Dear Dr. Seckel, I am 42 years old and in great shape but people tell me I look tired. I have eyelid bags and dark circles under my eyes and have read about blepharoplasty. Is there any non-surgical way to remove eyelid bags? A friend of mine had a blepharoplasty done and I can see the scar. Thank you, Denise, Boston, MA.
Dear Denise,
Unfortunately there is no way to permanently correct eyelid bags and dark circles under the eyes without surgery. There are topical agents that can temporarily camouflage bags and cover up make up can help dark circles under the eyes, but these are temporary solutions.
The laser blepharoplasty operation can be done through a small incision on the inside of the lower eyelid so that there is no visible scar on the outside of the eyelid. This is called the transconjunctival laser blepharoplasty and when a procedure called the arcus marginalis release and fat repositioning is added, effective removal of dark circles under the eyes can be achieved.
Eyelid wrinkles and crow’s feet can be improved non-surgically with Botox but not eyelid bags and dark circles under the eyes. A technique called laser resurfacing or laser skin rejuvenation can also be used to tighten the lower eyelid skin, remove eyelid wrinkles and improve texture, but I consider this a surgical procedure even though no incision is made.
The eyelid rejuvenation procedure called blepharoplasty is the third most common plastic surgery operation performed in the United States-so your concerns about looking tired when you are not is a very common one.
For more information about blepharoplasty, dark circles under the eyes, eyelid wrinkle removal and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.
Boston, Massachusetts