Eyelid lift is a complex of hardware, injection and manual manipulations aimed at rejuvenating and modeling the periorbital region (the area around the eyes). This part of the face is considered a zone of increased sensitivity, therefore non-surgical aesthetic eyelid correction is a difficult task even for a highly qualified specialist with extensive experience. Microsurgical cosmetology and aesthetic medicine today offer several effective methods of lifting the eyelids: radio wave lifting, bio-reinforcement with threads, contour plastic, photorejuvenation, microcurrent therapy. You can choose the most suitable technique only after a visual examination of the problem area, studying the patient's medical history, his goals and ideas about what the final result should be.
Peculiarities of periorbital lifting
The region of the eyelids, which is also called the periorbital zone (which is not entirely true, since the lacrimal apparatus, the palpebral fissure and the conjunctival sac also belong to the periorbital space, in addition to the eyelids), is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body with a thin layer of dermis and minimalsubcutaneous fat. The eyelids are musculocutaneous folds, bounded behind by the conjunctival and cartilaginous tissue. They are located around the eye and perform several functions at once: they protect the cornea and retina from the negative effects of environmental factors (ultraviolet radiation, dust, etc. ), cleanse the connective tissue membrane due to constant wetting with tear fluid,
prevent drying of the eye scleraand the cornea.
The skin in the eyelid area is several times thinner compared to other parts of the face, so it is more prone to age-related and stressful changes, which in most people become noticeable after 30 years. At this age, the process of natural dehydration of the body begins, as a result of which the epidermal cells lose moisture, and the skin loses its elasticity, becomes loose and saggy. It is in the periorbital zone in men and women over 30 that the first signs of aging are formed: hypodynamic folds, mimic wrinkles, creases in the outer corners of the eyes ("crow's feet").
An eyelid lift is a complex task that should only be performed by a highly qualified doctor with excellent knowledge of the topographic anatomy of the eye, since improper actions can not only cause new defects, but also seriously impair the function of the organs of vision. The fact is that the eyelids are involved in the formation of the eye focus and optical geometry of the cornea, as well as in the regulation of intraocular pressure, therefore, improperly performed plastic surgery and lifting can provoke a disorder of visual function (in some cases, irreversible).
Who needs an eyelid lift
Periorbital zone lift has no strict medical indications (with the exception of surgical correction, which is often used to treat pathologies that interfere with the normal functioning of the organs of vision) and is usually performed at the request of the patient in order to eliminate visible aesthetic defects. Cosmetologists and plastic surgeons include the following defects to such disadvantages:
- strong overhang of the supraorbital fold;
- excess skin in the infraorbital musculocutaneous fold;
- drooping of the outer corners of the eyes;
- periorbital protrusions (fatty hernias);
- periorbital edema (sacs);
- vascular pathologies leading to the appearance of traces of rosacea and dark circles under the eyes;
- hypodynamic wrinkles;
- "crow's feet" (creases in the corners of the eyes);
- strongly pronounced infraorbital grooves;
- "aging eyelid" (wilting and laxity of the eyelid skin).
The eyelid lift also helps to make the look fresher and more open by correcting overhanging skin and periorbital fat bags and improving the overall tone of the area.
Timely use of various methods of rejuvenating the area around the eyes helps to solve one of the main tasks of periorbital lifting - to hide age-related changes in the skin and get rid of visual defects characteristic of biological aging of the dermis against the background of a decrease in the functional potential of epidermal cells.
Important! Aging and heavy eyelids are a rather serious aesthetic flaw that can ruin even a young and attractive face. In some, signs of skin aging in this area may appear even before the age of thirty (for example, in patients with underweight or in a person with endocrine system pathologies). As a rule, cosmetic products are ineffective for correcting existing problems and are only suitable for preventing premature aging, so the only effective method of dealing with this defect is periorbital lifting.
Eyelid Lift Surgery
An operation to lift the skin of the upper and lower eyelids is called blepharoplasty. This is a type of radical lifting of the periorbital zone, in which the effect of tightening and rejuvenation is achieved by completely removing excess skin and fatty hernias in the eyelid area.
Unlike non-surgical methods of eyelid lifting, blepharoplasty allows not only to correct the defects of aging skin and improve the appearance of this area, but also to correct the shape and shape of the eyes, as well as get rid of various pathologies.
Blepharoplasty is effective for such serious ophthalmic diseases as entropion (bulging of the eyelashes and the edge of the eyelid towards the eyeball) or exophthalmos (displacement of the eyeball outside the orbit). In total, there are three types of blepharoplasty: upper, lower and circular.
Table. Types of radical periorbital lifting
| Operation type | Section area | What pathologies can be corrected |
|---|---|---|
| Supraorbital blepharoplasty | A skin incision that is made along the orbital or tarsal fold of the upper eyelid. | Removal of excess skin, subcutaneous fat and muscle plastic. |
| Suborbital blepharoplasty | A transcutaneous or subciliary incision is performed. | Removal of periorbital edema, bags under the eyes, fatty hernias. |
| Circular blepharoplasty | Simultaneous eyelid surgery on both sides. | Solving problems common to all types of blepharoplasty. |
The periorbital zone tightening operation takes place strictly in a hospital setting, excluding the possibility of an outpatient procedure. The patient is given general anesthesia, and the duration of the intervention is, on average, about 3 hours. A significant disadvantage of this method of lifting the eyelids is the postoperative period, which, although it has a short duration (about two weeks), is characterized by pain, the need for regular dressings and antiseptic treatment, and significant restrictions on the regime and professional activities.
Important! The advantage of surgical blepharoplasty is the ability not only to tighten the skin of the eyelids, but also to perform plastic surgery of muscle tissue, which cannot be achieved using hardware and other minimally invasive methods.
Periorbital zone tightening without surgery
Surgical eyelid lift, although it is a highly effective method of radical rejuvenation of the area around the eyes, experts advise to resort to it only to patients of the older age group (after 40 years) with pronounced signs of aging and deep age-related skin changes. Before reaching this age, while the hydrodynamics of tissues are within the normal range, there are many less traumatic ways to correct existing problems, while the effectiveness of most of these techniques in some cases can be compared with the result of surgical plastic.
Injection (contour) plastic
Contour plastic is perhaps the safest method of non-surgical lifting of the eyelid skin, according to the technique it belongs to mesotherapeutic procedures. Contouring is the subdermal injection of special implants called fillers.
These are preparations in the form of a homogeneous and viscous suspension or gel based on components that have a high degree of affinity for the body's own tissues. These can be:
- hyaluronic acid;
- calcium hydroxyapatite;
- collagen (a peptide synthesized by fibroblasts and which is one of the main elements of the extracellular substance of the dermis, which ensures its elasticity and ability to stretch);
- polymers based on acrylic and methacrylic acid;
- high molecular weight oxygenated silicone;
- polylactic acid;
- tripolyphosphoric acid salts, etc.
The most popular and demanded fillers for periorbital lifting are preparations based on hyaluronic acid. These are biodegradable (absorbable) dermal implants, which not only compensate for tissue deficiency in this area, but also help eliminate wrinkles - one of the main visual signs of facial aging. The advantages of hyaluronic fillers include high hypoallergenicity and excellent results, which can be appreciated immediately after implantation. Bioresorption of hyaluronate occurs within a few weeks, after which the injections must be repeated.
Biosynthetic implants based on polylactic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite retain their properties for 1-2 years.
RF-lifting
Radio wave or radiofrequency lifting is a non-surgical lifting of the area around the eyes with a high degree of effectiveness.
Among the hardware techniques for minimally invasive lifting of the skin of the upper and lower eyelids, RF-lifting takes the leading position, since it allows not only to achieve an immediate tightening effect, but also to significantly improve the condition of the skin in the periorbital zone.
Radio waves, penetrating into the dermis to the required depth, heat the epidermal cells to the collagen densification temperature, which is about 60 ° C. Under the influence of thermal energy, the dermal tissue heats up, a partial retraction of the collagen framework occurs, as a result of which the loose collagen fibers are compressed again and take their characteristic spiral shape, which is the lifting effect.
RF-lifting is suitable for correcting all age-related problems in the area around the eyes (crow's feet, hypodynamic wrinkles, eyelid ptosis, etc. ), and the achieved result lasts for up to 1-2 years. To achieve a stable rejuvenation effect, you will need to perform about 6-10 procedures with an interval of at least 7-10 days.
Bio-reinforcement with threads (thread lifting)
Thread lifting is a procedure for rejuvenating the area around the eyes, which is based on the implantation of special cosmetic threads made of various metals and synthetic materials under the skin, as a result of which a new collagen skeleton is formed in the subdermal layers. The procedure is quite effective and allows you to cope with the problem of the “aging eyelid”, fatty periorbital hernias, the phenomena of gravitational ptosis and other phenomena characteristic of aging skin.
There are several types of threads for thread lifting. Threads made of precious metals are quite in demand in cosmetology. These threads are made of platinum or gold and are designed to reinforce the upper layers of the dermis. Golden threads not only provide a visible lifting effect, but also stimulate cellular metabolism, improving the supply of nutrients, oxygen and vitamins to the dermal cells. Serious disadvantages of threads made of precious metals are the high risk of detachment and the impossibility of using many cosmetic procedures, for example, photothermolysis after reinforcement.
Liquid mesothreads are mainly used to combat small hypodynamic folds, correct the “aging eyelid” and smooth the skin in the periorbital zone. The duration of such a procedure does not exceed 20-30 minutes, but reinforcement with liquid threads has many contraindications and is always accompanied by various side effects (swelling, bruising, redness). Experts believe that the most effective type of eyelid thread lifting is Swiss, polylactic and Korean threads. The result after such reinforcement lasts for about 2-3 years.
Fractional photothermolysis
Fractional photothermolysis is another effective method of non-surgical skin tightening of the upper and lower eyelids. This is a type of laser rejuvenation in which a fractional laser generator (for example, an erbium laser) is used to influence the problem area. The beam generated by this device is scattered into many streams and, when it hits the skin, forms a large number of microthermal healing zones, in which the main effect takes place, so the surrounding
tissues do not heat up and are not injured.
A distinctive feature and at the same time the main principle of action of fractional photothermolysis is heating the skin to a temperature of 250-300 ° C, which experts call an evaporation procedure. Old, pathologically altered and destroyed cells under the influence of such a temperature are destroyed and evaporated, while natural neocollagenesis is activated and the activity of fibroblasts increases, which synthesize the main components of the extracellular matrix - peptides (collagen and elastin).
The result of fractional laser resurfacing is a noticeable tightening of the skin in the eyelids, smoothing out wrinkles and creases, restoring the hydrodynamics of periorbital tissues and improving the general condition of the skin in this area.
Pulse currents (microcurrents)
Microcurrent therapy refers to low-traumatic methods of eyelid lifting, but a significant disadvantage of this method is the short duration of the result (no more than 4 months). The clinical result from the use of microcurrent therapy for lifting the periorbital zone is due to the following properties of impulse currents:
- normalization of lymphatic drainage.Lymphatic drainage effect, which has impulse currents on the skin, improves the movement of lymph, prevents its stagnation and helps to lighten dark circles under the eyes;
- stimulation of metabolic processes.Activation of cellular metabolism has a positive effect on the transport of oxygen and nutrients and the appearance of the skin (the skin becomes smooth, acquires a healthy appearance);
- restoration of muscle tone.The muscles of the eyelids are quite weak, and additional stimulation allows you to achieve a tightening effect.
The standard course duration is from 10 to 20 procedures, while in most cases it becomes necessary to repeat the procedure after a few months.
Before and after photos
Conclusion
Eyelid lifting is a difficult, but feasible task, for the solution of which modern aesthetic medicine offers a large number of effective methods, including low-traumatic manipulations with a low probability of complications. Which method of periorbital lifting will be the most effective and safe is decided individually after talking with the patient, diagnosing the problem area and studying the medical history data.
The use of surgical techniques is indicated mainly for patients with pronounced signs of aging in the area around the eyes, in which the use of gentle techniques is ineffective and presumably will not give a stable positive result. Persons with the initial manifestations of the “aging century” are better off choosing minimally invasive methods with a low degree of tissue trauma and a short recovery period.