Given the immense importance of your eyes, it’s a wonder that they’re only protected by thin, flexible folds of skin. It’s even stranger that we neglect our eyelids and weaken them, often without even realizing it.
Not only are damaged eyelids an eyesore, they also pose a risk to your eye’s normal function and your ability to see clearly. Fortunately, there’s a way to reverse the damage, restore performance, and rehabilitate your look.
Dr. Robert A. Guida specializes in using eyelid surgery to correct your worst eyelid problems. He’s also dedicated to educating you on proper eyelid care and helping you avoid the following bad habits.
Because they’re so thin and feel barely there, it can be easy to write your eyelids off as just another flap of skin or a canvas on which to put makeup, but they’re surprisingly complicated structures.
You have two sets of eyelids, the uppers and lowers, and each is made up of five layers of skin, muscle, and connective tissue. All these layers work together to guard against injury and provide lubrication by distributing tears.
Multiple conditions and diseases can impact your eyelids, most of which are out of your control. In fact, the simple effect of gravity over your lifetime can cause your eyelids to droop.
On the other hand, there are plenty of reasons why you’re to blame for your eyelid woes. Consider the following three situations when thinking about your own habits.
Rubbing, stretching, and pulling at your eyelids can cause significant damage to both your upper and lower eyelids. Your eyelids are so thin and fragile that frequent tugging can destroy the delicate muscle and skin, causing them to sag.
If you deal with chronic or severe allergies that result in the knee-jerk reaction to rub at your eyes, or you need to stretch your eyelids to insert contact lenses, do it as gently as possible or try to curb the habit altogether.
When you puff on a cigarette, you inhale a lot more than just a cloud of gray smoke. Nestled in the tendrils of that haze lurks a cocktail of harmful toxins. These toxins destroy your skin by attacking your supply of collagen and elastin — the two proteins responsible for keeping your skin supple and firm.
Without the necessary proteins to hold it up, your skin sags, and the fat and fluids that usually stay close to your eye settle in puffy bags in your lids.
A long day on the beach can be great for getting a sun-kissed glow. Some sun exposure can even be good for you, as the sun’s rays help you produce vitamin D. On the other hand, soaking up too much sunlight can wreak havoc on your skin, especially the delicate layers over and around your eyes.
The UV radiation from the sun penetrates into the deepest layers of your skin, pummeling the supportive proteins below the surface. This assault causes your eyelids to sag and droop, making you look much older than you are.
While there are many ways you can ruin your eyelids, there’s one sure-fire way to erase all of the damage — advanced eyelid surgery.
You begin with an evaluation, so Dr. Guida can assess your eyelid damage and review your medical history. Depending on your needs and goals, he recommends a surgical plan.
If your upper eyelids are your main concern, Dr. Guida performs an upper eyelid lift. During this procedure, he makes a small incision in the natural fold of your eyelid to remove any excess skin or fatty deposits. The incision is so small and strategically placed, you hardly notice it after you’ve fully recovered.
Lower eyelid lifts require a slightly different process. Dr. Guida goes through the inner eyelid, leaving the outer surfaces of your skin untouched. From this internal vantage point, he gently extracts the excess skin and fat.
After a few short recovery days, you face the world with open eyes that look fresher, brighter, and younger.
If you’re tired of looking in the mirror and seeing an older, swollen version of you staring back, it’s time to invest in eyelid surgery.
Have more questions? Ready to get started with a consultation? Call our friendly staff at either our Manhattan or Staten Island location, or schedule an appointment online today.
