Banish Those Bags With An Eye On Surgery

Banish those Bags with an Eye on Surgery

A common side effect of aging is the development of bags under the eyes. It generally occurs because the protective layer of fat surrounding the eyes begins to sag in response to gravity and decreased elasticity of the skin. This problem not only makes the face look older, but it also gives the person a perpetually tired look. Through an eye bag removal procedure, the patient can look younger and wide-awake.

A Closer Look at the Causes of Eye Bags

A variety of factors can actually contribute to the formation of eye bags. The pressure of the fat around the eyes can cause the ligaments, skin, and muscles to become more lax. Sometimes, there is extra fat behind the support wall of the eyelid, which gives them a baggy appearance. In other cases, the relaxed skin itself actually causes the bag because there is simply too much skin in the area. For some, the muscle in the lid has thickened or the upper eyelids form a bag because of drooping eyebrows.

Each of these conditions have specialized names and procedures for correcting them. In many patients, more than one of these conditions exists and all must be fixed in order to improve the appearance of the skin and to remove the bags. Blepharochalasis, for example, is the combination of thinning eyelid skin, protrusion of skin folds in the eyelids, and lid swelling. Dermochalasis, on the other hand, is simply extra skin. Hypertrophy of the orbicularis muscle is when there is an overgrowth of the eyelid muscle and a protrusion of fat. Brow ptosis, on the other hand, is when the upper eyelids are baggy because of drooping eyebrows. A competent surgeon will be able to identify the cause or causes of the eye bags before surgery and discuss options with the patient ahead of time.

The Effects of Eye Bag Removal Procedure

Eye bag removal surgery is done to correct the puffy bags that form below a patient's eyes or drooping upper lids. These bags make the patient look older and tired. For some patients, these eye bags can even interfere with vision. Eye bag removal surgery can remove the puffy and droopy look around the eyes, but it will not eliminate crow's feet or dark circles under the eyes. In addition, eye bag removal surgery does not lift sagging eyebrows.

The eye bag removal procedure can also be used to create an upper eyelid crease in Asian eyes, but it cannot be used to eliminate natural traits associated with ethnic or racial lineage. This procedure is often used along with other surgeries, such as a browlift of a facelift, to improve the overall appearance of the face and the skin on the face.

Eye Bag Surgery Candidates

The best candidates for eye bag surgery are those who are physically fit and realistic in their expectations of what the surgery can offer. Most patients are 35 years or older, but those with a history of baggy or droopy eyelids may have the surgery at a younger age.

Patients coping with certain medical conditions are considered to be more risky when it comes to undergoing eye bag surgery. For example, thyroid problems such as Grave's disease and hypothyroidism have a greater risk of complications. Dry eye, glaucoma, and a detached retina are also risk factors. Patients with other medical conditions generally considered risky when undergoing surgery, such as circulatory disorders, diabetes, and high blood pressure, are also at a greater risk of encountering complications when undergoing the procedure.

The Procedure

The eye bag removal procedure involves several small incisions that are made below the eyelash. This allows the surgeon to remove both excess skin and fat that is causing the bags to appear. Generally, the procedure, which is called blepharoplasty, is performed on both the upper and lower eyelids. In the case of the upper eyelids, a strip of skin may also be removed, but the skin is removed in a natural crease in the eyelid in order to minimize the appearance of scarring.

The eye bag removal procedure usually entails staying the day in the hospital or the night, depending on when the procedure begins.

After the Procedure

After completing the eye bag removal procedure, stitches are generally removed about 3 to 7 days after the surgery is completed. After the stitches are removed, the patient can usually resume normal activities.