Eyes

Upper blepharoplasty (upper eyelid lift) – As we age, excess skin and fat can begin to droop in the upper eyelid, making the eyes appear smaller, tired, and sometimes even obstructing vision. An upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin and fat from the upper eyelids and can also help to hold up fat from the brow area. This gives the eyes a natural, more youthful, bright, and open appearance.

Recovery from an upper blepharoplasty usually takes about 1-2 weeks.

Lower blepharoplasty (lower eyelid lift) – Lower eyelid “bags” or puffiness can be caused by pseudoherniation or pooching of fat from inside the orbit outward. This can be corrected with surgery. The fat causing the bags can be removed and/or repositioned, suturing it lower over the cheek to fill in the hollow that appears below the fat. This can dramatically improve overall facial appearance, making patients appear rejuvenated and well-rested.

Recovery from lower eyelid surgery takes a little bit longer than upper eyelid surgery. Depending on the technique used, bruising and swelling usually last about 1-2 weeks.

With age, the position of the eyebrow can drop, leading to hooding of the skin above the upper eyelid. Peripheral vision can be impaired by this excess tissue. There are many methods used to correct a droopy brow. Botulinum toxin (Botox®, Dysport®, or Xeomin®) injected in the muscles that depress the eyebrows can help to naturally and subtly raise the brows. This is temporary and generally lasts around 3 to 4 months. A minimally invasive surgical technique, the endoscopic brow lift, uses between 2 and 5 small incisions just behind the hairline to lift and suspend the eyebrows permanently. In older patients and in men, a direct brow lift, removing skin just above the eyebrows, can lift the brows and the carefully placed scar can be hidden at the top of the eyebrow.

Recovery after brow lift usually takes about 1-2 weeks. After this time, most patients return to work. Swelling and bruising can last anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks depending on individual anatomy and physiology.

The lower eyelids can develop hollow areas which accentuate the appearance of lower eyelid bags and dark circles and make the eyes appear tired. Dr. Irvine uses hyaluronic acid fillers to fill in these hollows and improve the appearance of the under-eye hollows without surgery. Select patients are good candidates for this procedure. These can be performed in the office with topical and/or local anesthesia only, and there is no down time. Patients can return to work the same day, with the only caveat that no make up can be worn over the injection sites until the following day.