The eyes are known as the window to the soul, but they can also be a dead giveaway to the age of the person behind them. Problems with the eye area may even make you appear older than you truly are, or at the very least, tired or unhappy, even when you aren’t. Whether a drooping brow, excess skin on the eyelid, lines (“crows feet”) around the eyes, or “bags” or dark circles under the eyes, Rejuvena Cosmetic Medical Center has a procedure that will help eliminate that problem.

Bags or dark circles under the eye

Many patients are concerned about sagging bags in the orbital region under the eyes, or conversely, about a hollow look under the eyes, making you look tired or gaunt. Bags under the eyes are often treated with surgery, but this may not always be necessary—or the most appropriate treatment. We lose volume from the face as we age, and gravity takes it’s toll on the remaining volume (fat, in this case).

The volume under the eye that gives the appearance of bags can actually be made to enhance the eyes. This is accomplished by the addition of a filling agent (dermal filler) placed just beneath the eye socket, to enhance the cheek, eliminating the step-off that causes the bagging. This creates a smooth, rounded look, referred to as an “apple”. This procedure goes a long way in restoring the entire upper face to a more youthful state, more like you looked before gravity did “its’ thing”.

The procedure will also help to smooth out the loose créping skin. The same process is used for the hollow dark circle problem, with the dermal filler placed just a bit higher, giving more volume to that sunken area. For the upper eyelid (also a benefit to the lower lid), we use Thermage to reduce the crêping and to tighten the skin. BOTOX^® Cosmetic, strategically placed, will lift the brow, which in turn pulls the skin of the upper lid, helping to eliminate the heaviness.

Drooping Lids

Other patients come to see us because their upper eye lids sag toward the eyes, giving them a weary look. For these patients, the care we provide usually involves precisely placed BOTOX^® and in some cases enhanced with a moderate application of dermal fillers. This effectively lifts the brow, giving patients a more alert and vibrant look. Thermage, as mentioned above, helps tighten the skin of the eyelid as well as the forehead, subtly tightening the entire area.

The way to understand how BOTOX^® Cosmetic lifts the face is to recognize that there is a constant tug of war going on in any area of the face at all times. There are muscles that lift a portion of the face (for example the eyebrow) and opposing muscles that pull it down. If we inject BOTOX^® Cosmetic into the muscle that pulls the forehead and brows down, e.g., the muscle that lifts the brow effectively “wins” and the result is that portion of the face is lifted. In this example the eyebrows are elevated creating a “non-surgical brow lift”.

Crows Feet and Bunny Lines (aka, “skunk” lines)

Finally, we see many patients who only have issues with the peri-orbital lines, commonly known as “crows feet” which are the lines created by smiling; or the bunny lines, those that appear when you scrunch your nose as if to smell a skunk. Once again, treatment typically includes BOTOX^® Cosmetic placed discriminatingly in specific muscles to relax the wrinkles. In some cases we apply dermal fillers in deeper lines or in the temples to fill and alternatively lift the areas to reduce or eliminate wrinkles.

We can also soften or eliminate crows feet as a part of our Fraxel II laser treatment, which resurfaces the skin and remodels the existing collagen while stimulating long term growth of new collagen and elastin, over the entire face, or the peri-orbital area alone, if you prefer. All of our treatment regimens are minimally invasive and patients usually continue their normal routines almost immediately after treatment.

When it comes to areas surrounding your eyes, it is important to choose a physician who has a depth of experience in advanced treatments. Dr. Hardt has performed thousands of non-surgical correction procedures surrounding the eyes.

At Rejuvena, we do not charge for consultations. To schedule your free consultation, please email or call us at (405)842-1100.