Eyebags Removal

Overview

Bags under the eyes are small areas of swelling or puffiness under the eyes. They become more common as you age and the tissues around your eyes, including some of the muscles that support your eyelids, weaken. Fat that supports the eyes can then move into the lower eyelids, making them puffy. Fluid may also collect beneath your eyes.

Bags under the eyes develop when the tissue structures and muscles that support your eyelids weaken. The skin may begin to sag, and fat that is normally found around the eyes may migrate into the area beneath your eyes. Also, the space beneath your eyes can collect fluid, giving the area a puffy or swollen appearance. Aging, for example, causes or worsens this effect. Fluid retention, particularly upon waking or following a salty meal, lack of sleep, allergies, smoking, genetics — under-eye bags can run in families — and medical conditions such as dermatitis are all causes of under-eye bags.

Mild swelling, saggy or loose skin, and dark circles are all symptoms of bags under the eyes. Bags under the eyes are typically a cosmetic concern and are rarely indicative of a serious condition. Cool compresses, for example, can help improve their appearance. Eyelid surgery may be an option for persistent or bothersome under-eye puffiness.

What are Baggy Eyes?

It's easier to understand baggy eyes if we imagine the area around and below the eyes as hills and valleys.

Below the eye, there are three valleys: the tear trough (orbital rim hollow), the eyelid crease hollow, and the zygomatic hollow. The hills are known as the orbicularis roll, orbital fat bag, fluid bag, and malar mound. The surface appearance of these hills and valleys changes as fat and musculature change and shift with age.

The appearance of the triangular malar mound varies depending on whether it is affected by genetics, thyroid disorder, allergies, or aging. The modifiability of the various hills or bags varies. Changes in the fat bag, for example, increase slowly over time, whereas changes in the fluid bag vary from day to day.

What Causes Eyebags?

As we age, the tissues around our eyes weaken and sag. Because of the loss of skin tone, fat can move forward into the lower eyelids, making them appear puffy and swollen. Fluid can also accumulate in this area, causing edema (swelling) and contributing to the puffy appearance.

Sleep problems:

Fluids settle in the tissue beneath your eyes while you sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause your blood vessels to leak and mix with the fluids in your eyes, resulting in dark circles.

Allergies and sinus problems:

In addition to stuffing your nose, allergies cause swelling in sinus tissue, which can appear as puffiness under your eyes.

Tobacco use:

The nicotine in tobacco disrupts your natural sleep patterns, causing fluids to collect beneath your eyes. Smoking also produces substances that degrade skin elasticity and collagen, which help keep skin firm.

Alcohol consumption:

Although alcohol is a liquid, it dehydrates the body. When you are dehydrated, the skin under your eyes becomes flabby and weak, causing bags to form.

Aging:

Muscles and tissues weaken with age, and the fat that naturally supports the eyes can sink to the area beneath your eyes, giving them a puffy appearance. Fluids can also accumulate in the area.

Consuming salty foods:

When you eat salty foods, your body retains fluid. Under your eyes is one of the places where these fluids congregate.

Leaving makeup on:

If you don't remove your makeup before going to bed, it can irritate and swell the tissue beneath your eyes.

Too much sunlight:

Sun exposure can harm skin cells as well as the collagen that keeps the skin under your eyes firm.

Heredity:

Some people are just genetically prone to having under-eye bags. If your mother or father had them, chances are you will as well.

While bags or shadows under your eyes may give an impression of fatigue, they are usually harmless. However, if the swelling around the eyes is painful, itchy, red, or does not go away, consult an ophthalmologist.

Who Needs Eyebags Removal?

Patients who want to reduce the appearance of tired looking eyes due to heaviness of the eyelids and unattractive eye bags are the most common type of patient who requests this procedure.

Another reason is eyelid asymmetry, for which the procedure is requested to improve overall symmetry.

Many patients also report that the sagging of the upper eyelid skin has begun to obstruct their field of vision, causing vision problems. The procedure is performed in this case to remove the obstructive skin and improve the patient's vision.

Furthermore, certain eye diseases, such as Thyroid Eye Disease, can cause disfigurements that may necessitate highly specialized blepharoplasty surgery to help restore the eyes' natural appearance.

Home Remedies for Eyebags

Certain home remedies can help lessen or eliminate the puffiness of under-eye bags due to edema and the appearance of shadows. Below are some tips:

Use a cool compress on your eyes. While getting more sleep is a good habit to develop, what if you need results right away? A cold compress can reduce swelling and tighten your eye area by restricting blood flow.

Simply place an ice pack directly under your eyes if you have one. No ice pack? A frozen spoon or a bag of frozen peas work just as well. The cold should help to reduce puffiness and reduce the "bag" effect. For best results, apply the compress for about five minutes. This isn't a permanent solution, but it can help remove under-eye bags for a specific outing or event.

Make sure you get enough sleep. Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, according to experts. Not getting enough beauty rest not only makes you grumpy in the morning, but it also prevents your body from repairing and restoring itself, making your under-eye bags look worse.

Sleep with your head slightly lifted. Make sure you're spending enough time in your dreams. Try elevating your head while sleeping to help drain excess fluid buildup under the eyes. You'll feel and look great when you wake up!

Avoid drinking fluids. Avoid drinking fluids before bedtime and limit your salt intake. This can help reduce overnight fluid retention, which can cause bags under your eyes.

Stop smoking. Smoking can hasten the loss of collagen. This thins the delicate skin under your eyes, resulting in more visible blood vessels.

Avoid excessive eyelid rubbing and try to reduce your allergy symptoms. When possible, avoid the things that cause your allergies. Discuss allergy medications with your doctor.

Use cosmetics. Try using makeup concealer to cover shadows under your eyes.

Wear sunscreen every day: Protecting your skin from the sun's rays can help with a variety of dermatological issues, such as:

skin cancer.
discoloration.
premature aging.

As a result, applying sunscreen to your under-eye bags and dark circles may be beneficial.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone wear sunscreen. It is critical to have broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Choosing a formula with SPF 30 or higher and that is water-resistant is also important. Reapply as needed or as directed on the packaging. Select a daily face moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Take your makeup off before bed

Improving your nightly routine may also help you avoid eye bags. It's especially important to wash your face before bedtime.

There are a number of reasons why you should not sleep in your makeup. To begin, sleeping with mascara or other eye makeup on your eyes may irritate them, cause an allergic reaction, or develop an infection that causes redness, puffiness, or other symptoms.

According to some, forgetting to wash your face can lead to wrinkles or other skin damage. How exactly? You expose your skin to free radicals when you sleep in makeup. This has the potential to cause oxidative stress, which could prematurely age your skin.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Eyebags

Whether your under-eye bags aren't severe enough to warrant surgery or you simply can't afford the recovery time and cost associated with a blepharoplasty, you have several options.

Laser treatments using energy: Laser treatments that use energy to tighten the skin can help reduce the appearance of bags. These can be a single treatment or a series of treatments aimed at strengthening the underlying tissue and stimulating the production of new collagen. Look for nonablative resurfacing lasers, such as Fraxel, that can be done by a plastic surgeon.
Dermal filler: It is another option, though it will not directly address the under-eye bags. Fillers, such as Juvederm, can be injected into the hollows to reduce the appearance of the bags. While this may work for some patients, it should be noted that it is only a temporary solution. Depending on the filler used, it can last anywhere from three months to a year, so you will need to continue injections as needed to keep the results.
Botox: Botox injections in the crow's feet can also help with under-eye bags, but like laser treatments, they only address the surrounding skin and do not remove the bags themselves. Botox injections in the crow's feet can help reduce the tension around the eyes and relax the wrinkles, improving the appearance but not removing the eye bag. Botox, like filler, is only temporary and must be injected every three to six months to maintain results. Botox should also be injected between the outer edge of the eye and the temple, rather than along the lower lid, as this may cause the lid to lose tone and fail to cover the eyeball.

Regardless of which noninvasive treatment you choose, make sure it is performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Make sure you go to a doctor who specializes in treating eyelids, especially for laser treatments. Finally, none of the treatments are equivalent, and the plastic surgeon must determine which approach is best for you.

How Eyebags Removal Surgery Done?

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can be performed under local or general anesthesia. The method or procedure used will be determined by the amount of fat to be removed, the location of the fat, and how tight the eyelid should be made. The procedure usually lasts 45 minutes to an hour.

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty can be performed using a variety of surgical techniques. They are as follows:

Transconjunctival Lower Lid Blepharoplasty:

A transconjunctival lower lid blepharoplasty, which is commonly used when no skin needs to be removed, creates an incision on the inside of the lower eyelid, leaving no visible scar or other evidence of the surgery.

Transcutaneous Lower Lid Blepharoplasty:

A subciliary incision, also known as a pinch technique, is used in a transcutaneous lower lid blepharoplasty to remove protruding fat and excess skin.

Arcus Marginalis Transconjunctival Release:

A transconjunctival arcus marginalis release moves fat within the lid to maintain soft tissue volume. It keeps the orbital bone ridge from becoming too prominent, which makes the eyes appear hollow and the face appear older.

What Happens After Surgery?

A thick antibiotic ointment is applied to the patient's eye area during the procedure to keep the surface from drying out. As a result, when a patient woke up after the procedure, they usually notice a blurring of their vision. This is normal and not cause for concern. The same ointment should be applied four times per day to the inside of the eyes and wounds. On rare occasions, the surgeon may prescribe artificial teardrops to help prevent post-operative eye dryness.

Swelling and bruising are normal for about 1-2 weeks (upper procedure) or 2-4 weeks (both upper and lower procedure) after surgery, and this will vary between patients. Some patients may experience swelling for extended periods of time. Eye bandages are not usually required, but they may be used if the surgeon believes it is necessary.

Patients can get up and walk around the same day as their surgery or the morning after, and painkillers will be given to them after the procedure.

Patients can reduce swelling by applying ice packs (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel) to the eye area several times a day for 3-4 minutes for the first 48 hours. Patients may be encouraged to sleep in an elevated position with multiple pillows to help reduce swelling. Strenuous activity should be avoided for the first 7 days, but patients should stay mobile and walk gently.

Washing the Eye Area After Surgery

Many patients have questions about how to wash their eyes before and after having this type of surgery. Here are some guidelines to follow during the first two weeks after surgery:

Keep your eyes dry for 1-2 days. Bathing is acceptable as long as the eyes are not wet. Backwash your hair and, if necessary, seek assistance. Water splashing is acceptable, but wounds should not be exposed to moisture for extended periods of time.

3-7 days: Gently wash the eyes with soap and water. To dry, dab gently rather than rubbing. Scabs should be left alone because they will fall off on their own when the time comes.

7-10 days: If you had sutures put in, they may now be removed. Once removed, normal washing routines can resume.

14 days: Patients should be free to wear eye make-up again

Risks/Complications of Eyebags Removal Surgery

As with any surgical procedure, there is some risk involved. Complications and poor outcomes from blepharoplasty are uncommon, but they do occur.

Bleeding, infection, dry eyes, abnormal discoloration of the eyelids, abnormal folding in or out of the eyelid skin, an inability to fully close the eyes, a pulled-down, lower-lid lash line, or a possible loss of vision are all possible complications.

Regardless of how uncommon they are; it is critical to be aware of potential complications before undergoing surgery. The majority of patients are very pleased with their blepharoplasty results.

Eyebags Removal Surgery Cost

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a blepharoplasty procedure in 2018 is around $3,163.

However, the level of experience and location of a cosmetic surgeon, as well as several other factors, can influence the exact price.

It is also important to remember that blepharoplasty is not usually covered by medical insurance.

Costs and fees may include:

the surgeon’s fee.
hospital or surgical facility costs.
anesthetic fees.
medication prescription costs.
medical test costs.

Conclusion

Do you want to know why your eyes are puffy or how to get rid of under-eye bags? The good news is that, while they can be annoying, bags under your eyes rarely interfere with your vision or health. However, there are both temporary and long-term solutions for lowering puffiness around the eyes.

People get puffy eyes for a variety of reasons, including a high-salt diet, allergies, medical conditions, genetics, and the natural aging process.

Depending on the cause, there are various methods for reducing under-eye puffiness. At-home treatments can temporarily shrink lower lids that are swollen due to fluid accumulation in the undereye area.

Lower eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) is an outpatient procedure in which the surgeon readjusts the fat and tightens the muscle and skin to create a smooth appearance.