Eye Bags

The lower eyelids are one of the first areas of the face to show age-related changes. Changes related to gravity become more pronounced and signs of facial ageing are the development of crow's feet, excess skin around the eyes, dark circles and the development of prominent under eye bags. Loose skin and muscle create a droopy appearance and excess fat becomes more prominent. Sagging and puffy eyelids can dampen an otherwise youthful appearance, and correcting them can make one look rested and refreshed.

Traditionally the eye area has been very difficult to treat non-surgically. Previously there was no alternative to surgical eye lifts or blepharoplasties. The choices were fairly black and white; surgery or eye bags. Now with the advent of novel treatments such as Dermal Fillers, Carboxytherapy and Mesotherapy, virtually any patient in their thirties or above can be a candidate for a little tightening and firming around the eye area and the younger the patient the better the result.

Take a good look at your bags - is there a hollow trough between the base of the puff and the top of your cheek? If so, then a smart new technique could be perfect for you. Surgery to address tear trough hollows is not always appropriate but tear-trough rejuvenation with dermal fillers brings back a youthful volume and contours the lower eyelids in a safe and minimally invasive way. You'll have a series of micro-injections along the line of the hollow using Juvederm, Perlane or Teosyal - hyaluronic gel fillers - followed by a little gentle massage to distribute the gel evenly. There is only minimal discomfort and the procedure only takes about 10 mins. As the result is very injector dependent it's best to seek out an experienced doctor to carry out the treatment. There could be a little swelling and a 10 % chance of bruising around the eyes but they soon settle. You'll see the results instantly and the effects last around nine to 12 to 18 months.

If there is an excess of fat in the under eye area, this can be treated non-surgically by Mesotherapy injections. You'll have a series of micro-injections in the fat bag below the eye. Active ingredients in the Mesotherapy solution dissolve the fat cell wall and improve circulation in the area. Two to four sessions two weeks apart are needed for the desired effect. Traditional surgery involves removing the fat pads which can, down the line, result in a skeletal look which has to be remedied with fat transfers into the area or dermal filler volume loss replacement.

Another new treatment for under eye bags is Carboxytherapy. The theory behind this treatment is that by mildly insufflating the lower eyelids with carbon dioxide, blood flow to the area is increased, oedema is reduced and oxygenation improved leading to improvements in the skin. After 4 or 6 treatments of Carboxytherapy to the lower eyelids, there is marked improvement in eyelid texture, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, vascular pooling, fatty prolapse and tissue luminosity. The results appear to be permanent and touch ups can be done 6 to 9 months later.

At Clínica Privé we offer traditional therapy (such as home prescriptives that include AHA's, PHA's, Vit K, Retinol and Growth Factors that improve the quality of the skin in this area) as well as recent advances in treatments such as Carboxytherapy, Mesotherapy, Dermal Fillers and 3D Skin Rejuvenation to treat under eye bags. As each patient's case is different; we will tailor a treatment program specifically for you and your circumstances. A highly professional team assesses every patient and an appropriate combination treatment together with long term maintenance program is recommended. The sooner these procedures are started to improve collagen levels and reduce the fat bags in the problem areas, the better the long term outcome of orbital rejuvenation will be.

 

Clínica Privé Tip:

Very often a hooded eye is caused by a droopy forehead and thus treatments to the brow or forehead above with LASER Skin Tightening, Laser Genesis and Carboxytherapy can raise the eyelid by 1 to 3 mm non-surgically. A chemical brow lift using Botox can also improve the hooded appearance.