Eyes Bright
Posted: Friday 6 August 2010 10:33am
By Dr Jack Ting*
The eyes are the most important part of the face – they are the centre of attention.
Droopy upper eyelids are mostly hereditary; they make people look tired and older and the droopiness often becomes progressively worse as we age. They become the “canopy of the windows”, restricting the amount of light entering the eyes and reducing the peripheral vision.
They also make the head feel heavy and create unwanted lines on the forehead.
CO2 laser blepharoplasty removes the precise amount of excess eyelid skin. It improves vision immediately after surgery and brightens the face.
It makes eyelashes curl upward naturally and, most importantly, it provides a clear space on which to apply makeup. The eyelids once again look beautiful and now that he or she can see better, there is no need to raise the eye brows in order to see more, so the forehead lines will be much reduced.
The goal of the upper eyelid procedure is to create a natural-looking end result so that anyone close to the patient will only say “You look well!”.
The eyes must be able to close when asleep which requires very precise surgery and which why I always perform microscopic surgery to achieve precision and a natural eyelid curve.
I have performed more than 6000 eyelid corrections over 18 years with some patients treated more than 10-15 years ago still looking good. Correction of the upper eyelids alone can make people look five-10 years younger. This procedure is usually very successful.
Upper CO2 blepheroplasty by Dr Jack Ting
Puffiness under the lower eyelid is a hereditary condition that can occur as early as the teens and worsen with age. It is caused by an abnormally large amount of fat deposit under the eyes and makes people look tired and prematurely aged.
It has nothing to do with insufficient sleep, although fluid retention has a part to play; it can make the dark circles appear slightly worse by casting a shadow.
CO2 laser transconjunctival blepharoplasty is the ideal procedure to eliminate this puffiness by removing the precise amount of fat from the lower eyelids under intravenous sedation.
This is microscopic laser surgery; intravenous sedation serves to allay patient apprehension and keep surgeons happy without the patient moving during the procedure.
CO2 laser makes a very smooth incision, sealing the blood vessels and nerve endings. As it cuts, there is minimal bleeding and subsequently minimal bruising and pain post operatively; the result is immediately visible with no visible scar.
Some patients have gone to lunch or dinner afterwards - however, there will be some swelling the next day. It generally takes a few days to return to normal but this is usually a once-in-a-lifetime surgery. Once removed, the regeneration of fat deposits is very rare.
What about the excess skin? This is the most frequently asked question. For mild and moderate puffiness no intervention is necessary; the skin will retract naturally in a few days or weeks just like the pregnant abdomen.
However, with a lot of excess skin, precise surgical excision or Fraxel re:pair laser skin tightening by 15 per cent will do the trick. Fraxel re:pair will also diminish the wrinkles and rejuvenate the skin to its former youthful quality. It should be noted that Botox will be of no benefit in this area.
Fraxel re:pair laser correction of wrinkles by Dr Jack Ting
Dark circles are a serious concern to many people, particularly those of Middle Eastern heritage who seek treatment to avoid unfavorable personal judgments while others are doing it for cosmetic improvement. In this instance, expensive creams are unlikely to help.
Under the microscope, the cause of dark circles is clearly pigmentation and bluish-toned veins. Fraxel laser is my treatment of choice; this new technology clears the pigmentation and reduces the number of blood vessels and therefore is logically effective.
* Dr Jack Ting has been practicing laser cosmetic surgery since 1988. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Cosmetic Surgeons, a member of the International Society of Cosmetic Laser Surgeons and a member of the European Society of Aesthetic Laser Surgeons.