Not long ago, patients who sought to restore a youthful, optimistic look to the skin around the eyes invariably considered surgery. Blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift, was the go-to solution for deep under-eye bags and dark circles.
For many, blepharoplasty is still the gold standard, but an array of innovative products and techniques today gives patients many new quick and convenient options. Below, experienced Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Charles S. Lee, MD reviews the full spectrum of available choices, from noninvasive to surgical.
Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty targets loose skin and accumulated fat in the upper and lower eyelids. It improves sagging, thinning and discolored skin under the eyes with a permanent, surgical solution that tightens the skin surrounding the eyes and raises drooping eyelids. Weary expressions are brightened into a fresh, optimistic look.
Dermal Fillers
Injectables rejuvenate the face by building volume to fill lines and hollows, while stimulating the production of the revitalizing natural proteins collagen and elastin.
Using dermal fillers to provide a cushion that compensates for thinner skin and loss of fat is sometimes referred to as “tear trough treatment.” This area, between the lower eye and the cheek, often begins to darken and lose volume sometime in the mid- to late 30s.
Although temporary solutions, dermal fillers are fast and convenient, requiring just a few office visits, or sometimes a single injection session. Juvéderm Volbella, Juvéderm Vollure, Belotero, Bellafill, Perlane and Restylane are among the most effective ways to improve skin around the eyes.
RF, Neurotoxins and Plasma
For some patients, neurotoxins such as Botox, Xeomin or Dysport remain popular choices for softening wrinkles around the eyes by relaxing muscles.
One relatively new technique offered by Dr. Lee is platelet rich plasma (PRP). Plasma that contains stem cells and growth factors is extracted from your own blood, then injected into the target area. The PRP regenerates subdermal cells, builds volume and triggers the production of collagen and elastin.
Another very recent treatment uses radiofrequency (RF) energy generated by handheld devices to disrupt cells under the skin, thereby liquefying fat and adding new layers of these same natural proteins.
Lasers and Surgery
In the case of more noticeable dark circles, blood vessels and pigment can be directly targeted with laser treatment. Laser is also very effective in treating wrinkled skin under the eyes.
A more invasive solution is fat transfer. The procedure is also long-lasting. That is because the fat cells that will add volume to facial areas are extracted, using liposuction, from areas of the body where you have an excess. These fat cells accommodate themselves quickly to their new location.
To learn more about ways to improve the appearance of under-eye bags and dark circles, schedule a personal consultation with Charles S. Lee, MD, or contact the Beverly Hills office of Enhance® Medical Center today.
