Your eyes and area of the upper and midface are the focus of how the world sees you. During conversation there is more time spent looking in the area of the eyes than any other portion of the face. These areas can communicate your mood, demeanor and energy level to others. As we age, it is common for a number of changes to occur to the skin and the fat in this area. These changes lead to a deflation (loss of volume) and descent of the structures around the eyes. This may lead to the upper eyelids coming down over and covering the upper portion of the eye. This is often accompanied by the skin and soft tissue around your upper and lower eyelids stretching and further creating drooping or sagging of the eyelids. For some people this is made even more undesirable by orbital fat protruding through the lower eyelid resulting in “puffy bags” or dark circles on the lower eyelids. Others find that tissue volume around the eyes decreases to give the appearance of “hollowness.” These facial aging changes can occur as early as your twenties to early thirties and can become quite obvious in your forties, fifties and sixties.
If your eyes and forehead project the signs of aging due to overhanging skin and puffiness, dark circles under your eyes, crow’s feet, lines and wrinkles around your eyes or forehead, you may appear tired, older, less energetic and even sad or angry. This can be a problem in social and business settings. Conversely, if your eyes are more open and relatively free of creases and folds, you will probably seem more rested, alter and youthful. If your forehead shows signs of worry and stress, this too can make you appear fatigued. For these reasons, men and women of all ages, lifestyles and social groups, as well as those wishing to look ready, willing and able to perform well in the business setting, are interested in both surgical and non-surgical treatments for all types of facial changes.
BOTOX® Cosmetic, Injectable Gel Fillers & “Liquid Facelifts”
Wrinkles in the facial skin is due to contraction of the muscles that lie underneath. As the skin ages it loses elasticity allowing muscle contracture to produce wrinkles. BOTOX® Cosmetic Injections can dramatically improve your facial wrinkles by gently decreasing the contraction of the underlying muscle. During the BOTOX® Injection procedure, a small amount of BOTOX® is injected directly into the individual facial muscles that are responsible for creating wrinkles in the overlying skin to temporarily weaken them and prevent the pulling on the skin which helps to minimize diminish the wrinkles. Having BOTOX® Injections take only minutes and noticeable results can usually be seen within two to eight days. Our patients are able to return to work and wear makeup immediately after treatment. BOTOX® Cosmetic has the most dramatic effect on “expression wrinkles.” These are the frown lines or furrows found between the eyebrows, the horizontal forehead lines or furrows, and the crow’s feet around the eyes. The lines will be softened, but may not completely disappear. The effect of a single treatment will usually last three to four months, at which time another BOTOX® Injection may be required to continue seeing desirable results. The best way to find out if you are a good candidate for BOTOX® Cosmetic is to schedule a thorough evaluation and discussion so that we can determine if BOTOX® Cosmetic is right for you.
Injectable Gel Fillers
The aging face is also a result of loss of volume or deflation. Fat located beneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) decreases with age. This leads to sagging of the cheeks and prominent lines below the eyes. The volume lost with age can be replaced by gel fillers. These may be used either alone or in a layered approach with BOTOX® Cosmetic. Wrinkles may be grouped into two types: Dynamic wrinkles, which are formed when muscles contract, or Static wrinkles, which are lines or depressions that exist even when there is no muscle action or pull on the skin. Dynamic wrinkles are best treated with BOTOX® Cosmetic, whereas static wrinkles are best treated with substances that plump up and fill out the problem lines. These substances are known medically as “HA fillers” and include JUVÉDERM®, BELOTERO BALANCE® & Restylane®. These fillers are biodegradable and thus not permanent. They also have the added benefit of being reversible. Depending on your areas of concern we may suggest using only BOTOX® Cosmetic, JUVÉDERM®, BELOTERO BALANCE® or Restylane® or perhaps injecting a combination of the materials in order to achieve your desired results.
Liquid Facelifts for Facial Rejuvenation
The “liquid facelift” is an approach that blends the use of different non-surgical injectable facial rejuvenation treatments placed in the troublesome facial areas and layers to achieve a fresh, energetic more youthful appearance. A “liquid facelift” might include using BOTOX® Cosmetic to smooth dynamic wrinkles in the forehead area or to “lift” eyebrows slightly or even smooth crow’s feet and might also blend in the placement of gel fillers such JUVÉDERM®, BELOTERO BALANCE® & Restylane® to smooth fixed wrinkles and folds and “volumize” to add a firmer tighter look in the forehead, around the eyes or even in your cheeks or lips. Besides the quick and pleasing results, most men and women find the “liquid facelift” desirable because it is actually a “lunchtime” treatment so you can have it done on your lunch break with no downtime! We perform these treatments in the comfort, privacy and convenience of our office and you can be back to work and leisure activities almost immediately.
While the “liquid facelift” is effective for restoring, rejuvenating and maintaining a wide range of facial aging concerns, sometimes we might also recommend other types of treatment options including cosmetic eyelid surgery such as blepharoplasty “eye lifts” or forehead or eyebrow lifts to help you get the best results.
Blepharoplasty Eyelid for Droopy, Puffy, Saggy Eyelids
Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery is a popular type of cosmetic facial plastic surgery to help you look your best. In our society, looking your best and preserving your youthful features are important parts of who we are.
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty involves the improvement of two characteristics of the aging upper eyelid area. The first is correction of excess skin of the upper eyelid, a condition referred to as “hooding of the upper lid.” The second condition that can be corrected is the puffiness that is seen in the inner corner and middle of the eyelid as a result of herniation or pushing forward of fat located in these areas above the eye.
Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Lower eyelid Blepharoplasty is a procedure performed to improve the appearance of the lower eyelids, which is the anatomic area that extends from the lower lid eyelashes to the bony rim of the eye socket. If there is a herniation of fat present, there are two different surgical approaches to remove the fat. One technique utilizes an inconspicuous incision that runs just beneath the lash line. An alternative is to enter the fat pockets through an incision made in the inner lining of the lower eyelid. If excess skin needs to be removed, this can only be accomplished through an external approach. The procedure is long lasting and resets the clock decades.
Forehead & Eyebrow Lifts for Droopy Eyebrows, Frown Lines & Furrows
The normal aging process can affect the face in many areas-including the forehead and eyebrows. Forehead and eyebrow aging changes are sometimes hastened by a lot of sun and wind exposure or just by the pull of gravity. Aging of the forehead area and eyebrows can result in forehead furrows, “frown lines”, wrinkling across the forehead and a “heaviness” of the eyebrows making them a bit droopy. Sagging eyebrows can make you project a tired, sad or even grumpy appearance.
-About Forehead & Eyebrow Lifts
A forehead lift, or “browlift,” is a procedure that we use to restore a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes. The eyebrow is the foundation of the eyelid and as it descends it creates a fullness of the upper eyelid that may be unsightly. Some individuals with inherited low, heavy brows and deep set eyes with furrowed lines above the nose can also achieve a more alert and refreshed look with this procedure. A forehead or brow lift may be combined with eyelid surgery such as blepharoplasty to provide the best results for a more harmonious, youthful appearance. We find that sometimes patients who seek consultation for an upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery find that a forehead lift better meets their personal appearance goals. The surgical objective of a browlift is to tighten excess loose skin, smooth forehead wrinkling and modify drooping brows in order to create a smoother brow and a more youthful expression. The primary goal, in most patients, is to rejuvenate the eyes, making them look more rested and youthful. Having a thorough and careful consultation will help us identify your areas of concern and personal goals.
When to Consider Forehead & Eyebrow Lifts
Patients who might find a brow lift beneficial are typically concerned about having a sad expression due to the outside of their brow sagging or those who have an angry expression because their central brow hangs or droops downward. Others who can benefit from brow lifts are unhappy with the presence of “frown lines” on their forehead, women who have difficulty applying makeup to their upper eyelid as the surface has been obscured by droopy skin and those who can see a pleasant improvement in appearance by gently lifting the skin above their eyebrows. For some, combining a brow lift with a blepharoplasty has a major benefit as it allows us to improve baggy tissue and crow’s feet providing a much happier overall look.
OBAGI® Medical Facial Rejuvenation Products
OBAGI® facial rejuvenation products and the anti-aging effects they help deliver are the result of combining medical & physician expertise with a deep understanding of skin biology, facial anatomy & physiology and scientific rigor. Obagi® products have a 30 year legacy in medical settings-and our cosmetic eye plastic surgeons at Matossian Eye Associates are pleased to offer and recommend selected products to our patients as part of their facial rejuvenation treatments.
ELASTIderm® Eye Cream
ELASTIderm® Eye Cream is an ophthalmologist tested eye cream for addressing the appearance of aging eyes, skin elasticity and fine lines & wrinkles by providing a firmer, more resilient look. ELASTIderm® Eye Cream is formulated from the proprietary OBAGI® Bi-Mineral Contour Complex blending zinc, copper and malonate to promote the three necessary stages of healthy elastin.
Obagi Nu-Derm® Blender Cream
Obagi Nu-Derm® Blender Cream is a dark spot lightener and blending cream that helps correct hyperpigmentation such as dark spots, sun spots, age spots, melasma, and other types of discoloration, for a healthier-looking, more even skin tone.