A year of wearing masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus has focused attention on the appearance of our eyes. Coupled with the transition to remote work and people spending hours a day on Zoom meetings, women and men are noticing how their eyes can show signs of aging or fatigue even when they feel energized. I’ve noticed more people coming in for eyelid surgery, a trend that’s occurring throughout the U.S.
Even though eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is typically associated with women and men in their 50s or older, it’s a procedure that younger patients are starting to request more often—especially lower eyelid surgery. In this blog post, I’ll explain the benefits of both upper and lower eyelid surgery and describe how nonsurgical alternatives reduce signs of aging under the eyes. We’ll also explore the benefits of combining eyelid surgery with other cosmetic procedures.
Why are younger patients getting eyelid surgery?
Inherited traits such as hooded upper eyelids or undereye bags can become fairly prominent early in life and make young women and men appear tired or older than they are. Both of these conditions can be corrected through eyelid surgery. Additionally, some people are born with asymmetrical eyelids where one appears droopy. Sometimes mistakenly called “lazy eye,” ptosis can be corrected with a procedure that’s similar to—but not the same as—upper blepharoplasty.
Finally, some patients of Asian heritage want blepharoplasty to create a crease in their upper eyelids—a procedure often called “double eyelid surgery.”
Looking younger without looking like you’ve had “work” done.
Both upper and eyelid surgery create noticeable changes but with techniques that don’t attract attention. People may comment on how you look rested or refreshed without knowing exactly why. Eyelid surgery incisions are made in a way that they’re virtually imperceptible.
What are nonsurgical alternatives to eyelid surgery?
Less invasive techniques may be sufficient to produce the desired results for some women and men. Filler injections, for example, can address both a hollowed-out appearance under the eyes and provide a lifted look to the upper eyelids. Fat transfer is another nonsurgical option for creating more youthful-looking eyes. Additionally, laser skin resurfacing treatments that target the upper cheeks and the area below the eyes minimize dark undereye circles.
Combining eyelid surgery with other procedures
Eyelid surgery is often combined with other surgical and nonsurgical procedures to provide comprehensive results when desired. For example, a brow lift combined with upper eyelid surgery can be appropriate for patients with hooding near the temples that blepharoplasty alone won’t improve. I may also recommend combining lower eyelid surgery with fat transfer.
Whatever your reasons for considering eyelid surgery, you can see the procedure’s transformative results in our gallery of upper blepharoplasty and lower blepharoplasty before-and-after photos. It’s important to choose a plastic surgeon who specializes in facial procedures to get optimal results. If you’re looking for an eyelid surgery specialist in Nashville, contact us using the online form to request a consultation or call us at (615) 942-8016 to schedule an appointment.
Leave a Reply