They
say when it comes to gauging the attraction factor or wear-n-tear on any face,
eyes are the first to speak. Under an experienced gaze eyes can give away the mysteries
of our existence, the experiences we live through and genetic directives we
carry. Medically speaking as we age our body goes through a myriad of changes
and the delicate area around the eye is the first to shows these signs. Some
people start showing these signs real early and some don’t, and most of us are
left to wonder what factors are responsible for the wrinkling and sagging of
eyelids and what we can do to join the league of the fresh eyed forever
youthful.
Un-riddling The Enigma Of
Aging Eyes
Blepharochalasis,
apart from being an oddball mouthful, is also the most commonly used medical
term to define extra skin around eyes or heavy eyelids. It is a very common
condition precipitated with normal aging, fatigue/being tired, allergies, sluggish
lymphatic drainage, obesity, and certain medical conditions. Frequently found
in conjunction with skin excess, orbital fat pseudo-herniation contributes
significantly to the “tired look” of age-related periorbital changes. Here’s a
birds eye view of the factors that lead to periorbital decrepitude and what treatment
options modern medicine has to offer.
Genetic Sagging
Recently
researchers from Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands conducted a study to
pinpoint the risk factors associated with sagging eyelids, focusing mainly on
genetic factors. They evaluated two groups of people, the first group of 5,578 was
comprised of unrelated participants with North European ancestry, in this group
17.8 percent had moderate to severe sagging eyelids. In the second group 2,186
twin participants were evaluated, and within the pairs, 61 percent had
inherited their sagging eyelids. These findings published in JAMA Dermatology positively
support the fact that the most common cause for sagging eyelids is genetics.
Gender, Ethnicity & BMI
In
addition to genetics, the study also highlighted that age, being a male, having
lighter skin color, and a higher body mass index (BMI) were all risk factors
for sagging under-eye skin. Scientific common sense dictates that person with a
higher BMI, typically has more fat accumulated than does a normal-weight
person, which means their under-eye fat pads have a greater chance of being larger
and more protuberant.
Aging
Skin
around the eyes is usually thinner and hence ages faster than any other area on
the face. The delicate periorbital skin while stretched and weighed down by the
fat pads leads to accentuated and droopy-eyed bags. The protrusion of intra-orbital
fat, appears as swelling of lower eyelid fat, and is generally accepted as a
part of the aging process. Age and other factors can also let the muscles to become
lax that can lead to further worsening of under eye bags.
Lifestyle
Puffy
or swollen eyes, is another common occurrence that may plague eyes regardless
of age or gender and are mostly caused by a high-salt diet, oversleeping, smoking or
alcohol use. Unhealthy lifestyle also leads to dark circles and early wrinkles.
Conduct Your Own half An Eye
Test
If
you are curious to know how you’ll age, take a quick look at your parents and you’ll
get a fairly good idea on whether or not you’ll develop large fat pads later
during your course of life.
You
can turn a blind eye to what you see in your folk’s faces or get proactive and
try to change the course of genetics and aging with a little help from
aesthetic medicine.
Feast Your Eyes On Available
Treatment Options
Volume & Hydration
Injectable
fillers are one of the easier and most effective ways to smooth the skin around
the eyes and provide subtle, natural looking volume to correct hollow eyes. They
also help to improve dark circles around the eyes by 15-20%, however, they
offer very little help with protruding fat pads. Anteis Esthetis Soft, Juvederm
Volbella and Teoxane Redesnsity II are specially designed hyaluronic acid based
gels used to diminish both fine lines around the eyes by providing volume while
simultaneously hydrating the skin.
Laser Skin Rejuvenation
Laser
surgery is a non-invasive way to tighten the skin around the eyes. The fractional
CO2 or Fraxel can be used to gently resurface and rejuvenate eyelids gradually
and can be used in conjunction with filler or surgical treatments. The lasers
causes microscopic thermal damage and the skin responds by rapidly healing and
peeling off old damaged cells, replacing old with newer tighter skin underneath
the eyes. The C02 laser can also improve the skin’s elasticity, texture, fine
lines and deep wrinkles, acne scars, and sunspots.
Surgical Options - Blepharoplasty
When
non-surgical treatments do not provide the patient with the results they
desire, blepharoplasty or eyelid reduction surgery can prove to be an effective
route to achieve cosmetic goals. The procedure entails making tiny incisions in
the eyelid and under the eye area, any excess fat is removed, the skin is then
tightened and sutures are secured. Removal of the under-eye fat pad
significantly decreases any puffiness around the eye. Eyelid surgery can correct
droopy upper eyelids, also known as hooded eyes, but does not remove dark
circles or lift sagging eyebrows, each of which have be treated
separately.
Blepharoplasty
is actually the only way to remove protruding fat pads, especially for those
who are overweight and have an increased fat accumulation under eye. But for skin
tightening, wrinkles and filling in the hollows under the eyes, the variety of
nonsurgical treatments work very well.
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