The aging eye
by Amadi Plastic Surgery - January 14, 2025
Eyes are generally the first thing that is noticed upon meeting someone. They convey emotion and some believe that they offer a glimpse into a person’s true character, the so-called “windows to your soul”. Eyes are also one of the first features to show signs of aging: fine lines and wrinkles; crows feet and glabella wrinkles; under-eye bags; sagging skin, droopy brows and ptosis – because of the naturally thin skin underneath and surrounding the eyes. These symptoms of aging are caused by both environmental factors and genetics and though they are mostly unavoidable, many are not without solution. At Amadi Aesthetics we offer several different procedures, both invasive and non, to help combat and correct many of the symptoms of the aging eye.
Drooping eyebrow, loss of eyelid crease, puffy upper lid:
As the already thin skin around the eyes age, it gets thinner and more redundant and can cause the upper eyelids to droop or sag, to hide the eyelid crease, sometimes so severely it can impede vision. In addition, the deep structures that maintain the eyebrow position start to stretch which allows the eyebrows to descent and futher contribute to the aging eye. This can be caused by muscle, tendon and skin laxity, loss of collagen or genetics and usually comes with age, though can occur at any stage of life.
Depending on your symptoms and condition, the upper eye region can be address surgically.
Blepharoplasty:
Upper blepharoplasty, also known as a “lid lift,” makes the eyes look rejuvenated and more rested by tightening and lifting sagging eyelid skin. This procedure usually involves the removal of redundant or excess skin, resulting in a decrease of “hooding” and revealing a larger eyelid platform. On occasion a conservative amount of fat is removed from the inner corner of the eyelid to improve the contour of the upper eyelid, while maintaining eyelid volume to avoid hollowness. This outpatient procedure will require 4-7 days of downtime and once fully healed will brighten your eyes, making you look years younger.
Eyebrow Lift:
An eyebrow lift is performed by raising and tightening the forehead skin and raising the eyebrows. This corrects lines and wrinkles in the forehead, drooping brows and frown lines. If the appearance of excess skin on your upper eyelid is caused by eyebrow position, a brow lift may be recommended in addition to or instead of blepharoplasty. Dr. Amadi uses 6 different eyebrow lift techniques, specifically tailored to the patients anatomic needs, depending on hairline position, hair density, brow configuration, and skin/tissue thickness. No two patients…or eyebrows…are the same so individual assessment is needed to determine the proper technique of brow lifting.
Learn more about eyebrow lifts here!
Eyelid Ptosis Repair:
Pronounced “toe-sis,” eyelid ptosis occurs when the entire upper eyelid, not just the skin fold, droops over the eye and is usually the result of genetics, medical conditions that affect the nerves in the eyelid, trauma to the eye/eye socket, or aging. This condition can occur at any age in both children and adults. Ptosis can be cosmetic but it can also interfere with vision and untreated can result in other medical conditions–especially in children–such as amblyopia (aka “lazy-eye”), astigmatism or crossed eyes.
Ptosis is corrected by tightening one of the muscles that elevate the eyelid or, in more severe cases, a “sling” operation may be performed, enabling the forehead muscles to elevate the eyelid(s).
Fine Lines and Wrinkles:
Everyone–yes everyone–gets wrinkles and the area around the eyes is often the first place that they develop. There are several factors that play into the progression of fine lines and wrinkles from genetics (strength of eyelid muscles), to sun exposure, hydration and diet to poor vision (squinting). Wrinkles and fine lines round the eyes fall into one of two categories: dynamic wrinkles and static wrinkles.
Dynamic wrinkles (also known as depression lines or laugh lines) are–you guessed it– formed from the active contraction of muscles during smiling, frowning, or raising of eyebrows in surprise, think frown lines (“11s” and crow’s feet at the outer corners of your eyes, for example. Even very young adults could have deep dynamic wrinkles during the active contraction of muscles. These wrinkles are best treated with botulinum toxin (Botox and Dysport, for example) . Static wrinkles are folds in the skin that are visible even when muscles are relaxed, generally resulting from a loss of elasticity and collagen that allows gravity to take over. Over time, dynamic wrinkles will become static wrinkles.
Wrinkles, especially expression lines, are marks of a life well lived, but sometimes we don’t need everyone to know just how well-lived we are. For crow’s feet, laugh lines, frown lines, fine lines––all of the lines––there are any number of injectables, topical skin treatments and non-surgical methods of erasing years off your face by filing in, stretching out and abolishing the culprits.
1) Topical Skincare
For early signs and prevention of aging eyes, there are topical solutions you can either have applied at your dermatologist office, or purchase for use at home. These include cleansers, serums, moisturizers and sun protection. These products contain ingredients such as retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and broad spectrum spf. At Amadi Aesthetics we are proud to offer a selection of tried-and-true clinical grade skincare that will deliver the results you are looking for.
Check out our product lines and book an appointment with our esthetician to create a customized routine just for you!
2) Injectables
Done in the comfort of our office, injectables are a quick and easy, mostly painless, fix for eye wrinkles. They’re a great option for those who are new to cosmetic procedures as the results are temporary, they’re non-invasive, require little to no downtime and they’re more affordable than many other options.
- Botulinum Toxin
Botulinum toxin works by blocking the synapses in the nerves of a targeted muscle, inhibiting it from contracting, thus relaxing and softening wrinkles and lines and preventing the formation of new ones. These injections are non-invasive and treat both dynamic and static wrinkles. Botulinum toxin is used preventatively and correctively, having the added benefit of staving off the development of future wrinkles while smoothing out existing ones. At Amadi Esthetics we offer two types of botulinum toxin injection: Botox and Dysport.
Learn more about botulinum toxin here. - Dermal Fillers
Fillers are used to do just that: fill. Administered with a needle, fillers are injectable soft tissue that is injected into the offending area, stimulating collagen production and replenishing volume. The most common base for dermal fillers is hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar that is found naturally in the body.
The most well-known HA fillers are Restalyne and Juvederm but these two are by no means the only option.
Learn more about fillers here.
3) Chemical Peels
A chemical peel is an acidic solution used to slough off the top layer of damaged skin. Peels are effective in correcting many skin ailments: uneven pigments, wrinkles, sun damage, to name a few. While a chemical peel can be applied to the entire face, it can also be used to target to smaller areas like the under eye.
Learn more about Amadi Chemical Peels here!
4) Laser Resurfacing
The Erbium Yag laser can be used on the entire face or it can be used on localized areas, such as delicate under eye skin. Laser resurfacing works by directing an intense beam of light at the problem area, superheating water in the skin and causing controlled vaporization of skin cells. Collagen stimulation encourages new skin cell development that produces healthier, younger-looking skin once the healing has completed.
Learn more about laser skin resurfacing here!
5) Microneedling
Microneedling, with or without Radiofrequencey Energy, also known as collagen induction therapy, can be used all over the body. It works by encouraging collagen production via microtraumas in the skin made by tiny pin-pricks. This new collagen results in plumper, firmer skin, replacing volume loss, thus smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. Perfect for the eye area. At Amadi we specialize in Mopheus8 by InMode, a procedure that combines microneedling with radio frequency.
Learn more about Morpheus8 here!
6) Microdermabrasion
Another good choice for those who are hesitant to try more invasive procedures, microdermabrasion is a light, painless, non-invasive procedure that gently exfoliates and rejuvenates your skin. Microdermabrasion encourages healthy skin cell turnover and helps to rid your face of fine lines, and actively prevents the formation of new ones. While microdermabrasion is successful in improving skin appearance, it is not effective on scars or deep wrinkles, making it a good option for those with early signs of aging. Most dermatologists recommend monthly treatments, as skin cells turn over roughly every 28 days.
Learn about microdermabrasion here!
Under Eye Bags, Dark Circles and Tear Troughs:
In addition to fine lines and wrinkles, there are other conditions that can affect the appearance of the under eye. Tear troughs, located between the cheek and lower eyelid, often lose volume due to age, resulting in dark circles, hollows and bags. These all can have the effect of making one look exhausted, worn out and old.
Luckily there are several options to cure these issues, many of them listed above, working double duty as they also iron out fine lines and wrinkles.
These include:
- Tear trough implants
- Fat grafting (injection)
- Injectable fillers
- Chemical Peels
- Laser Resurfacing
- Microneedling
Lower Blepharoplasty
For a more aggressive approach under eye ailments can be addressed surgically through lower blepharoplasty.
Lower Blepharoplasty is more complex than upper blepharoplasty. This procedure can deflate and redistribute eye bags, and tighten sagging skin. Sometimes this involves the repositioning of excess fat, removal of extra skin or tightening of support muscles in the lower eyelids.
Unlike other less invasive treatments, lower blepharoplasty offers semi-permanent results, lasting about 10-15 years. If you are considering eyelid surgery, make sure to book time off work as this procedure usually requires 10-14 days of recovery time.
Learn more about lower blepharoplasty here!
Lower Eyelid Retraction (sagging):
Eyelid retraction occurs when the lower eyelid sags too low on the surface of the eye, sitting below the lower edge of the cornea causing “scleral show”. This can cause an undesirable appearance and also have negative effects on eye-function, causing “dry eye” symptoms such as redness, burning, foreign body sensation, excess mucus production, crusting of the eyelids, sandy/gritty sensation tearing, often worse on awakening. Eyelid retraction can occur due to skin laxity resulting from aging, or sometimes from prior surgery or trauma, or even due to genetic (familial) reasons.
Surgery is the only option to tackle eyelid traction, through Eyelid Retraction Repair. This procedure is done by lengthening the height of the inside layer of the eyelid usually by using a variety of graft options.
Learn more about Lower Eyelid Retraction Repair here!
Depending on your symptoms and desired result, the options are practically endless when it comes to the eyes. At Amadi, we are experts in this field and will design a customized regimen for your specific needs.
The eyes are the window to the soul so why not take measures to ensure that what you’re presenting on the outside matches how you feel?
Amadi Plastic Surgery
Amadi Aesthetics combines cutting-edge techniques with a patient-centric approach to deliver natural and transformative results.