How To Reduce Swelling And Bruising After Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, is a commonly performed procedure aimed at addressing functional or aesthetic concerns around…
Eyelid ptosis (sag) can blur your vision and make it harder for you to see or read. Some people are born with hooded eyelids, while others develop them as they grow older.
Dr Michael Kernohan is a Sydney specialist plastic surgeon with many years of experience performing surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures that help lift the eyelids.
Continue reading to learn more about some of the causes of hooded eyes and ways to help make your eyes look bigger with and without surgery.
Hooded eyes, also known as eyelid ptosis, have excess skin folds just below the eyebrows that drop down over the upper eyelids. The excess skin can pull down all the way to the lash line.
Hooded eyelids can make the eyes look smaller than they are and give them a tired appearance. If the upper eyelids drop too much, they can even block your sight and cause vision problems.
You may experience issues with either one or both your eyelids, but people usually have hooded eyelids in both eyes.
You can tell that you have hooded eyes if the skin below your eyebrow folds down and covers part or all of your upper eyelid.
As a result, when your eyes are open, you won’t see a well-defined, curved eyelid space. Instead, you’ll see only a crease right above your lashes.
Dropping of the upper eyelid can be congenital (inherited). Some people develop hooded eyes with age or because of an injury or medical condition affecting the eyes.
Possible causes of hooded eyelids include:
Hooded eyelids are often a sign of ageing and is not something to worry about. With that said, you may want to seek treatment for your hooded eyelids if they’re causing you any of the following concerns:
You should also inform your surgeon if you’ve recently undergone Wrinkle or Volumising Treatment and notice a heaviness in one or both eyelids. In this case, these treatments may be the reason behind your hooded upper eyelids.
There are surgical and non-surgical ways to treat hooded eyes depending on its cause and severity.
Dr Michael Kernohan regularly performs eyelid procedures. He will carefully examine your eyes to determine whether an underlying medical condition is causing your eyelid ptosis.
He will then offer you the optimal solution for your hooded eyelids.
Below are several tips that may help alleviate the appearance of eyelid ptosis and sleepy eyes without surgery:
If you only have mild eyelid ptosis in your upper eyelids, some non-surgical treatments for hooded eyelids may be enough to alleviate your concerns.
Treating hooded eyes without surgery can be done using:
These non-surgical options can alleviate the appearance of slightly hooded eyelids. However, they’re not permanent, and you’ll need repeated treatments to maintain results.
Although non-surgical treatments for puffy eyelids and weary eyes are available, they won’t help you much if you have significant eyelid ptosis.
Plastic surgery is the only way to permanently and effectively treat hooded eyes.
Dr Kernohan offers surgical eyelid-lifting procedures that can alleviate the appearance of excess upper eyelid skin and hooded eyes.
Upper Blepharoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess sagging skin and tissue from the upper eyelids.
Your upper eyelid lift will involve the following steps:
If you’re considering this procedure, you may also want to learn more about how to reduce swelling and bruising after eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
A brow lift, also known as an upper facelift or forehead lift, is a cosmetic procedure that raises the brows and refreshes the appearance of the forehead.
Brow lift surgery can be performed with:
During a forehead lift, Dr Kernohan repositions the skin and soft tissue in the forehead to reduce the appearance of forehead wrinkles. He also lifts the deep forehead muscles to raise the eyebrows and pull the upper eyelids up.
As a result, your forehead wrinkles will diminish and your eyes will look wider and more alert.
A brow lift can be done alone or alongside a blepharoplasty to lift the forehead and eyelids at the same time.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to hooded eyelids. The treatment will depend on the cause and severity of your upper eyelid ptosis.
If you have only a little excess skin on your upper eyelids, non-surgical treatments such as wrinkle and volumising treatments may be suitable, however, these results aren’t durable.
Iif you have significant upper eyelid ptosis then surgery may be more suitable. Upper blepharoplasty and brow lift are surgical options that can alleviate eyelid ptosis long term.
An upper eyelid lift removes excess skin and fat that fold down over your eyelids. It also lifts the levator muscle that controls your upper eyelid. Although, it can’t raise your eyebrows.
A brow lift tightens the forehead and raises the brows, which lifts the upper eyelids.
If your eyebrows sit high but you have excess skin over your upper eyelids, an upper blepharoplasty may be a more suitable option. Alternatively, if you have low eyebrows pressing down on your upper eyelids, then a brow lift may be a more suitable choice.
Some patients may undergo a brow lift and an upper eyelid lift at the same time if they desire a more dramatic change to their eyes and the entire upper portion of their face.
During your consultation, Dr Kernohan will thoroughly assess your eyelids and eyebrows to determine the right treatment for your hooded eyelids.