Why does the skin on my eyelids sag?

The skin of the eyelids is extremely thin. As a result, when it becomes dehydrated, the fat between the eyelids and the orbital bone disappears. This leads to the appearance of dark circles, which darken the eyes. Other phenomena are also visible, such as bags under the eyes. Similarly, the upper eyelids droop and partially cover the eyes, giving the face a more tired expression, while the lower eyelids are affected by colored dark circles.

What is a medical blepharoplasty?

Medical blepharoplasty is a non-invasive method for filling dark circles. It involves injecting hyaluronic acid into the hollows of dark circles. Hyaluronic acid is a macromolecule naturally produced by the skin. Recognized for its moisturizing and volumizing properties, it can be injected into the lower eyelids to fill them. This procedure leaves no scars and requires no social eviction.

What is surgical blepharoplasty?

Surgical blepharoplasty is an operation to fill dark circles and combat sagging skin around the eyelids. Depending on the indications, different procedures can be used:

• Lipofilling, which is the transfer of autologous fat (from the patient). Extracted from the abdomen or the back of the knees, the fat is then cleaned and injected into the eyelids to fill hollows and tighten the skin.
• Nano-lipofilling. This state-of-the-art technique is similar to lipofilling. It isolates the stem cells contained in fat and injects them into the eyelids, naturally stimulating vascularization and collagen production.
• Addition blepharoplasty, which combines lipofilling with resection of excess skin on the eyelids.
• Transconjunctival bag removal, when bags appear in addition to dark circles.

What type of blepharoplasty should I choose?

All techniques have their advantages and disadvantages.

For example, medical blepharoplasty is minimally invasive and leaves no scars. What’s more, the results are temporary, which opens up the possibility of touch-ups if they are unsatisfactory. However, hyaluronic acid is rarely indicated for hollow dark circles. This is because hyaluronic acid is difficult to evacuate from the eye area. It can also become visible through the skin of the eyelids, which is very thin. It then takes on a bluish appearance, due to the refraction of light.

Likewise, the surgery is extremely effective: the results are definitive and do not need to be touched up. The use of cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art techniques ensures the effectiveness of procedures that are as minimally invasive as possible. Scars are also barely visible. The procedure is painless, thanks to local (or in some cases general) anesthesia. However, there is always a risk of complications, and it’s very tricky to make up for a botched operation. Likewise, the surgery requires social avoidance for several days to a week, depending on the type of operation.

With over 30 years’ experience in the field, Dr. Hayot can advise you on the most suitable type of blepharoplasty. An initial consultation will enable him to examine your eyelids and understand your needs, in order to propose tailor-made solutions and a personalized treatment plan.