How to Remove Eye Bags

Nobody likes eye bags. Eye bags make us appear lethargic and older than we really are. And way too often, eye bags just don’t get better with either sleep or diet and may even get worse as one ages. At The Clifford Clinic, we present the surgical and non-surgical eye bag treatments to address your concerns.

What are eye bags?

To appreciate how the under-eye bag treatments work, we need to understand how the bags appear in the first place. Eye bags refer to the excess volume under the eyes. This excess volume bulges out, giving the characteristic “eye bag” appearance.

There exists a fat pad underneath our eyes. The excess volume is made up of fat tissue. As we age, the “orbital septum” loses its strength. The orbital septum is a membrane that “holds” the fat tissue under the eye. When the orbital septum weakens as we age, fat would then be able to bulge through, resulting in the bags under the eyes.

Another possible cause of eye bags is due to the loss of fatty tissue in the upper cheeks, just right below the eye bags. It is a natural aging process to lose volume at the cheeks. When the degradation of the fat tissue in the upper cheeks is at a faster rate than it does just below the eyes, the fat tissue just right below the eyes will sink downwards, giving the eye bag appearance.

Another common cause of eye bag is due to genetics. Some people are just born with more fat below the eyes, resulting in the eye bag appearance. And as one ages, the eye bag worsens.

NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS

• Dermal Fillers

Dermal filler can be an option to treat under eyebag, especially if the main cause is assessed to be due to the loss of fat in the upper cheek. Filler can restore the volume at the upper cheek, giving support to the fat pad under the eyes, therefore restoring the smooth transition from the under-eye to the cheeks and thus eliminating the appearance of bags under the eyes.

• Radiofrequency Ablation

Using heat from radiofrequency generated by our in-house AGNES RF and Secret RF machine, the probe that generates the heat will be directed at the excess volume under the eyes. The heat will dissolve away the fat in the fat pad. Several sessions are required to achieve optimal results. This procedure is more suited for patients with small volume eye bag or patients who are very adverse towards surgery. Patients should also not have excess or lax skin under the eyes. Large volume eye bag or eye bag with excessive under-eye skin are better managed with surgery, which the next segment of this article will talk about.

SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS

For patients with eye bag of huge volume or with excess lax skin under the eyes, surgery is preferred as an option to eliminate the eye bag. With surgery, the excess fat can be better removed. Some patients, especially the elderly, can also benefit from the removal of excess skin under the eyes during this procedure.

This form of lower eyelid surgery is also known as lower blepharoplasty. We will explore two of these commonly employed techniques in the article.

Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty – This technique is also known as the “scarless eye bag surgery”. The surgical incision is made via the inner surface of the lower eyelid that gives direct access to the fat pads. The surgeon will then remove the excess amount of fat through the inner surface incision. This is a good option for patients who do not have excess lower eyelid skin, but rather more of an excess volume at the lower eyelid.

Traditional Blepharoplasty – The incision for traditional blepharoplasty is made directly onto the skin just beneath the lower eyelid eyelashes. The incision cut is made along the natural lines of the under eye, and fine suturing technique is employed to minimize visible scarring. This technique is usually preferred when there is also a concern of excess sagging skin under the eyes, in addition to the excess fat. Using this technique, both the excess sagging skin and the excess fat can be excised directly, eliminating the eye bag.

Most patients can return to work or resume normal activity after a week. There are some potential side-effects from the procedure. Bruising from lower eyelid blepharoplasty may occur. Some patients may experience excessive tearing, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision for the first few days. Another rare risk that may happen is the development of ectropion, where the lower eyelid droops away from the eye and turns outwards. This is manageable and correctable.

A point to highlight is also that lower eyelid surgeries can be done under local anaesthesia, sedation, or general anaesthesia, depending on patient’s preference.

In conclusion, there are various ways The Clifford Clinic can help to address your eye bag concerns. Should you have any further enquiries, please do drop by our clinic to have a consultation with our plastic surgeon or aesthetic doctors in Singapore!