When it comes to determining whether a face is attractive or tired, it is the eyes that are of paramount importance. An experienced eye can immediately determine all the secrets of our life and heredity, looking only at our eyes. In medical terms, as we age, our body goes through a long series of changes, and it is the delicate areas around the eyes that are the first to show signs of these changes.
For some, these signs appear earlier, for others - later, but many of us are wondering: what factors are responsible for the appearance of wrinkles and sagging eyelids, and what can be done to join the league of owners of forever young eyes.
Unraveling the mystery of aging eyes
Blepharochalasia is not only a strange, hard-to-pronounce word, but also a medical term for the appearance of excess skin around the eyes or the effect of heavy eyelids. This is a fairly common problem caused by the normal aging process, fatigue, allergies, slow lymphatic drainage, or a number of other medical conditions.
What is the peculiarity of the skin around the eyes and why is it so delicate?
1. Aging
The skin around the eyes is seven to ten times thinner and more delicate than the skin on the rest of the face and body in general. As we age, the skin becomes even thinner due to the loss of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid (which keeps the skin hydrated). Delicate skin is stretched under the action of the fat body, which leads to noticeable sagging bags under the eyes. The protrusion of infraorbital fat is considered a common manifestation of the aging process. In addition, aging and a number of other factors affect the weakening of the muscles, which only worsens the condition of the bags under the eyes.
2. Genetic causes
Researchers recently conducted a study to identify the risk factors that lead to drooping eyelids, with particular attention to genetic factors. They studied two groups of people. The first group consisted of 5578 unrelated people. 17. 8% of the group had moderate to severe droopy eyelids. In the second group, there were 2186 people who were twins, and 61% of the participant in this group had inherited droopy eyelids. These findings support the fact that the most common cause of drooping eyelids is heredity.
3. Sebaceous glands
The periorbital region is drier because there are fewer sebaceous glands compared to the skin on the rest of the face. Therefore, her lipid barrier is worse, and she is more prone to the formation of mimic wrinkles.
4. Skull
Prominent cheekbones and deep-set eyes. This is the cause of hollows under the eyes, the shadow of which creates the illusion that the skin under the eyes is darker, even if in fact it is not. As we age, the facial bones of the skull change, and this situation only gets worse.
5. Translucent capillaries
Dark circles under the eyes are actually the result of hemoglobin oxidation. Hemoglobin is the main component of red blood cells, it contains a heme group, the iron atoms of which bind oxygen molecules.
In this way, red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body and take away all waste products for destruction. When oxygen molecules attach to the heme group, red blood cells turn red. When oxygen molecules are separated and hemoglobin is oxidized, red blood cells turn blue. This is why dark circles appear under the eyes. If red blood cells show through the capillaries around the eyes, it means that enzymes in the body interfere with the movement of red blood cells and oxidize them, turning them blue. When this happens, the waste is released into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body. Translucent capillaries can also cause swelling or fluid retention in the body, making the face look puffy.
6. Toxins in the body
Dark circles under the eyes may indicate problems with sleep or the presence of toxins in the kidneys or liver. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the top of the eye and the area just below the eyes is the kidney area. Swelling and fluid retention in this area is a sign that the body has too much fluid (watery and swollen circles, with a blue tint) or it is overloaded with mucus (fatty and swollen, with a yellow tint). White or blue circles under the eyes indicate fatigue or exhaustion. A yellow tint indicates poor functioning of the liver and gallbladder. If the gallbladder is not up to the task of processing and breaking down fats in the body, this can contribute to the appearance of milia (tiny white-yellow bumps) around the eyes in some people.
7. Frequent eye movements
The skin suffers from the fact that you often blink and from facial expressions (for example, smiling), also called expression wrinkles.
8. Iron
Iron may be another contributing factor. Red blood cells need iron atoms in order to attach oxygen molecules to themselves. When the iron content in your body is low, red blood cells cannot attach oxygen to themselves, and hence bluish circles appear under the eyes.
9. Lifestyle
Puffy eyes are another problem that can appear regardless of age or gender. It is caused by a diet high in salt, smoking or alcohol. Due to an unhealthy lifestyle, dark circles under the eyes and early wrinkles also occur.
If you want to know how your eyes will change as you age, look at your parents. This will give you a clear idea of whether you will have a large fat pad under your eyes. But you can try to change the genetic plan with the help of aesthetic medicine.
Other causes of deterioration of the skin in the periorbital area can be: stress, malnutrition or malnutrition, too much sleep or lack of sleep, excessive use of cosmetics (remember to wash it off every evening), washing too often with products that dry the skin (avoidalcohol in cosmetics) and damage from sunlight - photoaging.
Currently available treatments
Wrinkles, bags, dark circles, droopy eyelids are not only unsightly, but can also cause vision problems and headaches (from constantly straining to keep your eyes open). There are many surgical and non-surgical treatments available for tired, sagging, or aging eyelid skin.
The choice of eye area rejuvenation method depends on the type of disorder we are dealing with. For example, the aging skin of the upper eyelids may need to be tightened due to excess skin and muscle weakness. The lower eyelids may require puffiness and thinning skin to be treated, as well as removal of fatty sacs. Dark circles under the eyes require separate treatments.
Volume and Moisture: Fillers
The easiest and most effective way to make the skin around the eyes smooth is with injectable fillers. They provide a natural look to the skin and help fight sunken eyes. Fillers also improve the condition of under eye circles by 15-20%, but they are practically useless in the fight against the fat body. There are several types of specially formulated hyaluronic acid gels that reduce wrinkles around the eyes, giving the skin volume and moisture.
Laser skin rejuvenation
Laser surgery is a non-invasive way to tighten the skin around the eyes. CO2 laser rejuvenation or Fraxel is a very gentle way to gradually restore the youthfulness of the skin of the eyelids, which can be used in parallel with fillers or surgical techniques.
Lasers at the microscopic level cause thermal injury to the skin, to which the skin reacts with rapid healing and shedding of old damaged cells. Old cells are replaced by new, younger cells. The CO2 laser can also improve skin elasticity, texture, and reduce fine or deep wrinkles, acne scars, and freckles.
Surgical methods: blepharoplasty
If non-surgical methods do not provide the desired result, blepharoplasty (or eyelid reduction surgery) is used. This procedure is a very effective way to achieve the desired look.
The surgeon makes tiny incisions in the eyelid and under the eyes, removes excess fat and tightens the skin, and then stitches the incisions shut. Removing the fat pad under the eyes significantly reduces puffiness. Surgery can also remove drooping (hanging) eyelids, but it does nothing to combat dark circles or drooping eyebrows - these problems need to be addressed separately.
Blepharoplasty is the only way to remove a protruding fat body, especially in overweight people (excess fat accumulates under the eyes in such patients). But non-surgical methods do an excellent job with skin tightening, wrinkles and hollows under the eyes.