As we age, the fat distribution in our faces changes and leaves our eyes appearing hollow and depressed, with the skin around the eyes acquiring fine lines with “crepe-paper” texture. For some, this can begin as young as their 30s. That hollow around the eyes creates a shadow that can be the primary cause of “dark circles” around the eyes.
As gravity has its way, our eyebrows sag with time, becoming heavy around the eyes. With each smile, we crease the wrinkles at the corners of the eye. With this continued creasing, they become increasingly etched-in over time. The eyes have been called “the window to the soul”, and for many, as we age, we project a tired, run-down appearance that hides the true level of energy inside.
What are the options?
- Fillers – With the development of Fillers like Restylane and Juvaderm, we now have products that can recreate more youthful contours. Under the eyes, Filler is used to fill in the hollow, which both minimizes the dark shadow as well as helps to “pull out” some of the fine lines.
- Topical Therapies – Compared to other skin surfaces, the eyelids are very thin and more amenable than other areas to topical therapies to stimulate collagen underneath the skin surface minimize fine lines and wrinkles. In order to combat the effects of both aging and chronic sun exposure, we target the lower eyelid skin with one or two of several products to reverse the aging and to prevent further aging of the eye area.
- Botox – Treating the muscles that pull the eyebrows down can open up the eye area by decreasing the heaviness of the brow. This safe, effective treatment is also used to relax the muscles that crease-in wrinkles at the corners of the eyes. This contributes to a more open-eyed, youthful, rested appearance.
- Resurfacing – Light laser resurfacing can offer dramatic improvement to the texture and quality of the lower eyelid skin. Although this procedure requires a week of healing time, the results are long-lived and very satisfying.
How do I know that I’m a good candidate?
Most people are excellent candidates for topical therapies, fillers and Botox. There a few rare medical conditions and allergies that might exclude one or more treatment options. These treatments are minimally invasive with little to no down-time. Most people return to work the same day or the day after these procedures.
Resurfacing reveals the healthy skin under the surface of wrinkles and, while about a week is needed to heal, it also gives the most dramatic results. The best candidates for resurfacing are those with moderately etched in wrinkles and a lighter skin type.
Our office is committed to safety, service, and excellence. Our office is an accredited hospital associated practice. We are affiliated with Cooper University Hospital and maintained TJC (The Joint Commission) standards.
To schedule a personalized consultation with one of our cosmetic consultant and our physicians, let our office know. We would be happy to accommodate you.