Five Questions About Drooping Eyelids

Nonna Tomiševa, a plastic surgeon at the LMC Beauty Clinic, answers.

Because of your eyelids, your eyes look as if you’d spent the night at a wild party or had been crying your eyes out. But who wants to look tired and unhappy all the time?! If you’ve tried everything else, you might want to consider eyelid surgery.

Consult NONNA TOMIŠEVA, microsurgeon and plastic surgeon At the Latvian Microsurgery Center and At Health Center 4.

         Moreover, it’s not just a matter of appearance—if there are wrinkles on the eyelids or excess skin hanging over the eyelashes, vision can be affected and the shape of the eye can change. The solution is blepharoplasty—surgery on the upper and/or lower eyelids. But let’s take it one step at a time.

Five Questions About Drooping Eyelids

         1. Why does this happen?

         The first reason is genetic inheritance and anatomical characteristics. If the eyes are set deeper in the sockets, the eyelids are also, as it were, pushed downward.

         Second—time and gravity. As we girls age, we lose estrogen—often referred to as the “femininity and beauty hormone”—which ensures the skin’s firmness, elasticity, and tone. During menopause, the body’s production of estrogen decreases until it disappears entirely, and the body and skin begin to age. Gravity also plays a role, and, oh dear, the face—and even the eyelids—start to sag!

         The third reason is lifestyle, and you yourself can either speed up or slow down the aging process. Smoking and indulging in a bohemian, unhealthy lifestyle are by no means beneficial. You might object: «I live a healthy lifestyle, but I still look like a sad old dog!» Yes, but that brings us back to genetics.

         2. Is this just an aesthetic issue?

         Initially—yes. Over time, functional impairments may also develop. First, vision problems. The excess skin fold acts like a curtain that can partially—or, in rarer cases, completely—cover the pupil. Meanwhile, behind the eyeball in the eye sockets is fatty tissue that tends to bulge out over time, forming fat deposits or bags. There are two such deposits in the upper eyelid and three in the lower eyelid. pillows. This is what gives the dancer that puffy appearance. The hernias press against the eyeball, and it is no longer possible to see the surroundings with the outer corner of the eye. For example, you’re walking down the street, someone calls out to you, and to see who it is, you have to turn your whole head, because your peripheral vision no longer works as well and your field of vision has narrowed.

Second, the shape of your eyes may also change—herniated eye bags form bulges, and over time, your almond-shaped eyes may become much rounder. In addition, fluid accumulates in the bags under your eyes. That’s exactly why, if you have half a glass of wine in the evening, snack on some salty olives or a slice of smoked ham, the next morning you’ll have dumpling-shaped Your eyelids are drooping, and you look like a half-asleep panda.

         3. So what are we supposed to do now?!

         If you’re ready for surgery, you should know that blepharoplasty, or eyelid correction, is a relatively simple plastic surgery procedure (of course, surgery is still surgery), during which excess skin is removed, fat pockets are removed if necessary, and the outer corner of the eye is lifted. The procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia, and depending on your pain tolerance, both the upper and lower eyelids can be treated in a single session. Surgery on the upper eyelids takes up to an hour, while surgery on the lower eyelids takes an hour and a half.

         For the first three days, you should refrain from physical activity and apply cold compresses every two hours to reduce swelling and bruising. The stitches are removed on the seventh day. At first, there will be significant swelling around the eyes, but it will decrease significantly within 10–14 days. The first postoperative checkup with your doctor is in one month, but you’ll see the final results after 3–6 months. The scar will fade over time and become practically invisible; as early as the tenth day after the procedure, you may cover it with foundation.

         But! Eyelid surgery doesn't mean that they'll disappear crow's feet Around the eyes—fine lines are eliminated with cosmetic injections.

         4. «Oh, what’s the point—I’m old anyway…» Can older women have surgery, too?

         Age is no barrier—as long as there are no contraindications, surgery can be performed even in one’s 80s and 90s, whether due to dissatisfaction with one’s appearance or vision problems. Let’s say you’ve had glaucoma surgery, but excess skin on your eyelids prevents you from focusing your gaze properly—why should you just put up with that?

         5. When is surgery not an option?

         First and foremost, if you have a skin condition in its acute phase—and not just on your face. For example, psoriasis or dermatitis. If you hide this from your doctor, and this happens, you risk running into complications. Surgery, however, is an intervention in the body that causes it to react more intensely, and it may happen that, after the stitches are removed, inflammation occurs and the dermatitis spreads across your entire face. Other contraindications include infections, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, blood clotting disorders, uncontrolled diabetes, excessively high blood pressure and intraocular pressure, an overactive thyroid, and a tendency to develop keloid scars.

How much does eyelid surgery COST?

Upper Eyelid Correction – Starting at 900 euros.

Lower Eyelid Correction – Starting at 1,100 euros.