Eyelid lifting is a complex of hardware, injection and manual manipulations aimed at rejuvenating and modeling the periorbital area (the area around the eyes). This part of the face is considered an area of increased sensitivity, which is why non-surgical aesthetic correction of the eyelids is a difficult task even for a highly qualified specialist with extensive experience. Microsurgical cosmetology and aesthetic medicine today offer several effective methods for lifting the eyelids: lifting with radio waves, bio-strengthening with sutures, contouring, photorejuvenation, microcurrent therapy. You can choose the most appropriate technique only after a visual examination of the problem area, studying the patient's medical history, his goals and ideas about what the end result should be.
Features of periorbital lifting
The area of the eyelids, also called the periorbital area (which is not entirely true, as the lacrimal apparatus, palpebral fissure and conjunctival sac also belong to the periorbital space, in addition to the eyelids), is one of the most sensitive areas of the eyelids. the human body with a thin layer of dermis and minimal subcutaneous fat. The eyelids are muscular-skin folds bounded by conjunctival and cartilage tissue. They are located around the eye and perform several functions simultaneously: protect the cornea and retina from the negative effects of environmental factors (ultraviolet radiation, dust, etc. ), clean the connective tissue membrane due to constant moistening with tear fluid,
prevent dryingof the ocular sclera and the cornea.
The skin in the eyelid area is several times thinner than in other parts of the face, so it is more susceptible to age and stress changes, which in most people become noticeable after 30 years. At this age, the process of natural dehydration of the body begins, as a result of which the epidermal cells lose moisture, and the skin loses its elasticity, becomes sagging and sagging. It is in the periorbital area in men and women over 30 that the first signs of aging are formed: hypodynamic folds that mimic wrinkles, folds in the outer corners of the eyes ("crow's feet").
Eyelid lifting is a complex task that should be performed only by a highly qualified doctor with excellent knowledge of the topographic anatomy of the eye, as improper actions can not only cause new defects, but also seriously impair the function of the visual organs. . The fact is that the eyelids are involved in the formation of the ocular focus and optical geometry of the cornea, as well as in the regulation of intraocular pressure, due to which improper plastic surgery and lifting can provoke visual impairment (in some cases irreversible).
Who needs eyelid lift
Periorbital lifting has no strict medical indications (except for surgical correction, which is often used to treat pathologies that interfere with the normal functioning of the visual organs) and is usually performed at the patient's request to removevisible aesthetic defects. Cosmeticians and plastic surgeons include the following defects in such defects:
- strong overhang of the supraorbital fold;
- excess skin in the infraorbital muscle-skin fold;
- sagging of the outer corners of the eyes;
- periorbital protrusions (fatty hernias);
- periorbital edema (sacs);
- vascular pathologies leading to the appearance of traces of rosacea and dark circles under the eyes;
- hypodynamic wrinkles;
- "crow's feet" (folds in the corners of the eyes);
- strongly expressed infraorbital canals;
- "aging eyelid" (wilting and sagging of the eyelid skin).
Lifting the eyelids also helps make the look fresher and more open by correcting overhanging skin and periorbital fat sacs and improving the overall tone of the area.
The timely use of various methods to rejuvenate the area around the eyes helps to solve one of the main tasks of periorbital lifting - to hide age-related skin changes and get rid of visual defects characteristic of the biological aging of the dermis. against the background of a decrease in the functional potential of epidermal cells.
Important! Aging and heavy eyelids are quite a serious aesthetic defect that can ruin even a young and attractive face. Some signs of skin aging in this area may appear even before the age of thirty (for example, in underweight patients or in a person with pathologies of the endocrine system). As a rule, cosmetics are ineffective in correcting existing problems and are only suitable for preventing premature aging, so the only effective method to deal with this defect is periorbital lifting.
Eyelid lift surgery
Surgery to lift the skin on the upper and lower eyelids is called blepharoplasty. This is a kind of radical lifting of the periorbital area, in which the effect of tightening and rejuvenation is achieved by complete removal of excess skin and oily hernias in the eyelid area.
Unlike non-surgical methods for eyelid lifting, blepharoplasty allows not only to correct the defects of aging skin and improve the appearance of this area, but also to correct the shape and shape of the eyes and get rid of various pathologies. .
Blepharoplasty is effective in such serious ophthalmic diseases as entropion (protrusion of the eyelashes and the edge of the eyelid to the eyeball) or exophthalmos (displacement of the eyeball out of orbit). There are a total of three types of blepharoplasty: upper, lower and round.
Table. Types of radical periorbital lifting
| Type of operation | Tab area | What pathologies can be corrected |
|---|---|---|
| supraorbital blepharoplasty | Skin incision made along the orbital or tarsal fold of the upper eyelid. | Removal of excess skin, subcutaneous fat and muscle plasticity. |
| Suborbital blepharoplasty | A transcutaneous or subciliary incision is made. | Removal of periorbital edema, bags under the eyes, fatty hernias. |
| Circular blepharoplasty | Simultaneous eyelid surgery on both sides. | Solve problems common to all types of blepharoplasty. |
The operation to tighten the periorbital area is performed strictly in a hospital setting, except for the possibility of an outpatient procedure. The patient receives general anesthesia, and the duration of the intervention is on average about 3 hours. A significant disadvantage of this method of eyelid lifting is the postoperative period, which, although short in duration (about two weeks), is characterized by pain, the need for regular dressings and antiseptic treatment and significant restrictions on the regime and professional activity.
Important! The advantage of surgical blepharoplasty is the ability not only to tighten the skin of the eyelids, but also to perform plastic surgery on muscle tissue, which cannot be achieved with the help of hardware and other minimally invasive methods.
Tightening of the periorbital area without surgery
Surgical eyelid lifting is a highly effective method for radical rejuvenation of the area around the eyes, but experts advise to resort to it only in patients of the older age group (after 40 years) with pronounced signs of aging and profound skin changes, related to age. Before reaching this age, while tissue hydrodynamics are within normal limits, there are far fewer traumatic ways to correct existing problems, and the effectiveness of most of these techniques can in some cases be compared to the result of surgical plastic surgery.
Injection (contour) plastic
Contour plastics is probably the safest method for non-surgical eyelid skin lifting, according to the technique to which it belongs to mesotherapy procedures. Contouring is the subcutaneous injection of special implants called fillers.These are preparations in the form of a homogeneous and viscous suspension or gel based on components that have a high degree of affinity for the body's own tissues. These can be:
- hyaluronic acid;
- calcium hydroxyapatite;
- collagen (a peptide synthesized by fibroblasts and which is one of the main elements of the extracellular substance of the dermis, which provides its elasticity and ability to stretch);
- polymers based on acrylic and methacrylic acid; high molecular weight silicon oxygen; polylactic acid;
- salts of tripolyphosphoric acid, etc.
The most popular and sought-after fillers for periorbital lifting are preparations based on hyaluronic acid. These are biodegradable (absorbable) dermal implants that not only compensate for the tissue deficiency in this area, but also help remove wrinkles - one of the main visual signs of facial aging. The advantages of hyaluronic fillers include high hypoallergenicity and excellent results, which can be appreciated immediately after implantation. Bioresorption of hyaluronate occurs within a few weeks, after which the injections should be repeated.
Biosynthetic implants based on lactic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite retain their properties for 1-2 years.
RF lift
Lifting with radio waves or radio frequencies is a non-surgical procedure for lifting the area around the eyes with a high degree of efficiency.
Among the hardware techniques for minimally invasive lifting of the skin of the upper and lower eyelids, RF-lifting occupies a leading position, as it allows not only to achieve an immediate tightening effect, but also to significantly improve the condition of the skin in the periorbital area.
Radio waves, penetrating the dermis to the required depth, heat the epidermal cells to a temperature of collagen compaction, which is about 60 ° C. Under the influence of heat energy, the dermal tissue is heated, there is a partial retraction of the collagen frame, resulting inthe loose collagen fibers contract again and take on their characteristic spiral shape, which is the lifting effect.
RF lifting is suitable for correcting all age-related problems in the eye area (crow's feet, hypodynamic wrinkles, eyelid ptosis, etc. ), and the result lasts up to 1-2 years. To achieve a stable rejuvenating effect, you will need to perform about 6-10 procedures with an interval of at least 7-10 days.
Bioreinforcement with threads (thread lifting)
Thread lifting is a procedure for rejuvenating the area around the eyes, which is based on the implantation of special cosmetic sutures made of various metals and synthetic materials under the skin, resulting in the formation of a new collagen skeleton in the subcutaneous layers. The procedure is quite effective and allows you to deal with the problem of "aging eyelid", fatty periorbital hernias, the phenomena of gravitational ptosis and other phenomena characteristic of aging skin.
There are several types of threads for lifting the thread. The threads of precious metals are in great demand in cosmetology. These fibers are made of platinum or gold and are designed to strengthen the upper layers of the dermis. Gold fibers not only provide a visible lifting effect, but also stimulate cellular metabolism, improving the supply of dermal cells with nutrients, oxygen and vitamins. Serious disadvantages of precious metal threads are the high risk of peeling and the inability to use many cosmetic procedures, such as photothermolysis after reinforcement.
Liquid mesonites are mainly used to combat small hypodynamic folds, correct the "aging eyelid" and smooth the skin in the periorbital area. The duration of such a procedure does not exceed 20-30 minutes, but the reinforcement with liquid fibers has many contraindications and is always accompanied by various side effects (swelling, bruising, redness). Experts believe that the most effective type of eyelid suture lifting is Swiss, polylactic and Korean sutures. The result after such reinforcement lasts about 2-3 years.
Fractional photothermolysis
Fractional photothermolysis is another effective method for non-surgical skin tightening of the upper and lower eyelids. This is a type of laser rejuvenation in which a fractional laser generator (eg an erbium laser) is used to affect the problem area. The beam generated by this device is scattered in many streams and, when it hits the skin, forms a large number of microthermal healing zones in which the main effect takes place, so that the surrounding
tissues are not heated or injured.
A distinctive feature and at the same time the main principle of action of fractional photothermolysis is the heating of the skin to a temperature of 250-300 ° C, which experts call the evaporation procedure. Old, pathologically altered and destroyed cells under the influence of such temperature are destroyed and evaporated, while activating the natural neocollagenesis and increasing the activity of fibroblasts, which synthesize the main components of the extracellular matrix - peptides (collagen and elastin).
The result of fractional laser restoration is noticeable tightening of the skin in the eyelids, smoothing of wrinkles and folds, restoration of the hydrodynamics of the periorbital tissues and improvement of the general condition of the skin in this area.
Pulse currents (microcurrents)
Microcurrent therapy refers to low-trauma eyelid lifting methods, but a significant disadvantage of this method is the short duration of the result (not more than 4 months). The clinical result of the use of microcurrent therapy to lift the periorbital area is due to the following properties of pulse currents:
- normalization of lymphatic drainage.Lymphatic drainage effect, which has impulse currents on the skin, improves the movement of lymph, prevents its stagnation and helps to lighten the dark circles under the eyes;
- stimulation of metabolic processes.Activation of cellular metabolism has a positive effect on the transport of oxygen and nutrients and the appearance of the skin (the skin becomes smooth, acquires a healthy appearance);
- restore muscle tone.The eyelid muscles are quite weak, and the additional stimulation allows you to achieve a tightening effect.
Before and after pictures
Conclusion
Lifting the eyelids is a difficult but at the same time feasible task, for the solution of which modern aesthetic medicine offers a large number of effective methods, including low-trauma manipulations with a low probability of complications. Which method of periorbital lifting will be the most effective and safe is decided individually after talking to the patient, diagnosing the problem area and studying the data from the medical history.
The use of surgical techniques is indicated mainly for patients with marked signs of aging in the eye area, in whom the use of gentle techniques is ineffective and is unlikely to give a stable positive result. People with the initial manifestations of the "aging age" are better off choosing minimally invasive methods with a low degree of tissue trauma and a short recovery period.