Eye Bags – Tear Through
Author: Aurelio M. Cardaci MD PhD
Did you know that a scalpel is not always necessary to achieve a younger look?
It is said eyes are the mirror of the soul. It often happens to see a heavy gaze that, unfortunately, transmits negative emotions even in people, instead, active and positive. This happens because eyelids are among the structures of our body moving the most during the course of life. They are therefore among the first to suffer from the signs of aging, due to the progressive relaxation of the skin and the change in the arrangement of the periorbital soft tissues. Over time eyelids undergo a gradual but progressive aging phenomenon that basically affects two components, a superficial skin and a deep one represented by the adipose “bags”.
If the skin and adipose component is predominant, there is surgical indication for a blepharoplasty operation, while in mild and intermediate cases the eye contour can be corrected with aesthetic medicine treatments. While external periorbital wrinkles, socalled “crow’s feet”, can be treated with botulinum toxin micropomphs, hyaluronic acidbased fillers are more suitable for filling wrinkles and the empty nasolacrimal groove (tear through) that determines a look tired and aged (dark circles).
The purpose of this short article will be to expose to the public the indications and results of eyelid rejuvenation techniques with medical and surgical techniques.
NOT SURGICAL TREATMENT
In the clinic, after a careful evaluation of the case, the patient is told how the treatment will take place, the informed consent is read together and photos are taken which are then discussed to explain
where to act. Generally, the treatment has two objectives: to give some volume to fill the void of the eyelid (filler) and to improve the characteristics of the skin (biorevitalization).
Today we have at our disposal brand new fillers specially designed for the eyelid region, consisting of hyaluronic acid with the right degree of crosslinking that do not create periorbital edema (therefore the eyes do not swell). An associated vitamin complex, on the other hand, determines skin biorevitalization and the improvement of the pigmentation and texture of the treated eyes. For safety and comfort of the patient, 30G microcannulas (no needles) are used which cause neither pain nor bruising. After the treatment, which lasts a few minutes, the patient will be free to resume his daily activities, while avoiding efforts.
Ultimately, the treatment is a valid, quick, painless and cheap solution for anyone wishing to treat a
tired look and in the initial or moderate aging phase.
SURGICAL TREATMENT
Blepharoplasty is indicated in all those people who have an assessable excess of skin in the upper and / or lower eyelid and the presence of fat ‘bags’ that increase in volume over time. After a first consultation during which the patient is informed about the potential result that can be obtained and the technique explained, the informed consent is read together and the complications of the surgery are explained. It is an operation that can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation, which involves minimal postoperative discomfort and a rapid return to work (710 days). Blood chemistry tests and an EKG are required and will be evaluated by the anesthetist. The surgery lasts about 45 minutes and the patient remains under observation in the facility for at least 3 hours. He is discharged with antibiotic and analgesic therapy and the checkup is set at 2448h. Sutures are removed after 34days.
RESULTS
Our goal is to give a new look that is lively and capable of communicating a new vital energy. In the filler treatment the results are immediate, especially in cases that require volumetric filling, the patient can return to his activities immediately after the session. Final results will be achieved after a couple of weeks. The correction is natural and lasting for 912 months, well beyond normal dermal fillers as the gel implantation site is deeper and the molecular structure is designed to remain longer on the periorbital rim. With regard to the postoperative blepharoplasty, slight swelling may occur for a couple of weeks at most, during which sun exposure must be avoided. The results are obviously longer lasting than the treatment with fillers, because following the surgical removal of skin and bags, the hands of the clock move back by at least 10 years.
Clinical cases
