Eyelid Surgery vs. Laser Resurfacing for Rejuvenating the Eyes
Andres Bustillo, MD FACS is a board certified South Florida facial plastic surgeon who specializes in blepharoplasty, or cosmetic surgery of the eyelids, among other surgical procedures of the face. Patients seek the doctor’s expertise to undergo both upper and lower blepharoplasty to improve the cosmetic appearance of the eyes and sometimes even improve the function when sagging upper eyelid skin interferes with the line of sight.
During upper blepharoplasty, Dr. Bustillo can smooth the upper eyelids by removing excess skin that may have caused the eyes to look tired or sad, while improving this hindrance of one’s vision. Some fat may also be surgically removed from the medial area, or the space between each eye and the nose.
Lower blepharoplasty typically includes the removal of a portion of the fat pad below the lower eyelid. These can present themselves as bags, which often cause people to look tired or ill, and detract from a person’s overall attractiveness. During the lower blepharoplasty, the muscle can also be surgically lifted to a higher position to ensure less bulk around the delicate eye area. Excess skin is trimmed from the eye area to minimize lines and wrinkles that have formed. Occasionally, Dr. Bustillo will transfer fat to the tear trough and the eyelid-cheek junction to smooth the transition between the eyelid and cheek. Upper and lower blepharoplasty surgeries create permanent results, but will hot halt the aging process.
Non-Surgical Options
Laser skin resurfacing is one non-surgical option for improving the eye area. During a laser session, potent light beams target the eye area to improve the quality of skin. It should be noted that there are limitations to this non-surgical eye enhancement procedure, but patients should see improvements after each session. The rejuvenation of the skin’s building blocks will continue long after each treatment is performed.
Though laser treatments may effectively lessen certain signs of aging around the eyes likewrinkles, hooded eyes that have been caused by excess skin and eye bags created by fatty deposits will not be improved. Laser treatments are most effective in correcting the first signs of aging. While laser skin resurfacing will cost less than blepharoplasty, it does not create as transforming or dramatic of a change.
To learn more about your options in both surgical and non-surgical eye enhancement, call Dr. Bustillo at his Coral Gables, Florida, office at (305) 663-3380. The doctor’s Patient Contact Form is ideal for those who may be interested in traveling to the Miami-area office, but are not yet ready to schedule a consultation.