Since we’re celebrating William Shakespeare’s birthday this week, it’s appropriate to refer to one of his more quoted lines, “The eyes are the windows to your soul.” They do reveal a lot about us, but is there a secret behind keeping those windows as clear and sparkling as possible, no matter how many years of wear and tear they’ve endured?
You Have One Chance to Make a Good First Impression
What’s the first thing you notice about someone you’re meeting for the first time? Nine and a half times out of ten, people will say it’s the eyes of a stranger to which you first connect.
Dr. Shaun Parson, a board certified plastic surgeon in Arizona, is asked all the time – both in and out of his office – if there’s some secret behind fighting off Father Time. “Your eyes are really the window,” Dr. Parson tells The Plastic Surgery Channel. “They are the first thing you see and the last thing you see in a facial expression. [With eye rejuvenation techniques], ‘before and afters’ really tell a story. She’s not tired anymore. You can see the skin under a woman’s eyes are clean and smooth. No wrinkles. And the puffiness is gone, which is a tell-tale sign of aging is gone. The hooding over the eye is also gone. But, here’s the secret: they don’t look overdone.”
The Eyes Can Reveal a New Lease on Life – or a Lot of Tiring Years
Dr. Ned Snyder, a board certified plastic surgeon in Austin, shares with The Plastic Surgery Channel the best way to decide if you are a good candidate for an eye lift: LOOK IN THE MIRROR. If you are bothered by droopy skin around your eyes, then the procedure could be right for you. Most people who seek the surgery are over 35, but Snyder says family history can play a role. “Genetics are a big part of eye aging. Some people really show age in the lower lid.”
“It’s a place we really show age that we can’t hide through make-up or cosmetics,” Snyder continues. “Some people really show age in the lower lids, and some people don’t. Some of it has to do with where your lower lid meets you cheek. It’s a very common procedure and a little bit more down time than just an upper lid blepharoplasty.”
You Always Want to be Careful with Your ‘Windows’
It’s one of the first things most board certified plastic surgeons admit about blepharoplasties: when it comes to all plastic surgery procedures, eye lifts are relatively straight-forward. But what they DON’T freely talk about is the consequences of either making a mistake during surgery OR taking the wrong approach with the wrong face.
According to Dr. James Namnoum, a board certified plastic surgeon in Atlanta, you can never be too careful. There’s a lot going on in a very small space (under the eye). “The structure of the eyelid is extraordinarily complex,” he explains. “That’s why it’s important for the plastic surgeon to have a sophisticated understanding of the eye. You’ve got to pick your surgeon wisely.”
A Little Procedure that Achieves Much
Eyelid surgery can treat:
- Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or disturbs the natural contour of the upper eyelid, sometimes impairing vision
- Fatty deposits that appear as puffiness in the eyelids
- Bags under the eyes
- Drooping lower eyelids that reveal white below the iris
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid
THE Secret Behind Brightening the Eyes
The procedure and recovery are speedier than other procedures, a fact that eases worries for potential patients who don’t want to take too much time off.
“It’s a relatively quick and painless recovery period,” says Parson. “Within five to seven to nine days, you’ll be back at your normal life without any extra makeup.”
Ultimately, plastic surgery aimed at the eyes to restore some youthfulness is not a major, feature-altering procedure. In the right hands and performed correctly, it can simply turn back the clock a few years. “It’s just you again, a few years earlier,” says Parson.