Enter an office or grocery store filled with customers wearing masks and it’s natural to focus on their eyes. Wearing a mask is the “new normal” in the Covid-19 era, and friends, strangers, and family are noticing the appearance of your eyes more than ever. People who feel self-conscious about their eyes may want to consider nonsurgical or surgical procedures, such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), at our San Francisco practice.
Whether due to aging or genetics, fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging eyelids can make us appear older or more tired than we actually are. Covering much of the lower face and nose with a mask only highlights those features. People’s gazes are no longer drawn to an attractive smile or angular jawline. When it comes to attracting the undivided attention of fellow mask-wearers, the eyes have it.
Improving the Appearance of the Eyes
The area around the eyes includes the delicate skin of the upper eyelids and expression lines, such as crow’s feet and vertical “worry” lines between the eyes. Depending on a patient’s specific concerns and aesthetic goals, either nonsurgical or surgical approaches can be appropriate solutions.
Nonsurgical Treatments
BOTOX® Cosmetic: Anti-wrinkle treatments such as BOTOX and XEOMIN® minimize the appearance of lines around the eyes and on the forehead. When performed by an experienced injector, BOTOX smooths lines and wrinkles without creating an unnatural, “frozen” appearance.
Dermal fillers: People bothered by dark, sunken troughs under their eyes that make them look over-tired, even when they’re well-rested, can benefit from injectable fillers such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® products. Unlike BOTOX, which relaxes muscles that cause wrinkles, fillers add volume to the treatment area. You’ll notice the results immediately.
Fat transfer: A patient’s own fat is often used as a filler alternative for treating lower eyelids, tear troughs, and temples that appear hollow. The fat transfer technique involves taking fat from an area of the body where it’s unwanted, such as the abdomen. We then spin the fat in a centrifuge to micronize the fat into small particles to improve the graft take, and add a patient’s own blood PRP (platelet rich plasma) to aid fat survival.
Surgical Procedures
Upper and lower eyelid surgery: By removing sagging skin and excess fat from the upper and lower eyelids, blepharoplasty gives men and women a more energetic, alert appearance. Incisions for each procedure are well-concealed. For upper blepharoplasty, the incisions are made in the eyelids’ natural folds. Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty incisions are made on the inside of the eyelid. You can see the results of eyelid surgery in our gallery of before-and-after photos that feature actual patients.
Brow lift: Different surgical techniques include a minimally invasive endoscopic brow lift and a temporal brow lift. Younger patients can benefit from an endoscopic brow lift that involves very small incisions hidden in the patients’ hairlines. A temporal brow lift can minimize crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes and lift some of the overhang of the upper eyelids. Even though a temporal brow lift affects the eyelids, there is no risk to the eyes themselves.
Can a Minimally Invasive Facelift Improve the Eyes’ Appearance?
Even though facelift surgery typically corrects the lower face, jowls, and neck, Dr. Chow’s minimally invasive facelift can target specific areas and involves shorter incisions and less recovery time. Ideal candidates for this technique include younger or middle-aged women and men with hollowness beneath the eyes or heaviness and sagging beneath the cheeks, which can appear more pronounced when wearing masks. The incisions are concealed in the hairline and the procedure can usually be performed with a local anesthetic plus sedation. The subtle, but significant, results create a rested, refreshed appearance without visible scars.
If wearing a mask has made you more aware of wrinkles and sagging around the eyes, and you want to learn about your options, contact us using the online form to request a consultation. Or you can call our San Francisco plastic surgery office at (415) 441-1888 to schedule an appointment.
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