I'm a 28 year old woman and have always had these bags and excess skin under my eyes for as long as I can remember. It's kind of a genetic thing as some of my siblings have it too. I really hate it and want to get it fixed. I thought that it was just excess skin below my eyes, but I saw one plastic surgeon who said it was caused from muscle hypertrophy. I am looking for opinions on what exactly it is and how I can get it fixed. Please help. (I posted 4 pictures with 2 smiling and 2 regular.)
April 10, 2016
Answer: Treatment for under eye bags caused by muscle hypertrophy and excess skin? Yes, I agree. It is muscle hypertrophy and it is exacerbated with contracture(smiling).However, consider the cause, not the symptom.There is no true lateral(side view) included but based on the apparent hyperpigmentation(dark circles) and the outer corner of your eye is lower than the inner corner, you appear to have a slightly flat cheek bone below the lower eyelid. The cheek support to the lower lid and without that support the lower lid must work hard contracting against gravity---thus the muscle hypertrophy.If you were my patient, I would offer you two options:1) transcutaneous lower lid blepharoplasty(incision under your eyelashes) with muscle weakening and canthoplasty to elevate the outer corner of your eye so it is at least even with the inner corner.The outer corner of the eye drops even more with smiling, so muscle weakening laterally would be beneficial as well.2) fat grafting---long lasting and aesthetic when done properly--- would support the lower lid allowing the lower lid muscle to work less and therefore gradually weaken(I would add Botox to help speed the process); fat grafting would also stabilize additional bone loss as you age which tends to exacerbate these issues as well as reducing the lower lid hyperpigmentation.My preference is the second option becasue it deals with the darkened lower lid and is anti-agingHope that helps
Helpful
April 10, 2016
Answer: Treatment for under eye bags caused by muscle hypertrophy and excess skin? Yes, I agree. It is muscle hypertrophy and it is exacerbated with contracture(smiling).However, consider the cause, not the symptom.There is no true lateral(side view) included but based on the apparent hyperpigmentation(dark circles) and the outer corner of your eye is lower than the inner corner, you appear to have a slightly flat cheek bone below the lower eyelid. The cheek support to the lower lid and without that support the lower lid must work hard contracting against gravity---thus the muscle hypertrophy.If you were my patient, I would offer you two options:1) transcutaneous lower lid blepharoplasty(incision under your eyelashes) with muscle weakening and canthoplasty to elevate the outer corner of your eye so it is at least even with the inner corner.The outer corner of the eye drops even more with smiling, so muscle weakening laterally would be beneficial as well.2) fat grafting---long lasting and aesthetic when done properly--- would support the lower lid allowing the lower lid muscle to work less and therefore gradually weaken(I would add Botox to help speed the process); fat grafting would also stabilize additional bone loss as you age which tends to exacerbate these issues as well as reducing the lower lid hyperpigmentation.My preference is the second option becasue it deals with the darkened lower lid and is anti-agingHope that helps
Helpful