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For treatment of bags under/over eyes, loose skin, deep lines

This procedure is often performed in conjunction with laser skin resurfacing, particularly when the lower eyes are treated. Also for those with excessive skin or bags above and/or below the eyes - "tired eyes"

Laser used:

The Carbon Dioxide laser in continuous wave or Superpulsed mode.

This procedure is often performed in conjunction with laser skin resurfacing, since "tired eyes" often come with fine lines around the eyes, which need to be removed to gain the best effect.

Technique:

On the upper eyelid, the main problem is usually excessive, sagging skin. This can be removed surgically with the laser, often including some of the muscle surrounding the eyes. Fat on the inner surface of the upper eyelid can also be removed by this approach. Stitches are inserted in a continuous layer below the skin and removed after 5 days. Some bruising may occur, although because of the bloodless nature of the procedure, this is less common than with standard techniques. This technique will not work in those patients who have loss of tone in the skin further from the eyes, in particular the forehead. Those patients will need a formal brow-lift procedure.

Below the eyes the main problem is usually accumulation of fat in between and below the eye-closing muscles and the eyeball itself. This leads to bulging of the skin below the eye due to pressure of the underlying fat. This fat can be removed from either an outside approach (external), in which excessive skin can also be removed, or via an internal, "transconjunctival" method in conjunction with laser skin resurfacing. We believe that the transconjunctival procedure, best performed with a laser, is much safer and has a shorter recovery time, than standard external techniques. No stitches are inserted, slight bruising may occur, which is usually much less pronounced than with the external approach, and therefore cosmetically much more acceptable.

Anaesthetic:

Both procedures are usually carried out under sedation, the eyeball is protected from stray laser beams at all times by highly polished stainless steel eye protectors.

Complications:

Any bruising that occurs with the laser procedure usually disappears by 2 weeks postoperatively. Further complications are very unlikely, although you will be supplied with antibiotic ointment for the eyes to prevent conjunctivitis. Post-operative pain is not a major feature of this procedure.

Pricing:

To view pricing information for this procedure, click here.