Recycling Eyebags Into Cheek Lifts

by Barb Tate

As we age, waking up in the morning with a cherub-like baby face just doesn't happen anymore. Youthful fullness has been replaced with sagging under-eye bags.

A new 2-for-1 procedure recently developed by cosmetic surgeons makes it possible to reduce those ominous bag-like circles beneath your eyes while simultaneously providing fullness above your cheekbone.

As we age, the fullness in our face slowly goes away. A combination of blepharoplasty and a cheek lift , this treatment transfers fat deposits from beneath your eye to the top of the cheekbone where much of the fullness is lost over the years. Offering the same effect as a traditional cheek lift procedure, this method won't require implants or artificial fillers. It also offers less room for error or side effects as less cutting is involved. Patients who are incompatible with traditional cheek lift operations will also have a much better opportunity at reconstructing facial fullness with this treatment. This is especially so if they naturally have thinner or more refined facial dimensions.

WHAT CAUSES SAGGING IN THE LOWER EYELID?

The periorbital region, or area just beneath the eye, changes at different rates depending on lifestyle, ethnic background, and genes. Smoking can greatly accelerate the process, but aging has the strongest effect. As we age, our brow descends and creates a type of off-balance pull between the upper and lower eye regions. The membrane that controls the periorbital area becomes stretched and sagging occurs.

This dual procedure should come as comforting news for anyone who is feeling especially depleted from the effects of aging. Facial degenerations are typically the first thing that others notice, so removal of tired eye bags while enhancing the cheek bones is a double dose of youthful rejuvenation.

ARE THERE ANY COMPLICATIONS?

If you are interested in this dual procedure, there are potential complications from this region to be careful of. Repairing periorbital sagging has always been rooted in merely removing the excess skin from underneath the eye. Unfortunately, if this is performed at too early of an age or if too much skin is removed, the patient will be left with an unnatural and hollow 'wide-eyed' effect.

The face is quite clearly a very sensitive area of the body to have cosmetic surgeries. Identities can be compromised with minute alterations. There is a reason that with all the 3D imaging technology that multi-million dollar movie studios and state-of-the-art video game companies have to offer, faces are not quite as realistic as anything else artificially spun. This is mainly due to the stark uniqueness of muscle operation in the face. Hundreds of tiny movements make up our personal identities and the aesthetic rhythm between just the lower eyelid and cheek bone can truly enhance or jar our appearance. For this reason, extra care should be taken than in most surgeries to truly acknowledge the precise harmonious relationship between the cheekbone and lower eyelid.

Removing sag and increasing lift and fullness in cheek bones is an expedited way to improving the youthfulness of one’s appearance. If you are interested in this procedure or a cheek lift procedure on its own, or you would like to schedule a free consultation with a doctor, contact us at the Plastic Surgery Portal today.