How To Tell If You Need A Brow Lift, An Eyelid Lift, Or Both

HOUSTON PLASTIC SURGEON BOB BASU, MD, DISCUSSES BROW LIFTS & EYELID LIFTS IN NEW ARTICLE FROM AEDIT

The rejuvenating procedures are not the same, nor are they interchangeable.

Written by Elise Minton Tabin
02.17.2022

As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. And, sometimes, these windows can be overrun by heavy upper lids, baggy lower eyelids, or even low-hanging brows that impede the appearance of an awake, youthful-looking eye. With so many potential changes affecting the eye area, how is one to know if they need a blepharoplasty (a.k.a. eyelid lift), a brow lift, or both? We tapped into four plastic surgeons for their insight on choosing the right surgery.

Age-Related Eye Changes

The aging eye can be difficult to navigate since there are various changes the area experiences. Like no two bodies are the same, neither are any two sets of eyes. But, for the most part, the relative transformation that most of us tend to notice to the eyes and the surrounding area include:

• Saggy Skin: The eyes boast perhaps the thinnest skin on the entire face, which is why they are often one of the first areas — if not the first — to show their age. Both the upper and lower eyelid skin can transform from firm and elastic to crepey, stretched out, and sagging.
• Under-Eye Bags: Not everyone experiences bulging bags, but, if they surface, it’s usually from a weakening of the muscles and tendons coupled with displaced, protruding fat.
• Fat: In some, there are signs of fat loss and a hollowing of the under-eye area; in others, fat becomes displaced and begins to protrude from the lower eyelids causing bags to form.
• Fine Lines & Wrinkles: With changes to the quality of the skin come finely etched in lines and wrinkles around the eyes (i.e. crow’s feet), underneath them, and on the upper eyelids. Sun exposure, lifestyle choices, and inherently thin skin are all to blame.

Plastic surgeons don’t follow a one-size-fits-all method to correct the eyes. Since the cause of aging in the region is multifactorial, your surgeon must tailor the solutions to address the issues at hand.

Continue reading the Dr. Basu interview on Aedit >