Droopy Eyelids - Alternatives to Eyelift Surgery?

Hooding of the upper lids is a fairly common problem with aging. Shrinkage and the downward displacement of the supporting fat pads under the eyebrows, coupled with an overall loss in both the amounts and quality of collagen and elastic fibers are contributing factors.

While blepharoplasty remains the gold standard for treating this problem, many people wish to avoid the expense, risks and downtime of traditional eyelift surgery. For these people, the Ten Minute Eyelift, a minimally invasive technique, offers a viable and quick alternative.

The procedure is simple. The redundant portion of the underside of the hooded area of each upper lid, which is hidden from view, is first marked and then injected with a tiny amount of a local anesthetic.

Next, a heated probe is run along the marked areas until visible shrinkage and retratction of the hooding is observed and the underlying true upper eyelid exposed sufficiently. Once done, the resulting line-like wound is covered with an ointment and is left to heal spontaneously.

Each eyelid takes about five minutes to treat in this fashion, hence the name the Ten Minute Eyelift. Most people return to their daily routines immediately afterward, although some prefer to do so the following day.

Slight swelling, tenderness, and a tiny amount of drainage and scabbing along the treatment line are common and are simply treated by cleaning and the application of a bit of Vaseline or antibiotic ointment. Wounds are generally completely healed in seven to ten days.

A fine, linear scar eventually results, which remains hidden under the remainder of the now shortened and less droopy upper lid.

Overall, patients have been quite gratified by the results and by the ease, rapidity, relative inexpensiveness and lack of need for traditional eyelift surgery.

This is an excellent question! There will almost always be a non-surgical option to address issues with the eyelids and the face, though the biggest difference is how effective it is compared to surgery. This will vary widely based on the cause of your issues. If the droopiness is from excess skin, then there are several different types of laser treatments that can tighten this area and even some medical grade skin care products. If the issue is more from "bags" of fluid, then changes in the diet (low sodium, low sugar, etc.) can help minimize how much fluid the body holds on to. If the droopiness is more of a "hollowness" then sometimes this can be addressed with filler, creating a more smooth transition from eyelid to cheek. If the issue is from prolapsed fat or stretched out eye muscles (festoons), then surgery would likely be a more effective option than some of the non surgical adjuncts.
Hope this helps!Kyle Kimura, MDFacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

As a board certified plastic surgeon, I am often asked this question. The technique for improving sagging upper eyelids depends on the degree of loose skin, as well as the goals of the patient. The more loose skin, the more likely that surgery would be the answer. What most patients don’t realize is how quick the recovery is for this surgical procedure, called an “upper blepharoplasty.”. In just eight days, patients can be fully recovered, all sutures removed, resulting in a neat, clean upper eyelid. Most important is to produce a result that does not remove too much skin to produce the dreaded “deer-in-the-headlights” look. This is key -- and being an expert in revision surgery of the face (faces, noses, necks, eyes, chins), the difficulty of revisionary surgery of the upper eyelids is that if a prior surgeon removed too much tissue, or put the incision in the wrong place, there is little that can be done to improve the situation. It’s key to place the incision where it is not easily seen when a patient is in normal expression. When there is a mild or moderate amount of excess skin, there are some non-surgical options such as miconeedling with RF (radiofrequency) that can be helpful. Sometimes, expertly placed Botox can provide a slight lift to the upper-eyelid skin. Threadlifting is another effective, non-surgical approach. I would suggest that you meet with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and see what treatment would be best for you.