Most of us have spent a significant amount of time on virtual video calls over the last year and a half, and we have often spent considerable time examining our faces. We may well have picked up on things we are unhappy about. For the area around the eyes in particular, it is not uncommon to notice that even expertly applied mascara or the use of eyeliner looks not quite right just below the brow region, or the use of eyeshadow mysteriously disappears, most commonly into the newly developing fold of the eyelids.
In many cases, it may be due to incorrectly applied makeup. Still, it could also be caused by drooping eyelids, which give rise to a permanently tired appearance and, in some cases, may even obstruct proper vision. In a small proportion of cases, the presence of eyelid hooding is something we are born with and is related to hereditary factors.
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Hooded eyelids, also known as droopy eyelids, develop for several potential reasons, including hereditary factors. Still, the ageing process is the most common cause. It is due to a gradual weakening of the muscles and supportive connective tissues that typically maintain the eyelids in a more elevated position. The treatment of hooded eyelids can take several forms, and although surgical treatments are the most effective and potentially longest-lasting, they come with risks associated with having a surgical procedure.
Currently, several effective treatment options are available for hooded eyelids or eyelid laxity. Our doctors will consider several factors when advising on the best treatment for you, whether it’s treatment of your hooded eyelids or another area of your face or body. In all cases where there is an effective non-surgical treatment, we will always recommend a less invasive option first before recommending invasive surgery.
Here, we discuss some highly effective treatment options for drooping eyelids or hooded eyelids.
Are facial injectables and dermal fillers useful for the treatment of hooded eyelids?
For mild cases of eyelid hooding, expertly placed anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers can help reduce the appearance of eyelid lines and wrinkles. It is essential to note that these treatments are temporary in nature, and to maintain the treatment results over time, you will require regular maintenance injections. Anti-wrinkle injections typically need to be administered every 3 to 4 months, while dermal fillers containing hyaluronic acid last between 6 and 12 months.
RELATED: Non-Surgical Alternatives to Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Using neuromodulators is designed to limit the muscle movement that leads to frowning and a subsequent downward push on the eyelids. Dermal fillers are best injected in the brow region, temporal region or, in some cases, in the depression of the upper eyelids to achieve a more lifted appearance. Dermal fillers in these areas must be used with extreme caution due to the presence of essential blood vessels, which must be avoided. This is why it is essential to consult a fully qualified and highly experienced injector. At the Centre for Surgery, only chains and surgeons can treat the eye region with dermal fillers.
For patients with very mild hooded eyelids, injectable treatments such as muscle relaxant injections or dermal fillers are ideal for restoring a refreshed and rejuvenated look to the periocular area and brow.
AccuTite treatment for Hooded Eyelids
AccuTite radio frequency treatment, also known as “injectable RF” is a good option for those with mild to moderate hooding of the eyelids not severe enough to require formal eyelid surgery. Treatment with an appetite for hooded eyelids lasts much longer than injectable treatments, but not as long as the results achieved with a blepharoplasty. Treatment with AccuTite is known to have a duration of effect that lasts anywhere from one to six years. Similar to injectable treatments, AccuTite is a non-surgical treatment, although it is slightly more invasive than wrinkle-relaxing injections or soft tissue fillers.
The AccuTite device is specifically designed to treat smaller areas of the face or body, such as the eyelids. The technology utilises radiofrequency energy to deliver controlled thermal heating to the subdermal layer, resulting in the contraction of collagen and the melting of fat. The resulting increase in skin tightness and firmness is attributed to the stimulation of collagen and elastin production.
AccuTite is excellent for treating mild to moderate skin laxity. The presence of skin laxity in the islands commonly leads to the outward displacement of naturally occurring fat pads, resulting in the appearance of eyelid hooding. AccuTite works to tighten the skin and reduce the size of the underlying fat pads. In many cases, if the cause of hooded eyelids is due to the weakening of the muscles acting in the eye region, nonsurgical approaches are generally considered ineffective, and the best treatment is eyelid surgery, also known as eyelid reduction.
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift)
Our patients have access to excellent non-surgical treatments, including facial injectables and AccuTite, for the effective treatment of superficial skin laxity that leads to hooding or drooping of the eyelids. Still, these treatments are unable to address the weakening of the underlying muscles or the excessive looseness of the skin. Patients with primarily weakness in the periocular muscles often develop more severe degrees of hooded or drooping eyelids associated with significant skin laxity. In such cases, blepharoplasty surgery, an eyelid lift, could be the most effective option.
An eyelid lift can be performed on both upper and lower eyelids if necessary, and typically involves the surgical removal of redundant skin, the removal of herniated fat, and the surgical repair of weakened muscles in the eye region. Eyelid lift surgery is the most invasive type of treatment option for hooded eyelids; however, in appropriately selected cases, the results from such treatment can be dramatic and last for many years.
To determine which treatment is most suitable for you, please get in touch with us to schedule a consultation with one of our expert surgeons. At Centre for Surgery, our surgeons love meeting new patients.
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