STI: Giving droopy eyelids a lift

March 5, 2009

Giving droopy eyelids a lift

Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fatt has admitted fixing his sagging eyelids. JUNE CHEONG finds out more about the procedure

 

Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, its medical term, had an unexpected boost from Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fatt last month.

 

Chow recently admitted in a TV interview in South Korea that he had had work done on his eyelids as they had started to droop as he got older.

 

Dr Andrew Tay, consultant plastic surgeon at The Plastic Surgery Practice, surmised that Chow probably had a bit of droopy skin taken away from his upper eyelids.

 

Either the upper or lower eyelids can be worked on.

 

Surgery in the former is usually done to create double eyelids or to remove excess skin, muscle or fatty tissue which cause the eyelids to droop.

 

Another form of upper eyelid surgery is the correction of ptosis, or sleepy eye. This is when the patient's eyelid cannot be fully opened because the upper eyelid muscle is weak. Surgery can tighten or trim the muscle.

 

Lower eyelid surgery is commonly done to deal with eyebag problems.

 

Dr Yeap Choong Lieng, plastic and cosmetic surgeon at Yeap Plastic Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery, said: 'When someone who is middle-aged is said to have progressive development of droopy upper eyelids, the whole of his forehead skin, together with his eyebrows and upper eyelids, are starting to descend.

 

'Therefore, once beautiful large eyes will progressively become smaller.'

 

Various surgical possibilities exist for droopy eyelids, depending on the patient's age and severity of the patient's condition.

 

For mild cases, upper eyelid surgery is performed to remove excess skin and fat and to fix the eyelid on a higher plane.

 

For more severe cases, upper eyelid surgery is performed where the soft tissues around the upper eyelid and eyebrow region are dissected and freed. An absorbable implant called an Endotine device is then driven into the eyebrow bone and the skin and tissues are anchored to it to create a lifting effect.

 

This helps to maintain the effects of the surgery as it delays the descent of the eyebrow and forehead skin.

 

If the patient's forehead skin, eyebrows and eyelids are very lax, an endoscopic forehead lift is possible. This releases the soft tissues and skin from the upper eyelid bone, which are then anchored to an Endotine device placed on the skull bone.

 

An upper eyelid operation to remove excess upper eyelid skin, muscle and fat takes about an hour and costs $2,000 upwards. Its effectiveness should last at least 10 years if done properly.

 

When asked what causes eyelids to droop, Professor Walter Tan, a specialist in plastic surgery and general surgery at Raffles Hospital, said: 'The most common cause is ageing. The eyelids generally droop more on the outer margins of the upper eyelids. If left untreated, they usually result in visual obstruction when the person gazes to the side.'

 

Eyelids may start drooping after a person hits the age of 50 but people who constantly rub or pull their eyelids may experience droopy eyelids earlier in life.

 

Dr Tay said: 'It's gravity. Plus your skin gets looser and less elastic as you age. If you take good care of your skin, your eyelid skin will remain healthy longer.'

 

While Chow's youthful appearance may inspire some to consider upper eyelid surgery, plastic surgeons Mind Your Body spoke to said it is already quite common.

 

Patients who undergo upper eyelid surgery to create double eyelids are usually in their 20s or 30s, while those who want something done about their drooping eyelids are usually in their 40s to 60s.

 

Dr Andrew Khoo, consultant plastic surgeon at Aesthetic & Reconstructive Centre, said: 'The number of patients asking for cosmetic procedures and surgery is increasing due to greater awareness, increased safety and affluence.

 

'Eyelid surgery is popular because it is quite a significant enhancement with relatively low risk.'

 

junec@sph.com.sg

 

An upper eyelid operation to remove excess upper eyelid skin, muscle and fat can last 10 years if done properly