New Year, New You! Solutions for Premature Aging Around the Eyes
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. But often, a person’s age can also be seen in these windows. Sagging eyelids and dark circles can even make a person look older than they are.
In January 2019 renowned Houston oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Mirwat Sami was a featured guest on KPRC2 News Today in Houston, Texas. During the airing, she discussed prevention and treatment with reporter Haley Hernandez, who shared the report with anchors Sofia Ojeda and Owen Conflenti. In this segment, Dr. Sami discusses various treatments, including eyelid surgery, that can turn back the clock on your look.
During the report, patient Stacy Senkyrik said her blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelid surgery) was “one of the best things I could have done for my face, ever!” The surgery, performed by Dr. Sami, got rid of excess skin in the upper and lower eyelids and eliminated the under-eye bags.
The following are the primary ways the signs of aging in the eye region can be addressed.
Topical Formulas, Injections and Surgical Alternatives
Dr. Sami says performing daily maintenance on the skin with moisturizers and sunscreens helps prevent damage to the skin around the eyes. This skin is delicate and susceptible to damage from the sun, as well as to wrinkling and becoming loose and crepey. She recommends using daily moisturizer matched to the season. A light moisturizer such as Neocutis by Lumiere MD is appropriate for the warmer months of the year, and a heavier formula such as SkinMedica TNS eye cream by Allergan is more suitable for colder winter months.
Quality therapeutic creams and other topical formulas reduce the appearance of fine lines and puffiness. They should be used daily to protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays and the damaging elements of the environment. But for advanced wrinkles, sagging skin and dark circles, more intensive treatments can be the most effective.
Botox® Cosmetic as well as facial fillers can be very effective in treating the skin around the eyes. Botox® treatments reduce crow’s feet, the tiny lines around the eyes, as well as frown lines and forehead lines. Injection fillers can help by adding fullness to areas such as the “tear trough” under the eye. Tear trough filler reduces the “hollow” look that causes us to look tired and older. Botox® and fillers can also reduce and plump up laugh lines and creases caused by smiling and facial expressions. These treatments can produce beautiful results, but like any injection treatments, they need to be refreshed over time. And no cream can eliminate under-eye bags.
“Eyelid Surgery is the Gold Standard”
Dr. Sami explains that eyelid surgery enables her to remove excess skin and reposition fat so that areas that have become “hollow” are fuller, and puffiness is reduced and smoothed. Of course, blepharoplasty yields the most dramatic results as compared with topical and injectable therapies, as the surgeon is able to rejuvenate the area around the eyes for long-term results.
After we turn 40, she explains, we lose about 5 cubic centimeters of volume of our faces each year. That’s about a teaspoon of volume annually. It may not seem like much, but it’s significant when we think about that loss to the delicate eye region.
Dramatic “Before” and “After” Blepharoplasty Photos
Before and After photos of patient Stacy Senkyrik reveal a dramatically improved yet completely natural look. And in person, she looks just as good! Sagging skin and puffiness are gone, yet the eyes look youthfully bright and open. There is none of the “pulled back” look, a characteristic of many unsuccessful eye lift surgeries.
Stacy revealed that before the surgery, she noticed when looking at photos of herself, her eye area was keeping her from looking youthful. She wanted to do something about this, because she prided herself in looking younger than her age for most of her life. Friends recommended Dr. Sami, one of the most qualified Oculofacial Plastic surgeons in the country for performing blepharoplasty and other oculofacial cosmetic surgery procedures.
Nationally Recognized Oculofacial Surgeon Blends Technical Skill and Artistic Mastery
Houston, Texas, home to Dr. Sami’s oculoplastic surgery practice, poses particular risks for skin damage because of the intensity of the sun year-round. Houston is also a challenging area for allergy sufferers, and the inflammation and puffiness caused by airborne allergens such as pollen can cause wrinkling and sagging around the eyes.
Many of Dr. Sami’s patients come to her after noticing that their bright-eyed and youthful look is beginning to be replaced by a more tired, hollow look . Eyelid surgery can vastly improve the look in the eye area, creating beautiful, natural-looking results. And Dr. Sami’s expert touch ensures patients never have to experience the stretched-out, “overdone” look. Dr. Sami has the skills and experience to bring out the youthful, bright-eyed beauty in her patients while maintaining a completely natural look.
Dr. Sami and her staff welcome patients to visit their Houston area oculofacial plastic surgery offices. See what they can do to make a more beautiful you!