The eyelid lift is a complex of hardware, injection and manual manipulations aimed at rejuvenating and shaping the periorbital area (the area around the eyes). This part of the face is considered an area of increased sensitivity, so 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-reinforcement with threads, contour plastics, photorejuvenation, microcurrent therapy. It is possible to choose the most suitable technique only after a visual examination of the problem area, studying the patient's medical history, his goals and ideas about what the final result should be.
Peculiarities of periorbital lifting
The region of the eyelids, also called the periorbital zone (which is not entirely true, since the lacrimal apparatus, the eyelid fissure and the conjunctival sac, in addition to the eyelids, also belong to the periorbital space), is one of the mostsensitive body with a thin layer of dermis and subcutaneous fat. The eyelids are musculocutaneous folds, bounded behind by the conjunctival and cartilage tissue. They are located around the eye and perform multiple functions at once: they protect the cornea and retina from the negative effects of environmental factors (ultraviolet radiation, dust, etc. ), clean the connective tissue membrane thanks to constant wetting with tear fluid, 
prevent drying of the eye sclera and cornea.
The skin in the eyelid area is many times thinner than in other parts of the face, so it is more prone to age-related and stressful changes, which in most people become noticeable after 30 years. At this age, the 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 saggy. It is in the periorbital area in men and women over 30 that the first signs of aging are formed: hypodynamic folds, mimic wrinkles, folds at the outer corners of the eyes ("crow's feet").
Eyelid lifting is a complex task that should only be performed by a highly qualified doctor with very good knowledge of the topographical anatomy of the eye, as improper actions can not only cause new defects, but also seriously impair functionof the visual organs. The fact is that the eyelids are involved in the formation of the focus of the eye 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 a disturbance of visual function(in some cases, irreversible).
Who needs an eyelid lift
Lifting of the periorbital area 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 request of the patient in order to eliminatevisible aesthetic deficiencies. Cosmetologists and plastic surgeons include the following shortcomings to such disadvantages:
- strong protrusion of the supraorbital fold;
- excess skin in the infraorbital musculocutaneous fold;
- lowering of the outer corners of the eyes;
- periorbital protrusions (fatty hernias);
- periorbital edema (sacs);
- vascular pathologies that lead to the appearance of traces of rosacea and dark circles under the eyes;
- hypodynamic wrinkles;
- "crow's feet" (creases at the corners of the eyes);
- strongly pronounced infraorbital furrows;
- "aging of the eyelids" (wilting and laxity of the skin of the eyelids).
The eyelid lift also helps create a fresher and more open look by correcting protruding skin and periorbital fatty bags and improving the overall tone of the area.
Timely use of various methods of rejuvenation of the area around the eyes helps to solve one of the main tasks of the periorbital lifting - to hide age-related changes in the skin and get rid of visual defects characteristic of biological aging of the dermisagainst the background of a decrease in the functional potential of epidermal cells.
Important! Aging and heavy eyelids are a rather serious cosmetic defect that can ruin even a young and attractive face. In some, the 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 endocrine system disorders). As a rule, cosmetic products are ineffective for correcting existing problems and are only suitable for preventing premature aging, so the only effective method of dealing with this defect is periorbital lifting.
Eyelid Lifting Surgery
An operation to lift the skin of the upper and lower eyelids is called blepharoplasty. This is a type of radical lifting of the periorbital area, in which the strengthening and rejuvenating effect is achieved by completely removing excess skin and fatty hernias in the eyelid area.
Unlike non-surgical methods of lifting the eyelids, 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, as well as getting rid of various pathologies.
Blepharoplasty is effective for severe ophthalmic diseases such as entropion (swelling 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 periorbital radical lifting
| Type of operation | Section area | What pathologies can be corrected |
|---|---|---|
| Supraorbital blepharoplasty | A skin incision made along the orbital or tarsal crease 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. | Troubleshooting common to all types of blepharoplasty. |
The stiffening of the periorbital area takes place strictly in a hospital setting, excluding the possibility of an outpatient procedure. The patient is given general anesthesia and the duration of the surgery is, on average, about 3 hours. A significant drawback of this method of lifting the eyelids is the postoperative period, which, although it has a short duration (about two weeks), is characterized by pain, the need for regular dressings and antiseptic treatment and significant restrictions on the regimen 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 of the muscle tissue, which cannot be achieved using hardware and other minimally invasive methods.
Strengthening of the periorbital area without surgery
Surgical lifting of the eyelids is a very effective method of radical rejuvenation of the area around the eyes, but experts recommend using it only for patients of the most advanced age group (after 40 years) with pronounced signs of agingand profound age-related skin changes. Before reaching this age, while tissue hydrodynamics is in the normal range, there are many less traumatic ways to correct existing problems, while the effectiveness of most of these techniques in some cases can be compared to the result of surgical plastic. .
Injected plastic (contour)
Contour plastic is perhaps the safest method for non-surgical eyelid skin lifting, according to the technique to which mesotherapy procedures belong. 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 body 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 guarantees its elasticity and the ability to stretch);
- polymers based on acrylic and methacrylic acid;
- high molecular weight oxygenated silicone;
- polylactic acid;
- salts of tripolyphosphoric acid, etc.
The most popular and in demand fillers for periorbital lifting are preparations based on hyaluronic acid. These are biodegradable (absorbable) dermal implants, which not only compensate for the tissue deficiency in this area, but also help eliminate 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 must be repeated.
Biosynthetic implants based on polylactic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite retain their properties for 1-2 years.
RF Lift
Lifting with radio waves or radiofrequencies is a non-surgical lifting of the area around the eyes with a high degree of effectiveness.
Among the hardware techniques for minimally invasive skin lifting of the upper and lower eyelids, RF lifting occupies a leading position, since it allows not only to obtain an immediate tightening effect, but also to significantly improve the condition of the skinin the periorbital area.
Radio waves, penetrating the dermis to the required depth, heat the epidermal cells to the collagen densification temperature, which is about 60 ° C. Under the influence of thermal energy, the dermal tissue heats up, occursa partial retraction of the collagen structure, as a result of which the dissolved collagen fibers are compressed again and take on their characteristic spiral shape, which is the lifting effect.
The RF lift is suitable for correcting all age-related problems in the area around the eyes (crow's feet, hypodynamic wrinkles, eyelid ptosis, etc. ) and the result obtained lasts up to 1-2 years. To achieve a stable rejuvenating effect, it will be necessary to perform about 6-10 procedures with an interval of at least 7-10 days.
Bio-reinforcement with threads (wire lifting)
Thread lifting is a procedure for rejuvenating the area around the eyes, which is based on the implantation of special cosmetic threads made of various metals and synthetic materials under the skin, as a result of which a new skeleton ofcollagen in the subdermal layers. The procedure is quite effective and allows to face the problem of the “aging century”, of periorbital adipose hernias, of the phenomena of gravitational ptosis and of other phenomena characteristic of skin aging.
There are different types of threads for lifting threads. Precious metal threads are in great demand in cosmetology. These strands are made of platinum or gold and are designed to reinforce the upper layers of the dermis. The gold threads not only provide a visible lifting effect, but also stimulate cellular metabolism, improving the supply of nutrients, oxygen and vitamins to the cells of the dermis. Serious disadvantages of precious metal threads are the high risk of detachment and the inability to use many cosmetic procedures, for example, photothermolysis after reinforcement.
Liquid mesopetes are mainly used to combat small hypodynamic folds, correct "aged eyelid" and smooth the skin in the periorbital area. The duration of such a procedure does not exceed 20-30 minutes, but reinforcement with liquid threads has many contraindications and is always accompanied by various side effects (swelling, bruising, redness). Experts believe that the most effective type of eyelid thread lift is Swiss, polylactic and Korean thread. The result after such reinforcement lasts about 2-3 years.
Fractional photothermolysis
Fractional photothermolysis is another effective non-surgical method of firming the skin of the upper and lower eyelid. This is a type of laser rejuvenation in which a fractional laser generator (for example, an erbium laser) is used to affect the problem area. The beam generated by this device is diffused in many streams and, when it hits the skin, forms a large number of microthermic healing zones, where the main effect occurs, so the surrounding tissues
do not heat up and are notdamaged.
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 a temperature are destroyed and evaporated, 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 fractional laser resurfacing is a noticeable tightening of the skin of the eyelids, smoothing wrinkles and folds, restoring the hydrodynamics of the periorbital tissues and improving the general condition of the skin in this area.
Impulsive currents (microcurrents)
Microcurrent therapy refers to low traumatic methods of lifting the eyelids, but a significant disadvantage of this method is the short duration of the result (no more than 4 months). The clinical result of using microcurrent therapy for lifting the periorbital zone is due to the following properties of impulsive currents:
- normalization of lymphatic drainage.Lymphatic draining effect, which has impulsive currents on the skin, improves the movement of the lymph, prevents it from stagnation and helps to lighten dark circles under the eyes;
- stimulation of metabolic processes.The activation of cellular metabolism has a positive effect on the transport of oxygen and nutrients and on the appearance of the skin (the skin becomes smooth, acquires a healthy appearance);
- restoration of muscle tone.The muscles of the eyelids are rather weak and additional stimulation allows for a firming effect.
The standard duration of the course is from 10 to 20 procedures, while in most cases it becomes necessary to repeat the procedure after a few months.
Photos before and after
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 traumatic manipulations with a low probability of complications. Which method of periorbital lifting will be the most effective and safe is decided individually after talking with the patient, diagnosing the problem area and studying the data of the medical history.
The use of surgical techniques is mainly indicated for patients with obvious signs of aging in the eye area, in whom the use of gentle techniques is ineffective and presumably will not give a stable positive result. People with early manifestations of the "aging century" are better off choosing minimally invasive methods with a low degree of tissue trauma and a short recovery period.