Droopy  Eyelids

It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul; a person’s mood or expression is often reflected by the appearance of his or her eyes. If the upper eyelids appear heavy or drooping, it can give the false impression that one is tired, stressed, sad, or even older than one’s age. This is why the blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) and ptosis repair (eyelid muscle tightening) are two of the most common cosmetic procedures performed today.

A main cause of aging or heavy upper eyelids is excessive skin (dermatochalasis) that “weighs down” the eyelid causing the eyelids to feel or to look heavy or tired. The procedure for addressing this “extra” skin is an upper eyelid blepharoplasty. The incision for an upper eyelid blepharoplasty is made along the natural crease of the eyelid. The excess skin, muscle (and at times, fat) are removed, and the incision is closed using a suture.  

Drooping of the upper eyelids (ptosis) is also quite common. Although it can be present in children, it is most common in adults. While there are other causes of ptosis, such as congenital ptosis (common in babies and children), the most common cause of ptosis is the aging process – the tendon that attaches to the levator muscle (the main muscle that opens the eyelid) stretches. This causes the eyelid to droop. The procedure to repair this type of ptosis is called a ptosis repair and can be performed through a lid crease incision or through an internal eyelid incision.

Many times, a blepharoplasty and ptosis repair are performed simultaneously. Your surgeon will discuss the best surgical procedure(s) for your particular facial anatomy and concerns.