Do Under-Eye Bags Make You Look Tired? How Our Blepharoplasty Procedure Can Help

The delicate skin around your eyes ages faster than the rest of your face. Your upper eyelids may look a little droopy, but puffy bags under your eyes become the center of attention.

Under-eye bags make you look tired and worn out, no matter how vibrant you feel. They also add years to your appearance.

Ready to revitalize your looks and eliminate under-eye bags? Jonathan Zelken, MD, has a solution: lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).

Located in Newport Beach, California, Dr. Zelken has extensive experience, surgical expertise, and artistic skill in creating under-eye changes that look natural while eliminating shadows and sagging.

Here’s what you need to know about the cause of under-eye bags and how blepharoplasty restores a youthful appearance.

Why you have under-eye bags

Under-eye bags may temporarily appear after a sleepless night or if you overindulge on salty foods. Allergies and a congested nose trap excess fluids under your eyes, making them look dark and baggy. Or you could inherit traits that contribute to bags under your eyes, like extra skin or dark shadows.

But aging is the most common cause of unattractive under-eye bags. The skin underneath your eyes is exceptionally thin and susceptible to age-related changes, like losing strength and elasticity. Over time, the skin stretches and droops, causing under-eye bags.

The muscles supporting your lower eyelids weaken as you get older, allowing skin and fat to sag. You have a thin layer of fat that cushions your skin. Muscle weakness combined with the unfortunate influence of gravity allows the fat to move. As a result, it collects in unwanted places and gives you baggy under eyes.

How a lower lid blepharoplasty eliminates under-eye bags

Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure targeting your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. Even though it’s called eyelid surgery, blepharoplasty includes all the tissues around and under the lid.

Depending on your unique aesthetic needs, we may:

• Remove loose, sagging, or excess skin
• Tighten the underlying muscles
• Remove excess fat
• Reposition the fat to restore the under-eye area

You can also have other procedures at the same time as your lower blepharoplasty if you want to improve other cosmetic concerns. Many people decide to refresh their upper eyelids at the same time, or you may want to consider a brow lift to rejuvenate your eyebrows and forehead.

Recovering from a lower blepharoplasty

You’ll have mild swelling and redness, and your eyes may water frequently for the first few days after surgery, but we teach you how to care for your eyes while they heal.

Your basic self-care after lower blepharoplasty includes applying an eye ointment, sleeping with your head elevated above your chest, and protecting your eyes from sunlight by wearing a hat or large sunglasses. We may also ask you to rest your eyes as much as possible in your early recovery.

There are other precautions to protect your eyes and ensure fast healing. For example, you should avoid strenuous activity, and you can’t smoke any nicotine-containing products, whether cigarettes or vaping. The chemicals you inhale slow down the healing and increase your risk of complications.

Each person recovers at a different pace because of variables like your overall health, nutrition, and whether you stick with your recovery instructions. As a general guideline, most people are ready to return to work and their usual activities in 10-14 days.

Call Jonathan Zelken, MD, at (949) 432-4730, or use the online booking tool to request a consultation and learn if you’re a good candidate for lower eyelid surgery.