Get the real deal on beauty treatments—real doctors, real reviews, and real photos with real results.Here's how we earn your trust.

POSTED UNDER Eyelid Surgery REVIEWS

Going on 36...curse these genetic eye bags!

ORIGINAL POST

I have low self esteem and have struggled with my...

I have low self esteem and have struggled with my appearance/aging for several years now as I feel I look so much older than my age. I've always focused on my emerging wrinkles, uneven tone etc, but over the Christmas holidays I noticed how baggy my eyes were and now i can't seem to look in the mirror without loathing them.
Found some old makeup-less pics on my phone that I had taken about a year ago to try and document any improvement on my skin from microneedling and I realised now the bags were always there. I don't know if they are getting worse (seems to depend on the lighting) or if I am just obsessed with them now. I also have draping in my uppers (one worse than the other) and unsymmetrical eyes, but I guess I can live with that for now.
There is no longer an occuloplastic surgeon on my area and I don't think I want to make the trek to fly several hours to see one alone. I have a consult later this month with an opthamplogist who performs blephs and hoping to get a better idea of my options then. There at plastic surgeons on my area but none specialize in the eye area...seem better known for breast enhancements and mommy makeovers. Which would you choose?
I am hoping for a transconjnctival bleph with fat repositioning if I can find a surgeon with this experience. I am worried about a hollow look from fat removal as I think my eye sockets and tear troughs are already apparent. I have thin skin under my eyes that bunches especially when I smile... Not sure if a chem peel, laser resurfacing or a skin pinch would be best. Hoping to have any surgery done under local plus Light IV sedation.
I have set aside 2 weeks vacation late in the summer for recovery if I decide to go ahead with surgery. I am very pale and alredy have problems with broken capillaries etc so I am terrified of excessive bruising as I don't plan to tell anyone (aside from my husband...who already thinks I'm crazy to consider this) My kids are going to be away the first week but back the second so hopefully O am not too scary looking!
Sorry for the novel. Welcome any advice, feedback, support etc
Pics below don't show how bad the bags and under eye area is. The first two are older and the last is tonight in the ugliest light imaginable. . Excuse the red and flaky under eyes, I went a little crazy with vitamin c serum. If I tilt my head down they pop out and shadow ????

Replies (12)

June 2, 2016
You are so lovely! I didn't notice bags in photos. Maybe morning puffiness? but I understand different photo lighting and what we see in the mirror and to others can be quite different! What is needling? I too use serums but am in 50's and finally am doing the blepharoplasty! August 16th is my date. I have had friends and family do Botox and fillers over a course of years. My decision was based on their telling me they return every few months for several hundred dollars. Over a period of years, that added up to the costs of surgery. Your photos are lovely even before, so after you will likely enjoy even great self-esteem. Look at your PS binders of before and after and read RealSelf for physicians in your area or where you may be traveling. I'm in that process still! You might want to put your age group as the filter to get an idea of similarly young skin since your results will likely be stellar given you do have youth/young skin on your side. Sounds like you also take very good care of your skin with quality products!
June 10, 2016
Hi ChaCha. Microneedling is like a meat tenderizer for skin
June 10, 2016
Haha half my post disappeared! Sorry! Will write again later
June 4, 2016
Hi!
I Also don't see any eye bags. I'm your age, also worried about aging, I think you have young looking eyes.
June 10, 2016
You're too kind! I'll try to take another pic to show them.
June 4, 2016
I think your under eye hollows are very minimal and normal. Maybe try filler if you'd like, you probably wouldn't need much. Or just a different concealer. I use RMS Beauty un-cover up as a concealer and it works very well except in hot weather or during excercise. Not too dry or caking. It's coconut oil based so with excessive heat it melts a bit.
June 10, 2016
Thanks Avogirl. Need to get better pics. They are not huge but apparent. People are always asking me if I slept well. I am waiting to talk to the surgeon at the end of the month to see if I will go through with it. I may wait a year and try makeup. Thanks for the recommendation. I love natural based products!
June 10, 2016
I have read with slight puffiness like yours that PS can perform a filler around cheekbone area - upper cheekbone area - to bridge age group 30's to late 40's and then patients often consider their blepharoplasty at that time. There are likely photos of this transition on RealSelf. Under eye treatments with fillers. I do see what many say is that the filler longevity may or may not fit the patients long range goal desires. You are quite lovely no matter what you decide!
June 10, 2016
I use a 1.5mm seems roller every 6ish weeks. It creates micro channels in the skin and stimulates collagen production. Improves scaring and find lines and is also supposed to help even skin tone - although I haven't noticed a difference with that -still freckle-y. Shorter length needles can be used several times a week to improve product penetration. I haven't seen huge results but it is making small improvements over time :-) I am too scared to do fillers as I heard it can easily go wrong. Looking for something more permanent. Thanks for all the advice on researching! I have taken 2 weeks vacation mid August in case I decide to go through with a bleph. Maybe we can compare notes during the healing process!

Another shot in of the bags

Here's another shot of the bags in bathroom lighting, chin tilted down. They aren't as apparent straight on...but there is still permanent puffiness and shadowing near the inside corners.

I requested a consult with a local PS but he prefers the transcutaneous approach - cutting through muscle to access fat from outside. I'm not comfortable with the more complicated and risky approach of that as I have my mind set on s transconjnctival bleph with either chem peel or maybe a skin pinch.

I have a consult with a opthamplogist who preforms blephs in a couple week. He has great ratings but cosmetic procedures are not his main focus of expertise. What questions would you ask?

I am not sure at this point if I will go through with it. Depends on if I can find a local doc I am comfortable with. I found out that there was a very well regarded occuloplastic surgeon in my city a year ago but he has since moved his practice to the Toronto area ????

Replies (0)

First referral

I saw an opthamplogist today who Alao does cosmetic blephs. He has excellent reviews and describes both types of lower blephs (transcutaneous and transconjnctival) on his website. After checking my eyes and examining me, he advised he sees the mild endereye fat that bothers me, but he only does transcutaneous lower blephs - usually for much older patients. He didn't feel that he was the right surgeon for me as he doesn't think the approach he uses is a good fit, that a scar, even mild, may bother me. I appreciated his time and honesty as well as the referral to a colleague of his that does lower blephs from the inside. Unfortunately it seems from online info that this other surgeon has about a 6 month surgery wait times, and that time may not include the time waiting to be initially seen by him. Kind of bummed...looks like I am stuck with the bags for awhile!

Replies (1)

User Avatar
July 9, 2016
I agree with you, you only want transconjunctival (inside eyelids) bleph. My surgeon said that transcutaneous was only done where there are large amounts of excess skin to be got rid of (like mine, lucky me!) You are so young, you don't want scars, even slight ones, why you can have it all done invisibly. I wish you well in your search. Perhaps the travelling further has to be done, or the long waiting list - for the right surgeon, it'll all be worth it, it is your face. Good luck x