DA Press

Droopy eyelids due to aging, it is important to correct the orbicularis oculi muscle during upper blepharoplasty

Eyes are the areas most rapidly that reveals the aging trace. There are many people who has wrinkles on eye areas and it obstructs the view since the eyelids are getting droopy due to aging. Due to this reason, it can create wrinkles on the forehead due to their habit to open the eyes wide and this leads to having ptosis. This type of eyelids has to be fixed since the eyelids are not going to work functionally well. To enhance under eye wrinkles, there is a surgery called upper blepharoplasty, it’s literally upper eyelids surgery however, we need to concentrate the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Existing upper blepharoplasty is a surgery that cut the saggy skin that covers the muscle. It doesn’t mean to revive the elasticity of eyes areas. When we close our eyes, the upper eyelids is needed power to open our eyes, at this point, the power is muscle called orbicularis oculi. It’s a basic cause to have droopy upper eyelids since this muscle which is in the face that closes the eyelids can lead to make the upper eyelids get saggy due to losing its elasticity as we get older. Thus, if you have a droopy upper eyelids, in that case, it is advised to correct not only saggy skin but also orbicularis oculi.

Orbicularis oculi supports the surrounding tissue. However, when this muscle starts to get saggy, it will lead to the surrounding tissue gets saggy at the same time. The eyes shape may be changed to triangle shape since it gets saggy start from the head of eyes to outer edge of eyes. Eventually, this leads to eyes bad health. The wrinkles on the face may be worse and due to saggy skin on the eyelids, patients’ view can be blocked. Furthermore, the skin on the eyelids can be weaken because of shedding tears frequently. Some of patients experiences significant discomfort due to eyelashes that pokes into eyes.

There are three methods of improving saggy upper eyelids: upper blepharoplasty, brow lift, and non-incision double eyelid surgery. Fundamentally, these all are needed to be performed by correcting orbicularis oculi muscle. The method of upper blepharoplasty is performed by cutting the saggy skin, fat, and saggy orbicularis oculi at once. Then fixate the muscle tightly and suture the line on the eyelids for creating natural looking eye shape.

Brow lift can be helpful to patients who has wide gab between eyes and brows with droopy eyelids but want to remain the non double eyelids. The incision is made along the brow lines and fixate the saggy eyelids and orbicularis oculi muscle. It can maintain the eye shape in natural itself. However, if the brow lift and non incision double eyelid surgery are done together, the stage that suturing the double eyelids will be added at the end of the procedure.

Orbicularis oculi muscle correction has its own characteristic by lowering the reoccurrence of saggy eyelids and get natural double eyelids at the same time. However, the more important thing is to consider the patients’ skin thickness who is going to get a surgery. If a surgeon makes an incision without any consideration, then the eyes can be seemed awkward. This is why it’s important to get surgery by a surgeon who has many clinical experiences with skillful know-how.

“It is important to make the operation plan not only improving eyes shape but also its functional problem by 1:1 customized design after detailed analysis according to a patient’s condition and symptoms. .” said Moon Hyung Suk, doctor of DA Plastic Surgery Clinic.