When it comes to the eyes, surgery really can fix the problem for years to come. Options include a brow lift, blepharoplasty (for heavy bags and eyelids), or ptosis (for drooping upper eyelids), but what do each of these involve?
Brow lift
The skin begins to lose its elasticity and the pull of gravity result in frown lines, wrinkling across the forehead and an increasing heaviness of the eyebrows. The eyes may also look heavy and tired, as a sagging forehead can contribute to hooding in the upper eyelids.
A brow lift, or forehead lift as it is sometimes known, will instantly take several years off your face. To get an idea of how you might look after a brow lift, put your fingers above your brows and outside the edges of your eyes. Gently raise the skin upwards by a centimetre.
The primary aim of a brow lift, according to consultant ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeon, Raman Malhotra, is to achieve a rejuvenated look and natural contour of the eyebrows without the appearance of having had surgery or the ‘surprised’ look, which can sometimes be associated with surgery when the eyebrows are reset too high on the forehead.
The procedure can be done using either a local or general anaesthetic, and involves making keyhole incisions above the hairline. It is minimally invasive and recovery time should only be a matter of days, with staples being removed after two weeks.
Brow lift costs from £3,000
Blepharolplasty
Blepharoplasty or eyelid lift can restore a more youthful and refreshed look to tired-looking eyes, especially for those with heavy eyelids and saggy under-eye bags. Performed under local anaesthetic, the surgery lasts for two hours at the most.
. Upper eyelids
A fine incision is made in the existing crease above each eye, which minimises the visibility of any scaring, and a crescent of excess skin and muscle is removed. The incisions are then closed with fine stitches, which are either usually removed within two weeks, or dissolve.
. Lower eyelids
Bulging lower eyelids can make even young people look tired, despite the absence of apparent excess skin. Under these circumstances, lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery is often performed from the inside of the eyelid so that there is no visible scar.
If excess skin needs to be removed, then a fine incision is made in the crease immediately below the eyelash line, extending out into a natural skin crease in order to minimise the visibility of any scarring. When only skin is removed and there is no excess fat, the procedure is known as a pinch blepharoplasty.
Blepharoplasty costs from £2,500
Ptosis
Ptosis or droopy eyelids are age related, but may also be caused by cataract surgery or long-standing use of contact lenses. Ptotis surgery either shortens the stretched tendon that causes the drooping, or attaches it back on to the eyelid. It is usually performed under local anaesthetic and takes about an hour.
Ptosis costs from £2,500
