even when it is subtle, our eyes have an amazing impact on the way others see us and how we see ourselves in the mirror,” Dr. Shire says. “I’ve literally had patients tell me that their lives have been changed by improving their eyelids through a blepharoplasty.” However, in many cases, it is actually the brow that has dropped down over the eye. The ability to diagnose whether the issue of the upper eye is from the brow or the lid itself is crucial to creating a natural, youthful look.
In a blepharoplasty procedure, a surgeon removes the excess skin and fat deposits that have caused the upper lids to be hidden and sometimes hang over the eyelashes. In addition to correcting the upper lids, many patients see bags under the eyes with dark circles that are caused by deposits of fat in the lower eyelid. This can be addressed as well. Drooping eyebrows and hooding of the brows can be corrected to their natural position at the brow rim, opening up the eyes to give a more youthful, friendly, and alert appearance.
Blepharoplasty patients can expect a more refreshed, rejuvenated look following their procedure and many times even see their vision improve. Board-certified facial plastic surgeons like Dr. Shire have developed advanced procedures that have made this procedure incredibly effective. “For upper eyelid surgeries, I only need to make a small incision in the natural fold of the upper eyelid, which is well-hidden,” he explains. “For lower eyelid surgeries, I use an advanced technique in which the incision is made on the inside of the lid so there are no external incisions and no stitches.” Most patients are back to their normal routine within a few days, although complete recovery may take a few weeks.
While the fountain of youth is far from discovered, aging revealed through the appearance of the eyes can finally be easily corrected. Skilled facial plastic surgeons can use precise techniques to bring renewal to the upper face and eyes through advanced procedures like blepharoplasty for upper and lower eyelids. These techniques, performed by an experienced surgeon, can rejuvenate and turn back the clock to create a beautiful, more natural look that patients will love to see in the mirror!
