It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. What would droopy, tired eyes imply? It is no wonder that rejuvenation of the periorbital region is one of the commonest aesthetic requests. A youthful and aesthetically pleasing upper eyelid region consists of well-positioned eyebrows, appropriate eyebrow-to-upper eyelid crease distances, crisp upper eyelid creases, appropriate degree of eye opening, and taut skin without wrinkles or pigmentary blemishes. Eyelid lifts are common requests among men for aesthetic and functional reasons, restoring the eye region to one that appears energetic, attentive, and expressive.
Droopy eyelids manifest as tired-looking, small eyes. The double eyelid crease often disappears behind the loose eyelid skin and there is lengthening of the eyebrow-to-eyelash distance. There may be extra loose skin folds drooping over the pupil and this may cause varying degrees of visual obstruction. Individuals with droopy eyelids may develop horizontal forehead wrinkles from a subconscious effort to strain their forehead muscles to elevate their eyebrows to relieve the eye obstruction.
Droopy eyelids may be caused by:
The upper eyelid skin is 0.5 mm thick and is the thinnest skin in the entire human being. It contains the least amount of elastin and collagen fibers, and is most susceptible to age-related thinning and laxity. It manifests as loose and redundant upper eyelid skin that may cause visual obstruction (dermatochalasis).
In cases of eyelid ptosis, the upper eyelid elevator muscle becomes stretched and elongated with age and no longer effectively opens the upper eyelid. The muscle fibers may also become detached from the overlying upper eyelid skin, leading to loss of the double eyelid crease, or formation of new creases above the original one.
It is critical to differentiate between droopy eyebrows and droopy upper eyelids and individuals often have varying degrees of both. It is essential to treat the eyebrow before elevating the upper eyelid skin to avoid unnatural and suboptimal results. Attaining exquisite and elegant results is frequently possible and requires a combination of accurate assessment, precise technical execution and an experienced practitioner.
The appropriate management of droopy eyelids is tailored to the cause(s). Aging changes often affect the entire face, and it is common to have multiple causes of droopiness existing in the same individual. Successful upper eyelid rejuvenation surgery brings about significant functional and aesthetic improvement, and improves self-confidence and social functioning.
Brow lifts are the most comprehensive method of addressing all the components of aging of the forehead and produces natural-looking and sustained rejuvenation. Brow lifts are ambulatory procedures performed under intravenous sedation or a short general anesthesia.
The following are good candidates for surgical brow lifts:
Brow lift surgery will deliver sustained reduction of horizontal forehead wrinkles and forehead height, elevate eyebrows to their natural position, restore an aesthetic brow shape and relieve visual obstruction. The scars are well concealed within the hairline. Intimate knowledge of the anatomical differences and aging mechanisms between both genders permits administration of gender-specific treatment. This delivers attractive and bespoke outcomes.
Individuals are advised to stop herbal supplements and traditional medicine, and start special medications 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bruising and swelling.
An incision is usually made behind the hairline, and the forehead skin and muscle is lifted off from the underlying forehead bone. The eyebrows are fixed in the correct position, and the excess skin and muscle removed. Skin closure is also performed in a meticulous manner to optimize wound healing and camouflage its final appearance. Brow lift surgery restores the brow to the appropriate position and recreates an aesthetically appropriate shape. It is a fine art and requires appropriate technique selection, precise execution and an experienced practitioner.
Dr Yeo is experienced with surgical brow lifts and incorporates proprietary techniques to deliver exquisite and sustained results while minimizing the postoperative recovery time. The initial skin incision is performed using a special angled technique for preservation of the hair follicles, so that hair will eventually grow through and camouflage the scar. A special wound closure technique is used to optimize the final postoperative scar appearance. Our clinic has an en suite operating facility, which assures your maximal privacy and convenience and keeps facility and equipment costs contained. Our operating room carries a full range of equipment tailored for brow lifts.
Mild bruising and swelling is expected, and will mostly resolve by the 10th postoperative day. The swelling is often more visible in the upper eyelid region than in the forehead, because the eyelid skin is thinner. Stitches are removed on the 10th postoperative day and most individuals are able to return to work by then.
Postoperative swelling is reduced by remaining upright during the daytime and by elevating the head of the bed with extra pillows when asleep at night. Gentle hair washing is possible from the second postoperative day onwards. Strenuous activity should be avoided for the first two weeks to minimize bruising.
Incisional upper blepharoplasty is a minor surgical procedure that delivers effective, comprehensive and sustained rejuvenation, and restoration of upper eyelid function. It is one of the most popular procedures in aesthetic surgery. The scar is well-concealed within the double eyelid crease. Successful outcomes improve self-confidence and social functioning. Upper blepharoplasty is an ambulatory procedure performed under local anesthesia, with optional intravenous sedation if requested.
Individuals with normally-positioned eyebrows and with loose, excess upper eyelid skin are the best candidates for upper blepharoplasty surgery.
Upper blepharoplasty removes excess upper eyelid skin, excises protruding fat in the inner (medial) portion of the eye socket, and enlarged or droopy tear (lacrimal) gland in the outer (lateral) portion of the socket. Individuals with coexisting eyelid ptosis may also have this corrected during the same surgery. This recreates the youthful appearance of the upper eyelid with crisp, taut skin and well-defined double-crease folds, smooth contour of the skin underlying the eyelids, and appropriate vertical eye opening. The scars are well-hidden within the crease lines and are inconspicuous.
Individuals are advised to stop herbal supplements and traditional medicine and start special medications 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bruising and swelling.
Upper blepharoplasty is a fine art that strikes a balance between removing sufficient upper eyelid skin for optimal aesthetic outcome and preservation of sufficient tissue to ensure complete eye closure and elegant results. The natural position of the double eyelid crease in youth is identified individually and preoperative marking performed. Proprietary techniques are used to determine the extent of skin excision required. In cases with protruding fat from the eye socket or droopy tear (lacrimal) glands, these are also removed and resuspended if necessary. Cases of ptosis may require shortening and reattachment of the eyelid elevator muscle, and a more detailed description is available here.
Mild swelling is expected after the surgery, and most of it will resolve by the 7th postoperative day. The stitches are removed on the 5th postoperative day and most individuals are able to return to work after the stitch removal.
Postoperative swelling is reduced by remaining upright during the daytime and by elevating the head of the bed with extra pillows when asleep at night. An optional electromagnetic field device may be used for the first 5 days to accelerate wound healing and reduce swelling. Strenuous activity should be avoided for the first two weeks to minimize bruising. Contact lens use is possible during the recovery period. Meticulous scar care is important in the immediate postoperative period to ensure optimal scarring and to achieve ideal postoperative results.
Ptosis correction involves surgical correction of droopy eyelids due to laxity or detachment of the eyelid elevator (levator palpebrae superioris) muscle from the skin and the underlying cartilage (tarsal plate). It confers functional and aesthetic benefits to the individual. The scar is well-concealed within the double eyelid crease. It is a commonly requested procedure and is performed as an ambulatory surgery performed under local anesthesia, with optional intravenous sedation if requested.
Individuals with eyelid ptosis may present with reduced vertical eye opening, loss of the double eyelid crease or appearance of an abnormally high eyelid crease. Individuals with any of these symptoms or signs are candidates for ptosis correction.
Ptosis may affect one or both eyes. When both eyes are affected, it is usually more severe on one side than the other, often causing the ptosis on the milder side to be unnoticed. Correction of the more severely affected eye alone may lead to unmasking of the ptosis in the less severely affected eye and a suboptimal result. Accurate preoperative assessment by an experienced practitioner will help detect subclinical ptosis in the less affected eye so that the postoperative result will be natural, elegant, and functional in both eyes.
Individuals are advised to stop herbal supplements and traditional medicine and start special medications 7 days prior to surgery to minimize bruising and swelling.
Ptosis correction is a fine art that strikes a balance between tightening the eyelid muscle to improve eye opening while ensuring that sufficient muscle laxity still exists for complete eyelid closure. Mild ptosis may be corrected using a minimal-incision technique, which involves making 3 small incisions, about 1 to 2 mm each, at the level of the double eyelid crease. Significant cases require incisional ptosis correction. Local anesthesia is infused to the eyelid crease to ensure optimal intra- and post- operative analgesia. The incision is made at the natural double eyelid crease for optimal scar concealment. The levator muscle is exposed and the lax muscle is either tightened with stitches, or trimmed off and reattached to the eyelid cartilage. The wound is then closed meticulously to deliver the best possible postoperative scar and aesthetic outcome.
Mild swelling is expected after the surgery. Individuals undergoing minimal-incision ptosis correction may expect most of the swelling to resolve by the 7th postoperative day. The stitches are removed on the 5th postoperative day and most individuals are able to return to work after the stitch removal. Individuals undergoing incisional ptosis correction may expect most of the swelling to resolve by the 10th postoperative day. Most individuals are able to return to work by the 10th postoperative day.
Postoperative swelling is reduced by remaining upright during the daytime and by elevating the head of the bed with extra pillows when asleep at night. An optional electromagnetic field device may be used for the first 5 days to accelerate wound healing and reduce swelling. Strenuous activity should be avoided for the first two weeks to minimize bruising. Contact lens use is best avoided during the recovery period. Meticulous scar care is important in the immediate postoperative period to ensure optimal scarring and to achieve ideal postoperative results.