Eyelid lift is a complex of hardware, injection, and manual manipulations that aim to rejuvenate and model the periorbital region (the area around the eyes). This part of the face is considered a zone of increased sensitivity, so non-surgical aesthetic eyelid correction is a difficult task even for a highly qualified specialist with extensive experience. Microsurgical cosmetology and aesthetic medicine today offer various effective methods of lifting the eyelids: radio wave lifting, bio-reinforcement with threads, contour plastic, photo rejuvenation, microcurrent therapy. You can only choose the most suitable technique after visually examining the problem area, examining the patient's medical history, goals and ideas about the end result.
Special features of periorbital lifting
The area of the eyelids, which is also known as the periorbital zone (which is not entirely true, since the tear system, 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 human body with a thin layer of dermisand minimal subcutaneous fat. The eyelids are musculocutaneous folds bounded by the conjunctival and cartilage tissue. They are located around the eye and perform several functions at the same time: they protect the cornea and retina from the negative effects of environmental factors (ultraviolet radiation, dust, etc. ), clean the connective tissue membrane by constantly wetting them with tear fluid, 
prevent the sclera and cornea from drying out.
The skin in the eyelid area is many times thinner than other parts of the face, making it more prone to age-related and stressful changes that most people feel 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 loose and flabby. In the periorbital zone in men and women over 30, the first signs of aging appear: hypodynamic wrinkles, mimicking wrinkles, wrinkles in the outer corners of the eyes ("crow's feet").
Eyelid lift is a complex task that should only be performed by a highly qualified doctor with excellent knowledge of the topographical anatomy of the eye, since improper actions can not only cause new defects, but also seriously affect the functioning of the organs of vision. The fact is that the eyelids are involved in the formation of the eye focus and the optical geometry of the cornea, as well as in the regulation of intraocular pressure. Therefore, improperly performed plastic surgery and lifting can provoke disruption of visual function (in some cases irreversible).
Who needs an eyelid lift?
Elevation of the periorbital zone does not have strict medical indications (with the exception of surgical correction, which is often used to treat pathologies that affect the normal functioning of the organs of vision) and is usually carried out at the request of the patient to remove visible aesthetic defectsto eliminate. Beauticians and plastic surgeons have the following shortcomings to such disadvantages:
- strong overhang of the supraorbital fold;
- excess skin in the infraorbital musculocutaneous fold;
- drooping of the outer corners of the eyes;
- periorbital protrusions (fatty hernias);
- periorbital edema (bags);
- vascular pathologies that lead to the appearance of traces of rosacea and dark circles under the eyes;
- hypodynamic folds;
- "crow's feet" (wrinkles in the corners of the eyes);
- very pronounced infraorbital grooves;
- "aging eyelid" (wilting and sagging of the eyelid skin).
The eyelid lift also contributes to a fresher and more open appearance by correcting overhanging skin and periorbital fat bags and improving the overall tone of the area.
Timely application of various methods of rejuvenation of the eye area will help solve one of the main tasks of periorbital lifting - to hide age-related skin changes and eliminate visual defects characteristic of the biological aging of the dermis against the background of a decrease in the functional potential of epidermal cellsare.
Important! Aging and heavy eyelids are quite a serious aesthetic flaw that can ruin even a young and attractive face. In some cases, signs of skin aging in this area can appear before the age of 30 (e. g. in patients who are underweight or in people with endocrine system pathologies). As a rule, cosmetic products are ineffective at correcting existing problems and are only suitable for preventing premature aging. Therefore, periorbital elevation is the only effective method of treating this defect.
Eyelid lift
An operation to lift the skin in the upper and lower eyelids is called blepharoplasty. This is a kind of radical lifting of the periorbital zone, in which the effect of tightening and rejuvenation is achieved by completely removing excess skin and fatty hernias in the eyelid area.
Unlike non-surgical methods of lifting the eyelids, blepharoplasty can not only correct the defects of aging skin and improve the appearance of this area, but also correct the shape and shape of the eyes, as well as eliminate various pathologies.
Blepharoplasty is effective for such serious eye diseases as entropion (bulging of the eyelashes and the edge of the eyelid towards the eyeball) or exophthalmos (displacement of the eyeball outside the orbit). In total, there are three types of blepharoplasty: upper, lower and circular.
table. Types of radical periorbital elevation
| Operation type | Section area | Which pathologies can be corrected? |
|---|---|---|
| Supraorbital blepharoplasty | An incision made along the fold of the eye socket or tarsus of the upper eyelid. | Removal of excess skin, subcutaneous fat and muscle plastic. |
| 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. | Solving problems common to all types of blepharoplasty. |
The tightening of the periorbital zone takes place exclusively in a hospital, whereby the possibility of an outpatient procedure is excluded. The patient is given general anesthesia and the procedure takes about 3 hours on average. A major disadvantage of this method of lifting the eyelids is the postoperative period, which, despite its short duration (about two weeks), is characterized by pain, the need for regular bandage and antiseptic treatment, as well as significant restrictions on the regime and professional activities.
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 the muscle tissue that cannot be achieved with hardware and other minimally invasive methods.
Tightening of the periorbital zone without surgery
Surgical eyelid lift is a highly effective method for radical rejuvenation of the eye area. However, experts advise to resort to only patients in the older age group (after 40 years) with pronounced signs of aging and deep age-related skin changes. Before this age, although the hydrodynamics of tissues are in the normal range, there are many less traumatic ways to correct existing problems, while the effectiveness of most of these techniques can in some cases be compared to the result of surgical plastic.
Injection plastic (contour)
Contour plasty is possibly the safest method for non-surgical tightening of the eyelid skin, depending on the technique that is part of the mesotherapeutic procedure. Contouring is a subdermal injection of special implants called fillers.
These are preparations in the form of a homogeneous and viscous suspension or a gel based on components that have a high degree of affinity for the body's own tissue. These can be:
- hyaluronic acid;
- calcium hydroxylapatite;
- collagen (a peptide synthesized by fibroblasts and one of the main elements of the extracellular substance of the dermis, which ensures its elasticity and extensibility);
- polymers based on acrylic and methacrylic acid;
- high molecular weight silicone containing oxygen;
- polylactic acid;
- tripolyphosphoric acid salts etc.
The most popular and sought-after fillers for periorbital lifting are hyaluronic acid-based preparations. These are biodegradable (resorbable) skin implants that not only compensate for tissue deficiencies in this area, but also help eliminate wrinkles - one of the most important visual signs of facial aging. The advantages of hyaluronic fillers include high hypoallergenicity and excellent results that can be seen immediately after implantation. The bioresorption of hyaluronate occurs within a few weeks, after which the injections must be repeated.
Biosynthetic implants based on polylactic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite retain their properties for 1-2 years.
HF lifting
Radio wave or high frequency lifting is a non-surgical lifting of the eye area with a high degree of effectiveness.
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 not only achieves an instant tightening effect, but also significantly improves the skin condition in the periorbital zone.
Radio waves, which penetrate the dermis to the required depth, heat the epidermis cells to the collagen compression temperature of around 60 ° C. The skin tissue heats up under the influence of thermal energy and the collagen structure is partially retracted, causing the loose collagen fibersshrink 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 area around the eyes (crow's feet, hypodynamic wrinkles, eyelid ptosis, etc. ). The result obtained lasts up to 1-2 years. In order to achieve a stable rejuvenation effect, you need to do about 6-10 procedures with an interval of at least 7-10 days.
Bio reinforcement with threads (thread elevation)
Suture lifting is a method of rejuvenating the eye area based on the implantation of special cosmetic threads made of various metals and synthetic materials under the skin, creating a new scaffold of collagen in the subdermal layers. The procedure is very effective and allows you to cope with the problem of "aging eyelid", fatty periorbital hernias, phenomena of gravitational ptosis and other phenomena characteristic of aging skin.
There are different types of threads for lifting threads. Threads made of precious metals are in great demand in cosmetics. These threads are made of platinum or gold and are designed to strengthen the top layers of the dermis. Golden threads not only ensure a visible lifting effect, but also stimulate the cell metabolism and improve the supply of the skin cells with nutrients, oxygen and vitamins. Serious disadvantages of threads made of precious metals are the high risk of detachment and the impossibility of using many cosmetic procedures, for example photothermolysis after reinforcement.
Liquid mesothreads are mainly used to combat small hypodynamic wrinkles, correct the "aging eyelid" and smooth the skin in the periorbital zone. The duration of such a procedure is no more than 20-30 minutes. However, reinforcement with liquid threads has many contraindications and is always associated with various side effects (swelling, bruising, redness). Experts believe that the most effective types of eyelid lifting are Swiss, polylactic, and Korean threads. The result after such reinforcement lasts for 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 that uses a fractional laser generator (such as an erbium laser) to influence the problem area. The beam generated by this device is scattered in many currents and when it hits the skin forms a large number of microthermal healing zones where the main effect takes place so that the surrounding
tissue is not heated and is not injured.
A special feature and at the same time the main principle of action of fractionated photothermolysis is the heating of the skin to a temperature of 250-300 ° C, which experts call an evaporation process. Old, pathologically changed and destroyed cells are destroyed and evaporated under the influence of such a temperature, while natural neocollagenesis is activated and the activity of fibroblasts increases, which synthesize the main components of the extracellular matrix - peptides (collagen and elastin).
The result of a fractional laser treatment is a noticeable tightening of the skin in the eyelids, smoothing of wrinkles and creases, restoration of the hydrodynamics of the periorbital tissue and an improvement in the general condition of the skin in this area.
Impulse currents (micro currents)
Microcurrent therapy refers to low-trauma methods of lifting the eyelids. However, a major disadvantage of this method is the short duration of the result (no more than 4 months). The clinical result of using microcurrent therapy to elevate the periorbital zone is based on the following properties of impulse currents:
- Normalization of the lymphatic drainage. lymphatic drainage effect, which has impulse currents on the skin, improves the movement of lymph, prevents its stagnation and helps to lighten dark circles under the eyes;
- Stimulation of metabolic processes.The activation of the cell metabolism has a positive effect on the transport of oxygen and nutrients as well as on the appearance of the skin (the skin becomes smooth and has a healthy appearance).
- Restoration of muscle tone.The muscles of the eyelids are rather weak and you can achieve a tightening effect with additional stimulation.
The standard course duration is 10 to 20 procedures, while in most cases it is necessary to repeat the procedure after a few months.
Before and after photos
Conclusion
Lifting the eyelids is a difficult, but at the same time feasible task, for the solution of which modern aesthetic medicine offers a variety of effective methods, including low-traumatic manipulations with a low probability of complications. The most effective and safest method of periorbital lifting is determined individually after speaking with the patient, diagnosing the problem area, and examining the medical history data.
The use of surgical techniques is indicated primarily for patients with marked signs of aging in the area around the eyes, for whom the use of gentle techniques is ineffective and is unlikely to give a stable positive result. Individuals with the first manifestations of the "aging century" are better off using minimally invasive methods with low levels of tissue trauma and a short recovery period.