Eyelid Surgery New Jersey

Parker Center in Paramus, New Jersey

• Overview
• Why are these changes happening to my face and around my eyes?
• What can be done to treat these signs of aging around my eyes?
• Are there non surgical treatment options available for the eyelids and the area around them?
• What surgical options are available to treat the eyelids and the area around them?

Overview

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, you may be wondering why you look so much older than you feel. Well, the eyelids are also the doorway to our personal interactions. When we greet other people, our eyes meet to initiate and monitor our conversations. Our emotions and attentiveness – and therefore our interactions – with others are usually communicated though our eyes. The composition of the structures around our eyes, such as eyebrows and eyelids (surgeons call this the “periorbital” area), send nonverbal messages. Others interpret the shape of our periorbital structures as friendly, happy, youthful, angry, sad or tired. The messages delivered by our periorbital area are therefore as important, if not more so, than the rest of our face. On this page, we will focus on rejuvenation of the eyelids, with some discussion as well about the other peri orbital structures.

“Since I had my eyelid surgery, I have started wearing contact lenses. I always wanted to wear them, but had a hard time being fitted because my eyelids, particularly on the right side, drooped so much it was difficult to get a good, comfortable fit. Since the surgery, the contacts fit great and look great! People I don’t know tell me what great eyes I have! When I look in the mirror, I still can’t believe that I waited so long!” —Eyelid Lift Patient

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, eyelidplasty or eyelid rejuvenation was the fourth most popular cosmetic surgery in 2012, with 153,171 blepharoplasties performed on both men and women across the country.

Why are these changes happening to my face and the areas around my eyes as I age?

As we age, our faces change in predictable ways. Our skin and the soft tissues beneath it lose some of their key biochemical components such as collagen and elastin. This loss of structural integrity allows gravity, in addition to years of facial expression, to loosen and stretch the skin and the underlying soft tissues, such as fat, muscle and tendons.

Excess skin of the upper eyelid is probably the earliest and most common sign of facial aging, causing a tired, sad look. The problem often involves not just the upper eyelids, but also a downward descent of the outer aspect of the eyebrows, called “brow ptosis.” In addition, wrinkles develop between the eyebrows and on the forehead, due to constant animation and muscle activity in these areas. Therefore, Dr. Parker will always evaluate the eyebrows, upper eyelids and surrounding areas as a unit during your initial consultation for eyelid rejuvenation.

In the lower eyelid, the aging process is somewhat more complicated and causes the following problems to occur:

• The lower eyelid skin thins, wrinkles and sags over time.
• The underlying muscle encircling the eye, called the obicularis oculi muscle, descends along with the skin.
• The soft tissues that normally hold the fat around the eyeball loosen, causing this fat to protrude forward (surgeons call this “herniate”) and form “fat bags” or puffiness of the lower eyelids. This visible fat can also accentuate a depression just beneath it, called the “tear trough.”
• Finally, the tendon at the outer aspect of the lower eyelid, called the “lateral canthal tendon,” can stretch with aging, compromising the integrity of the lower eyelid and contributing to an “aged appearance.”

Clean, crisp youthful-appearing eyelids with a smooth contour extending from the lower eyelashes to the cheek becomes altered, causing shadows and give a tired, aged appearance.

What can be done to treat these signs of aging around my eyes?

Click to understand your plastic surgery options with our animated procedure guide

Many options currently exist to treat the area around the eyes, called the periorbital area, and continue to expand. The many available options can often be confusing to a patient. During your initial consultation with Dr. Parker, he will listen to what bothers you, take a medical history, and perform a physical examination of your entire face, focusing on the peri orbital areas. He will assess your eyebrow position, upper eyelid skin excess, and the lower eyelid’s skin quality, muscle laxity, fat herniation, and integrity. Dr. Parker will then review his findings with you as well as the various options for treatment. This will allow him to customize a treatment plan along with you based on your age, individual anatomy, particular desires, resources, and time available for recovery.

Are there non surgical treatment options available for the eyelids and the area around them?

In considering treatment options for the periorbital area, we first think of non surgical options. Neurotoxins such as BOTOX® and Dysport® can be used to elevate the outer aspect of the eyebrows, soften or eliminate wrinkling between the eyebrows and in the forehead. Fillers can be used to plump out the depression in the “tear trough” area on the lower eyelids and create better blending from the lower eyelid into the cheek. Crepiness and discoloration of the lower eyelid skin may be able to be improved to a certain extent with skin care products, a chemical peel, or laser resurfacing. Dr. Parker and his team will discuss the details of these treatments and their duration with you at your initial consultation.

• Click here to learn more about Non Surgical Options for Eyelid Rejuvenation

What surgical options are available to treat the eyelids and the area around them?

During your initial consultation, Dr. Parker will review options for periorbital (eyelid) rejuvenation, which will likely include eyelid or blepharoplasty surgery. He can perform procedures on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both during the same operation. Dr. Parker will be able to determine which procedure or procedures will help you get the results you want while still looking naturally younger and more refreshed.

Upper Eyelid Procedure Options

Procedures to correct signs of aging in the upper eyelids and brow area are relatively simple and can be very effective for helping you look younger, well-rested, and more alert. Options include procedures to lift and remove excess skin that has begun to sag over and around the upper eyelid, removal of muscles that contribute to premature wrinkling and brow furrows, or a combination of procedures to improve the overall appearance of your face. Dr. Parker will help you decide which procedure(s) will give you the best results based on your expressed goals and Dr. Parker’s findings in his skin and facial evaluation at your initial consultation.

• Click to learn about Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty procedures at the Parker Center

Lower Eyelid Procedure Options

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can address sagging or drooping skin around the lower eyelids, remove or reposition fat that has “herniated” and caused puffiness underneath your eyes, or tighten the skin and lift the tendons around the lower eyelids. The procedure or procedures that Dr. Parker performs to improve the appearance of the lower eyelid area vary significantly among individual patients. Dr. Parker will help you decide on the best option for you based on your goals and his evaluation of the structural integrity and appearance of your skin, fat, muscle and eyelid/cheek junction. He will discuss the following options with you during your initial consultation.

• Click to learn about Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty procedures at the Parker Center

Additional Resources

• View Upper Eyelid Patient Photos
• View Lower Eyelid Patient Photos
• View Upper & Lower Eyelid Surgery Patient Photos
• Read Face patient written testimonials
• View Facial patient videos
• Read about Upper Eyelid Lift Procedures
• Read about Lower Eyelid Lift Procedures
• Learn more about facial rejuvenation at the Parker Center