Tips to prevent puffy eyes

WHAT CAUSES PUFFY EYES?

The eyes are generally puffy in the morning because the layer of fat that protects them from external aggression is particularly hydrophilic, meaning that it attracts water. This layer of fat can form an unsightly pocket on the lower or the upper eyelids.

This puffiness is amplified by everyday activities that “congest” the eyelids:

• Sleeping with your head flat.
• Spending several hours in a head-down position, when gardening for example.
• Drinking too much alcohol or eating salty food, which dehydrates the body or causes water retention.
• Hormonal changes and pregnancy can also cause increased puffiness under the eyes.

WHAT ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR PREVENTING PUFFY EYELIDS?

To counter puffy eyelids, it is of course advisable to limit the various factors listed above as far as possible. Good posture at work and during sleep, a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet all help to contain the swelling of the fat pads and the puffy eyes on waking.

Other anti-puffiness remedies are known for their decongestant effect on the eyelids, read more here!

However, fat pockets should not be confused with the malar bag, which forms a kind of double pocket and corresponds to a ptosis of the orbicularis muscle. The malar bag gives the impression of permanently swollen eyelids, which can only be corrected by a sub-palpebral lift.

When the upper eyelids droop over the eye, this is generally due to a combination of a pad of fat lodged in the upper eyelid and excess skin. Where the eyelid overhang is linked to natural ageing, the eye is partly closed by this hood effect, and only eyelid strips, of the MagicStripes type, or an upper blepharoplasty can correct and rejuvenate the look.

BLEPHAROPLASTY TO ELIMINATE BAGS UNDER THE EYES

Between the ages of 20 and 40, anti-puffiness creams, draining products and lymphatic massage can complement a healthy lifestyle to prevent puffy eyes.

But as the face ages, the fat pads tend to become more pronounced, creating true bags under the eyes. Likewise, the loss of facial volume leads to a ptosis of the upper eyelid, which closes the eye at the upper outer corner. This “puffy eyes” look is unsightly and a source of self-consciousness for most women, making make-up difficult and the eyes dull.

All dermatologists and aesthetic physicians agree that only cosmetic surgery can remove bags under the eyes for good.

Although cosmetic surgery can never stop the face from ageing, the result of laser surgery to remove the bags is lasting. Fat masses that have been removed or sublimated* never come back.

To learn more about the treatment of under-eye bags and read Dr Hayot’s opinion, see this March 2015 article in Elle Magazine

* The laser sublimation process reduces the fat mass by vaporising the water contained in the adipocytes. This is made possible by the powerful energy of the Lumenis UltraPulse CO2 laser at 100°C.

ARE YOU A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BLEPHAROPLASTY?

Blepharoplasty to remove bags under the eyes is possible for everyone. For men and women, from 18 to 98 years of age, anyone can have this eyelid surgery.

However, certain contraindications must be respected before an operation is considered, and prior validation by an anaesthetist is required.

For all the precautions to take before a blepharoplasty, consult this page!

If you’re concerned about puffy eyelids or bags under the eyes, and would like to receive specialist advice and a detailed estimate, contact Dr Hayot.

Frequently asked questions about under-eye bags

Can aesthetic medicine erase bags under the eyes?

Aesthetic medicine cannot erase bags under the eyes, as hyaluronic acid injections are not effective for this. Some doctors inject hyaluronic acid into the dark circles, which reduces the appearance of the bags, but this is not a treatment for under-eye bags: it can only hide the bag, not treat it.

How is under-eye blepharoplasty performed?

Blepharoplasty for bags under the eyes is a very simple procedure. A laser scalpel is used to make an incision through the inside of the eyelid, known as the transconjunctival route, and the bags under the eyes are then removed and vaporised. The advantage of this laser and transconjunctival technique is that there is no skin scar and little or no bleeding, just a little oedema for a few days after the operation. It is a very quick, simple procedure.

How much does blepharoplasty cost?

As far as prices are concerned, every quotation is given after a consultation, because very often it is not only a question of bags under the eyes. There can also be bags and dark circles, wrinkled skin, discolouration of the dark circles or an associated small malar bag. Quotations are therefore tailored and given after a consultation.

Is the removal of bags under the eyes lasting when it is done surgically?

The removal of bags under the eyes is completely definitive. After 30 years of oculoplastic practice, I have never seen bags under the eyes recur when they have been completely removed.

Recurrences can be seen with other practitioners, because the pad was retracted with the electric scalpel rather than removed, for fear of taking a risk by removing it. In such cases the bags under the eyes come back, but that is because they were not properly removed at the first operation.

I am 17 and I have relatively large bags under my eyes. Is there a permanent solution?

Yes, under-eye bags can be permanently removed at the age of 17. As the treatment is completely lasting, there is no need to wait several years before removing the bags under the eyes, because once they are gone they will not come back.