Lower eyelid rejuvenation can take many forms based on your specific anatomy. As the lower eyelid ages, the skin becomes more lax and forms wrinkles both under the eyes and next to the eyes (the crow’s feet area). Additionally, bags under the eyes can form. These can make you appear tired even if you have all the energy in the world. These bags form because the connective tissue around the eyes becomes loose over time with the loss of collagen. There is shock-absorbing fat that lives around the eyes that can bulge outwards when this connective tissue loses its strength, causing the appearance of lower eye bags. To treat these causes of aging, our facial plastic surgeons Dr. Bovenzi and Dr. Smith perform a lower blepharoplasty procedure. This procedure is done under anesthesia and while you are asleep, the excess fat is teased out and removed using an incision on the inside of the eyelid. This technique allows you to have this area rejuvenated with minimal scarring. If extra skin also needs to be removed this is done with a small incision just underneath the eyelashes. Of all facial surgery incisions, this one under the lower eyelashes heals the best- the incisions are almost imperceptible after 1 to 2 weeks.
Occasionally, patients need the lower eyelid bulging fat removed as well as additional fat replaced in the area where the lower lid and cheek meet. In this way, you can have lower eyelid bags removed while having any “tear trough” filled in, giving a revitalized appearance to entire lower lid and cheek area. This is done by replacing the facial fat that is slowly lost with aging with your own fat taken from your abdomen or thighs.
Recovery from lower blepharoplasty is generally well-tolerated. It is rare that patients need to use any pain medication stronger than Tylenol after the first day. You may get swelling and/or bruising which heal in about 1.5 to 2 weeks.
Lower eyelid surgery is the most long-lasting method to rejuvenate this area of the face, and the results cannot be replicated with fillers, injections, and other methods that do not address the underlying anatomical changes that surgery can target. However, the nonsurgical options for this area can be helpful if a patient has more subtle signs of aging. One great benefit of our practice is that Dr. Bovenzi is well-trained in both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for all areas of the face and he can help guide whether your specific facial anatomy would best benefit from undereye filler, crow’s feet botox, PRP injections, CO2 laser therapy, or lower blepharoplasty. For a free consultation, feel free to contact us below!
