Now more than ever, your eyes are your most visible feature and the focal point of your face. Like it or not, masks draw attention to your eye area. Wrinkles, fatty bulges and ‘bags’, a drooping brow, and heavy lids are all common as we age. These tend to make your eyes look smaller and you appear tired.
There are several ways to improve the appearance of your eyes, from minimal and temporary to more long-lasting solutions, and all are available from the facial plastic surgery experts at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. CEENTA is the region’s premier eye care provider for adult and pediatric patients with nearly 50 eye doctors in a dozen locations across the Carolinas. They are trained to know every muscle and nerve in your eye area, how they function, and how to obtain the best possible results for you.Â
In addition to being able to help you see your best, the docs at CEENTA have several ways to help you look your best. These are:
- Upper & Lower Blepharoplasty (commonly called ‘eye jobs’)
- Brow Lifts
- Botox
- Medical Grade Skincare Products
Read more about each option below, or make an appointment to learn what would be best for you by calling 704-295-3000 or requesting online here.
Blepharoplasty
Blepharoplasty is an eyelid procedure in which excess eyelid skin and protruding fat are removed in order to accentuate the beauty of your eyes. While the surgery itself should not affect your vision, before proceeding with this procedure, you should have a complete eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
An Upper Blepharoplasty, to address the droopy lids and heaviness, can make you look and feel younger, brighter, and more awake. Here, the surgeon will remove the excess eyelid tissue that is causing you to have a tired look and in some cases, is severe enough to restrict your best vision. (If this restriction meets specific criteria established by insurance carriers and Medicare, then upper eyelid blepharoplasty may be a covered reconstructive procedure for one or both eyes).
Upper eyelid improvements may be done separately or in conjunction with lower eyelid surgery. The upper eyelid incisions are hidden in the natural creases of your eyelid.
Lower Blepharoplasty addresses the visible lumps or bulges of fat beneath your eyes, which cause bags or sagging skin or both. The fatty pockets are removed through surgery, as is any extra sagging skin in your lower eyelid. Lower eyelid incisions can be positioned either on inside of the eyelids, where they are completely concealed, or in a skin crease just below the lashes when excess skin is removed. Again, scarring is usually minimal, and a few weeks of swelling and bruising are common post-operatively.
Brow Lift
Sometimes, upper eyelid sagging can be caused by a droops of the brows, which can slip below the bony rim of your eye. If you have a significantly drooping brow, eyelid surgery alone may actually accentuate this. In this case your doctor may also recommend a browlift.
A brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that raises your eyebrows and improves their appearance, as well as that of the surrounding area. Brow lifts can be done in one four different ways: a direct brow lift, an endoscopic brow lift, a coronal brow lift, or a hairline brow lift. Your doctor will determine with you the best procedure based on your facial features.
A brow lift is an outpatient procedure that takes one to two hours. Patients are usually administered general anesthetic. Recovery will vary based on the level of procedure, but usually one to two weeks of swelling and bruising should be expected.
Fillers to Replace Lost Volume
As we age, our normal fat pads in our face can shrink, and our skin can start to lack the hyaluronic acid that makes it plump and youthful. These changes can accentuate drooping brows, hollowed or baggy lower lids, and dark under-eye circles. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero can be used to plump up fine lines, to help with a sagging brow, to smooth the area under the eye, and to restore the cheeks to their youthful, high contours.
While not as permanent as surgeries, the results from fillers last 6-12 months and there is minimal downtime after the injections.
Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin for Wrinkes & Even a Little ‘Lift’
Botox and other neurotoxins like Dysport and Xeomin can work wonders to brighten and smooth the skin of your face and neck. The results of your toxin depend directly on the skill and knowledge of your injector.
In some cases, Botox can be used to give a temporary lift to the eyebrows through strategic injection points, called a ‘Botox Brow Lift.’ In this technique, your injector specifically relaxes all the muscles that pull your brow down. The result is a higher, arched brow. Toxin injections wear off after three or four months, so you may adjust and fine-tune your treatments to get exactly the results you desire.
Treatments like Botox and Fillers are best used to address minor issues, while the surgical options are a better choice for more pronounced problems and longer-lasting, more impactful results. Medical-grade skin care is critical for best results with any treatment.
Medical-Grade Skin Care from Experts
Your skin is constantly replacing itself. Skin issues can be corrected by working with the skin to restore its natural, healthy state.there are several products you can use to enhance your skin tone, texture, and resiliency.Â
- Retinols effectively and gently enhance skin tone, texture, and resiliency while diminishing the appearance of fine lines and coarse wrinkles.
- TNS Essential Serum improves fine lines, coarse lines, wrinkles, tone, and texture in 90 days.Â
- HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator provides immediate smoothing of fine lines and wrinkles and supports the skin’s natural ability to retain moisture, resulting in radiant, rejuvenated tone and texture.
- The TriHEx peptide technology in Alastin’s Restorative Eye Treatment reduce puffiness, improve tightness and improves texture
- SkinMedica and Alastin skin care lines are carried in CEENTA’s SouthPark, Uptown, and Fort Mill offices.
What’s Best for You?
Consult with a CEENTA Physician
Each of us has different needs and goals for their skin and face. Age and skin type are just two factors doctors would need to take into account for beginning any procedure. Make an appointment today with one of the many doctors who specialize in Facial Plastics at CEENTA to discuss and consider your options. As you can see, there are several!
CEENTA’s oculoplastics specialists:
- George Alter, MD: SouthPark
- Catherine Cuite, MD: SouthPark
- James Kaufmann, MD: Salisbury
- Katherine Orman, MD: SouthPark, Belmont, Blakeney
- Usha Reddy, MD: Concord, Huntersville, Statesville
