Question
Is eyelid surgery the only way to fix crepey eyelid skin?
I have crepey, loose skin in my eye area, mostly on my eyelids. It is so bad I can't even really put on eyeshadow anymore because the skin moves around so much when I try to apply it.
I am thinking about having a blepharoplasty to fix this crepey skin problem, but I was just wondering if ther are any other options that won't require me to have surgery. I am 69 and at my age surgery is not such an easy thing to get over.
So, are there any options besides eyelid surgery to fix my crepey eyelids?
Asked by: Betty from Santa Barbara, CA
Answers (11)
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1
November 21, 2008
It is not the only answer but usually it is the best.
Hello,
Eyelid surgery can be simple or complicated. Simple surgery to tighten lax eyelid skin is very well-tolerated and reliable.
Best Regards,
John Di Saia MD
2
November 18, 2008
Usually a blepharoplasty will give the best result
A 69-year woman who has never had surgery will most likely benefit from an upper blepharoplasty.
Fortunately, almost all upper blepharoplasties can be done under local anesthesia or local anesthesia with light sedation. The risk of the local anesthetic should be very low in competent hands, even in patients with medical issues.
The recovery for a simple upper blepharoplasty should also be very fast, with most patients back in public after 5 days feeling comfortable. Most patients have minimal or no bruising from simple upper lid surgery.
Lasers, even the most effective CO2 laser, typically tighten far less than a blepharoplasty can. And the recovery for CO2 laser resurfacing on the very sensitive upper eyelid skin can be considerable. So rather than have the eyelids lasered or waste time and money on ineffective creams, it might be best to do talk to your plastic surgeon about having a blepharoplasty.
3
October 16, 2008
Possibly
Greetings Betty,
The answer to your question depends on where the skin is. For upper eyelid excess skin, surgery is probably the best solution. For lower eyelid skin, you can consider surgery or depending on the amount of skin possibly laser resurfacing or a deep chemical peel. Fortunately the surgery to simply remove excess skin is not a big procedure. Most of the time it can be done with local anesthesia only and the recovery is generally fairly easy, even for someone of your young age. Good luck with your search.
4
August 8, 2008
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by Stella Desyatnikova, MD
There are several component to loose, crepey skin in the eyelid area, and therefore, several options to fix the underlying problem.
Surgery, indeed is probably one of the best options when there is a lot of extra loose skin, especially on the upper lids. It is usually done in the office, frequestly under local anesthesia, sometimes with minimal sedation, and has proved to be one of the best and cost-effective treatments.
If you decide against the surgery, Active FX/ Deep FX laser resurfacing can be done easily, under local anesthesia, with minimal downtime, and good outcome - skin tightening and wrinkle improvement.
Other options that we use include a combination of fillers, such as Restylane, and special technique Botox injections, to improve the skin texture and overall eye area appearance.
Web reference: http://www.doctorstella.com
5
August 6, 2008
If you have extra skin that is crepey, you will need surgery to remove the extra. This may not totally solve the problem and you probably will still need medical grade skin care treatments and even possibly laser or chemical peels to get the most change possible.
6
July 22, 2008
How to treat crepey eyelid skin
If you have a lot of excess skin then surgery would be necessary to remove the excess skin (although lasers will tighten it somewhat). If your only concern is the quality of the skin (the crepiness) and you don't have excess skin, then you're better off not having surgery.
Options to address the crepey eyelid skin are prescription creams like Retin-A or non-prescription creams containing glycolic acid, lactic acid, or a similar exfoliant. Be careful - these will likely cause irritiation, redness and swelling, so start off with minimal amounts and gradually increase as tolerated.
Lasers or chemical peels can also be used on the eyelid skin to treat the condition of the skin and create a tightening which will reduce or remove the crepiness.
7
July 15, 2008
Periorbial Improvement
If Blepharoplasty is not possible (no excess skin) or it is not desired, there are still other ways to provide improvement for crepiness. We have found that combining Fraxel Laser (or Erbium laser) with Botox can provide a number of benefits, including reduced crepiness.
You may wish to consult with board certified physicians who have the ability to offer both a surgical solution and nonsurgical so that you have a relatively unbiased opinion on which option works better for you.
8
July 12, 2008
There are non-surgical alternatives to crepey eyelid skin
Depending on your aesthetic desires, extra skin on your eyelids can be tightened up by non-surgical means.
The most important thing to remember is that eyelid skin is very thin and fragile. I will routinely start my patient on some type of topical eye cream like Retin-A or Vitamin C serum. My favorite skin thickening cream is NIA-24, a niacin cream that repairs DNA in your skin to produce healthier collagen. I also like to use a hyaluronic gel to plump up the fine wrinkles. Next, I will use a chemical peel to remove old dry superficial skin layers. Finally, a laser would be used to resurface and shrink the excess skin on the lids.
Please remember, however, that non-surgical means work best on light to moderate eyelid aging. If you truly have lots of excess skin then you would be best served with a blepharoplasty.
9
July 8, 2008
How to get rid of crepey eyelid skin
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by William A. Portuese, MD
Fine lines and crêpey skin can be treated topically with Retin-A, which has been scientifically proven in clinical trials to improve fine lines. It takes approximately one year of daily use to see a beneficial effect.
Occasionally, if there is an excess amount of skin on the lower lids, there is a small pinch technique that can be used to remove simple excess crepey skin under local anesthesia.
Web reference: http://www.seattlefacial.com
10
July 2, 2008
crepey eyelid skin
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Facial Plastic Surgeon
Answer by Kyle S. Choe, MD
Crepey or loose eyelid skin is a common problem faced by many patients. Depending on the amount of excess skin the treatement options are different.
Mimimal excess skin: Can be addressed with chemical peel (TCA 30-40%) or LASER. Can be performed in the office.
Moderate/Severe: Surgery is the preferred method to actually removed the excess skin. Can be done under local anesthesia if fat is not being removed.
It is critical to note that blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery should not be performed in isolation for those patients with low brow position.
11
June 13, 2008
Eyelid surgery, laser resurfacing and chemical peels
When I read the title question I was prepared to discuss laser resurfacing and chemical peels with you. However, when I read the description of your eyelids it became clear that surgery is your best option.
Eyelid surgery can be done under local anesthesia and can be a very easy recovery depending on the techniques your surgeon needs to use. Simple skin removal has minimal complications and a quick recovery.
The reason I am telling you this is because lesser procedures yield less cosmetic results. Mild crepey skin, which I see as a textural problem, can be addressed very nicely with a laser resurfacing or a TCA peel. Both of these techniques thicken the dermis and help the texture of the skin. When excess skin is present, as well as crepey skin, surgery is the answer.
I hope this is helpful.
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11/20/08
Based on your description it is likely that the best approach would be an upper eyelid blepharoplasty as many have suggested. This can be done under oral or IV sedation and usually takes less than 45-60 minutes. As long as blood pressure is controlled and the patient is off blood thinners (such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, Plavix, Coumadin, and certain vitamins/supplements) the surgery can be done safely. In my practice at least 75% of my patients are 60-85 years of age.
In addition to the above comments it should be mentioned that what some patients describe as crepey skin is really deflated upper eyelid skin. As we age we lose the rounded contour of the sub-brow area between the lateral brow and eyelid. When this area becomes deflated it leaves the skin loose to hang down over the eyelid margin. If the deflation and loose skin is not too severe as to require some excision it can be treated by fillers such as Restylane injection or fat transfer/injection. This needs to be performed by someone experienced with this procedure, but can yield nice results in select patients.
Dr. B