Want to Rejuvenate Your Look?
The area around your eyes can make you look either rested or fatigued, youthful or aged. Fortunately, cosmetic eye services can greatly improve the appearance of puffy or baggy eyelids, fine lines, and wrinkles. Depending on the type of treatment, the results can last from several months to years.
What Are the Most Common Cosmetic Eye Procedures?
We provide cosmetic procedures to help people look like a refreshed version of themselves. The most common cosmetic eye procedures we offer are:
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
This is a very common cosmetic eye procedure used to reduce puffiness and saggy skin around the eyes and upper or lower eyelids. It involves making an incision in the natural crease of the eyelid and then removing and reshaping excess skin, muscle, and fat that develops with age.
Botox Treatment
Botox treats wrinkles that appear when normal muscle contractions pull on the skin, such as when smiling or frowning. The prescription-grade toxin works by temporarily blocking communication between nerves and muscles. When muscles do not receive the message to contract, wrinkles become less apparent.
This procedure is used to treat:
- Forehead lines
- Crow’s feet
- Frown lines
This effect usually lasts between 3 to 4 months before the muscles start working again and the procedure needs to be repeated.
Botox treatment is performed in a clinic and takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The eye doctor applies a topical anesthetic to numb the area, and then they will use a small needle to inject the Botox into specific muscles around the eye. The procedure is usually painless and patients can continue their regular activities following the treatment.
Because it takes some time for the Botox to become attached to the nerve ending, the patient may not notice the effect for 2 to 4 days, although it could take 10 to 14 days to see the final result.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are non-surgical treatments that are injected into the skin to restore fullness, add volume and smooth lines and wrinkles. The benefit of fillers can last between three months and one year, depending on the area injected.
Dermal fillers are used to smooth out the following imperfections, such as lines around the mouth, laugh lines, scars, frown lines and crow’s feet.
The fillers are usually made of:
- Human or bovine collagen
- Calcium hydroxyapatite
- Poly L-lactic acid
- PMMA
- Silicone
- Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that occurs naturally in our bodies and allows us to retain moisture. As we get older, the skin is less able to retain moisture and loses its elasticity. The purpose of dermal fillers is to replace this moisture and fullness and to help the patient maintain or recapture a youthful look.
Before surgery, your physician will numb the area with topical anesthetic and then inject the filler using tiny needles into the wrinkles or the lines. You may notice an immediate effect from this treatment, which can be performed in about 30 minutes.
Once you leave the clinic following the dermal filler treatment, it is important to take some precautions for a few days:
- Avoid touching or massaging the treated area
- Avoid strenuous exercise
- Stay away from extremes of heat and cold
- Wear sunscreen outdoors
- Do not drink alcohol
Some swelling will naturally occur after the dermal filler treatment since the fillers retain water, but this should subside after a day or two. There may be some bruising immediately after the procedure, but discoloration from the bruises can be covered with a liquid concealer.
Dermal fillers, like Botox, need touch-up treatments. Patients are likely to need a touch-up dermal filler treatment every 6 to 12 months.
Interested In Our Cosmetic Services?
Whether you are interested in Botox to reduce crow’s feet or frown lines, want to fill in your wrinkles with dermal fillers, or look youthful due to eyelid surgery, you may have some questions about which procedure is right for you. Speak to our eye care professionals about these treatments and book an appointment today at .
FAQs With Our Experts
Which should I choose; Botox or dermal fillers?
Botox and dermal fillers may be discussed together, but they are distinct procedures that focus on lines and wrinkles in different areas of the face. Botox keeps certain muscles around the eye from contracting, and lines and wrinkles corresponding to the relaxed muscles will appear smooth.
Therefore, Botox is only useful for reducing wrinkles that are connected to muscles around the eyes. If wrinkles still appear when the muscles are relaxed, Botox may not be the right treatment.
What medications should I avoid before Botox or dermal filler treatments?
There are certain medications that can interfere with Botox treatments. These include:
- Penicillamine
- Polymyxins
- Cyclosporine
- Antibiotics
Antibiotics can cause the effect of the Botox treatment to be too strong. Therefore, your eye doctor may suggest that you finish your course of antibiotics before beginning the Botox procedure.
Prior to dermal filler treatment, patients should avoid taking any medicine or eating foods that can thin the blood because of the high risk of bruising. For a week before surgery, patients should refrain from:
- Aspirin
- Natural blood thinners like tumeric, garlic and fish oil
- Vitamin E supplements, Ginkgo Biloba and St. John’s Wort
- Anti-inflammatory medicines such as Motrin and Aleve
- Alcohol for a day or two before the procedure
- Prescription blood thinners
If you need to take prescription blood thinners such as Coumadin, Plavix or Warfarin, ask your eye doctor if dermal fillers are safe for you.
What are some potential side effects of these procedures?
Although Botox and dermal filler treatments are generally safe and effective, they may cause side effects in some people.
Side effects from Botox treatment can include:
- Inflammation, redness and swelling in the treated area
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- General fatigue
In rare cases, a patient may be allergic to Botox, and may have the following reaction:
- Wheezing
- Itching
- Dizziness
- Sudden asthma attacks
Side effects following dermal filler procedures can include:
- Tenderness, swelling and firmness in the treated area
- Bruises
- Redness
- Itching
If you experience any of the above side effects, contact your eye doctor.
Are Botox and dermal filler treatments affordable?
Botox for medical eye conditions is covered by federal and state insurance plans, but for cosmetic purposes, patients will pay out of pocket. Dermal fillers are usually somewhat more expensive than Botox. But the cost may even out because dermal fillers only need to be retouched every 6 to 12 months, whereas an additional Botox treatment is needed every 3 to 4 months.
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