No doubt we’ve all spent the last year and a half on a lot of video calls, meaning we’ve stared at our own faces for many hours and possibly noticed things that we’re less than thrilled about. For our eyes in particular, we may have noticed that our carefully applied mascara or eyeliner is imprinting itself just below the brows, or that the eyeshadow we put on somehow disappears, lost in the fold of our eyelids.
Sure, we might be putting our make-up on completely wrong, but it could also be that the eyelids have begun to droop, giving us a persistent tired look, and for some of us maybe even obstructing our vision. Or it might be that hooded eyelids are just part of our genetic heritage.
Droopy or hooded eyelids come about for a variety of reasons, sometimes it’s in our genes, sometimes it’s age, but basically the underlying cause is a weakening of the muscles and the overall support structure that allows those lids to keep themselves in a more raised position.
As with most things, surgical intervention is going to be the most effective and the longest lasting option when it comes to treating hooded eyelids, but having said that, it doesn’t mean it’s always the best option. So many factors are weighed when we recommend which procedure is best for you whether we’re treating your eyes or another part of your face or body. If we have an equally good or almost as good non-surgical intervention, we will almost always recommend that first.
Here are some great options for treating drooping or hooded eyelids.
Can You Treat Hooded Eyelids with Botox and Filler?
For some people, strategically placed Botox and dermal filler can help to alleviate hooding of the eyes. This is usually only possible if the hooding is mild. It’s also important to keep in mind that these are temporary solutions that require maintenance treatments if you want to uphold the look. Botox treatments can last anywhere from 3-4 months, and hyaluronic acid (HA) based fillers can last anywhere from 6-12 months.
Botox will typically be used to restrict some of the muscle movement that makes you frown and as a result pushes your eyelids down. Fillers will often be strategically injected in the area of the brow or temples, or even in the hollows of the upper lids in order to give the area a more lifted and balanced look. When it comes to using filler, this is a very high risk area requiring a very high level of expertise on the part of your injector. As a result, at our clinic, plastic surgeons are the only practitioners who treat the eye area with filler.
Again, injectable treatments like these are great if your hooded eye concerns are quite subtle and what you’re looking for is an overall rejuvenated look in the eye and brow area.
AccuTite for Hooded Eyelids
AccuTite is a good option for mild to moderate hooded eyelids. This will have a much longer longevity than injectable treatments, but likely not as long as surgery. The results of one AccuTite treatment can last anywhere from 1-5 years. Although it’s considered a non-surgical treatment AccuTite is much more invasive than Botox and fillers, but still considered a minor procedure.
AccuTite is designed to target small and delicate areas of the face and body, just like the eyelids. It’s a technology that employs radiofrequency heat just under the surface of the skin in order to shrink tissue and melt fat. It also stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which are key components that keep your skin tight.
AccuTite is great at targeting skin laxity. If you have mild to moderate skin laxity in the area of the lids, this is likely pushing the fat pads around the lids down causing them to hood the eyes. AccuTite will tighten up the skin in the area and diminish the fat pads. However, if the underlying issue of your hooded eyelids is actually the weakening of the muscles in the area, then non-surgical treatments won’t get you very far, and we’ll most likely recommend surgery.
Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift)
Non-surgical treatment options like injectables and AccuTite can target the superficial issues causing the drooping or hooding of the eyelids, but the one thing these treatments can’t offer is a tightening or removal of the underlying muscles and an overall improvement of the eye support structure.
If you have weak muscles in the eye area, this is most likely the root cause of more heavily drooping or hooded eyelids, and more severe skin laxity. In this case, blepharoplasty also known as an eyelid lift will probably be your best option.
An eyelid lift can be performed on both the upper and lower eyelids if necessary, and it typically involves the trimming of excess skin, removal of unwanted fat, and removal of weak and sagging muscles in the eye area. Although surgery is always a more invasive and aggressive approach when it comes to hooded eyelids, for the right patient the results are transformative and very long lasting.
If you’re still not sure which procedure will best address your needs, book a complimentary consultation with us and we can talk it through. We love meeting new patients!
Did we answer all your questions? Our goal is to ensure you have the best information possible to make your decision. If you still have questions, we’re here to help.