The removal of bags under the eyes

introduction

The removal of the bags under the eyes is often an aesthetically indicated measure to rejuvenate the appearance of the eyes and to give them a fresher appearance and to make the eye appear larger. A plastic surgeon can make this possible through surgery. There are also some non-invasive measures to reduce the size of the bags under the eyes. The development of the bags under the eyes belongs to the group of connective tissue diseases and can be genetic.

root cause

The eye bags are popularly referred to as the skin below the eye, which, when enlarged, sags in tears and swells. Actually, the areas of the eye area known as bags under the eyes belong to the lower eyelid and have nothing to do with the tear system, the eye fluid or the tear glands, and their size and shape are not influenced by crying. The tear fluid is formed in the lacrimal gland under the outer upper lid of the eye, from then on the tear fluid is distributed over the eye from is then drained off via the tear points and the lacrimal tubules to the so-called tear sac. This lies immediately next to the bony border of the nose and merges into the tear-nasal duct. With normal tear production, the tear fluid is only drained into the nose, where it evaporates. Your nose runs when you cry, because an excessive amount of tear fluid is produced here and drained through the nose and the outer edge of the eyelid. Strictly speaking, the term bags under the eyes for swelling of the lower eyelid is incorrect.

Read more on the topic: Swelling under the eyes

The development of bags under the eyes can be a sign of aging caused by lymph fluid stored in the fatty tissue of the lower lobe, by excess skin on the lower eyelid, by slackening of the skin and the underlying muscles or by increased orbital fatty tissue. As a result, the eyes appear small and the bags under the eyes appear thick and swollen. The swelling of the bags under the eyes usually changes over the course of the day. In addition to the signs of aging, frequent eyelid swelling, high exposure to light and genetic factors can be causes for the development. In addition, excess skin, age-related wrinkles or small fat deposits can cause so-called drooping eyelids, which lower the upper eyelid and give the eye a tired look. These often occur in combination with bags under the eyes, so that some plastic surgeons perform an upper and lower eyelid lift at the same time.

Diagnosis

The optical diagnosis is relatively simple, because bags under the eyes can already be recognized by a medical layperson. However, it is up to the attending physician to clarify whether the swelling is permanent or temporary and whether the cause is different illness, one genetic predisposition or a unhealthy lifestyle is. If all these factors have been weighed against each other, a decision can now be made on how to proceed. Here, the level of suffering that the patient has from his changed appearance must also be taken into account. In addition, the content of the bags under the eyes should be determined, because a pure storage of lymph fluid can usually be achieved by a high hydration and decongestant creams be reduced. A However, the storage of fatty tissue can only be surgically remove. Finally, the doctor and patient should decide together whether a surgical procedure is an option, or whether changes in everyday life and the use of home remedies and medicinal preparations are sufficient as an alternative for the time being.

Procedure

The bags under the eyes can be removed surgically. To do this, a patient should turn to an experienced eyelid surgeon or plastic surgeon.

A short general anesthetic is recommended for this operation, because the patient must not move during this operation, as the surgeon cuts very close to the eye and unplanned movements can lead to serious consequences. For this purpose, a discussion with the responsible anesthetist should take place beforehand in order to choose a form of anesthesia and to minimize possible risk factors.

In the operating theater, the team consists of anesthetist, surgeon, assistants and specialized operating room nurses. The incision made by the surgeon is made depending on the thickness of the bags under the eyes through the inside of the eyelid or mostly directly below the lash linein order to make the scars appear as inconspicuous as possible and to hide them with the newly created skin folds.
If the skin is now open, it will Redistributed fatty tissue of the lower part or removed and the excess lymphatic fluid is sucked off. In addition, a small part of the skin of the lower part is removed. Above all, it is important to ensure that the tightening of the skin does not cause any pull on the lower part of the lower part so that it protrudes from the eyeball and creates a so-called ,,Trieflied“Arises. To prevent this from happening, the surgeon can perform a muscular fixation at the edge of the eye. In addition, it should be noted that by removing the fatty tissue, the distance from the vessels supplying the eye and the eye socket to the superficial skin was reduced. This can lead to the formation of dark circles that appear slightly bluish.

costs

The cost of the surgical eyelid lift depends on the country in which the operation is performed, the extent of the lift and whether the lower or upper lobe or even both are treated surgically. In Germany the cost is about 1800 to 3400 euros and are in most cases to be borne by the patients themselves, as they are often an aesthetically indicated measure and not absolutely necessary from a medical point of view. The costs include the entire treatment, which consists of the consultation, the operation itself as well as preventive care and aftercare. If, in the event of complications or mistakes by the surgeon, reoperations are necessary, these must also be borne by the patient himself. This is also the case if the first procedure was medically indicated and was therefore borne by the health insurance company.

Aftercare

After the operation, the patient still needs a short stay in hospital and the freshly operated wound needs to be cooled. After about four to ten days can they Threads pulled from the wound become. In addition, a check-up by the attending physician is recommended on the first day after the operation and one and two weeks afterwards. The operated patient needs about a week to get back to his normal routine. In the first time it should to protect the eyes a sunglasses be worn. Special eye fluids and creams can cause irritated skin to puff away more quickly. Overall it takes a time of about six months with a complete regression of the scars to be expected. However, these are very small and can usually easily be covered with make-up in women.

Risks

The removal of the bags under the eyes and the associated eyelid tightening is a surgical procedure and involves risks, especially when it is performed under general anesthesia. In addition to the typical risks such as thrombosis, Embolisms and Bruising can especially on the lids harmless swelling, Redness or Inflammation which should subside after a few days. In rare cases, for example, it can be caused by incorrect cutting asymmetrical appearance parts of the face come as well as to Lack of complete eyelid closure or decreased hydration of the eye. If too much of the fat body of the eye is removed during the operation, the eye may sink back slightly into the eye socket. This creates a hollow-eyed appearance, which is also undesirable and these risks are extremely rare and should not happen to a renowned plastic surgeon.

Alternative treatment

There are permanent bags under the eyes differentiate from temporary eyelid swelling. The eyelid swelling is also called Eyelid edema and can appear very suddenly. Fluid, which in most cases consists of lymph, accumulates under the skin of the eyelid. Causes for the development of eyelid edema and bags under the eyes can also under certain circumstances stress, high nicotine and alcohol consumption, little sleep or Diseases of other organs be conditional. Especially in the case of heart failure or kidney dysfunction, the swollen songs are usually among the first signs of illness.

If not only the eyelids but also other areas of the body are swollen and affected by fluid retention, it should be urgently consulted a doctor to rule out organ diseases. Also can chronic inflammation of the eye or allergic reactions cause irritation and swelling. In rare cases, solid deposits can also be the cause of swelling. This is mostly a harmless stye or, more rarely, eyelid tumors. These causes should first be clarified and are often palpable.

If the bags under the eyes appear temporarily, one should first of all non-operative therapy respectively. cooling With ice or massages of the eye area, as well as lymphatic drainage, can help to reduce the size of the bags under the eyes. There are also many creams from the pharmacy or pharmacy simple home remedies like chilled tea bags and cucumber slices that can be placed on the eyes and have a puffy effect on the bags under the eyes. Urea-containing creams can help to increase the flexibility of the skin and thereby shrink the bags under the eyes. An insider tip are ointments that were originally used against hemorrhoids, they have a lessening effect. However, it is very important to ensure that the ointment not in contact with the delicate retina of the eye comes and leads to irritation here. Excessive alcohol and nicotine consumption should be avoided, especially in the evening. Another alternative form of treatment is the non-invasive one Therapy with radio frequency waves, a high-energy treatment that uses vibration and cooling to stimulate the skin's renewal processes and can tighten and smooth the surface. However, the procedure must be repeated several times for long-term success.

prevention

In order to prevent bags under the eyes, a healthy lifestyle should be sought. This includes the Refrain from alcohol and nicotine. Lots of exercise and enough sleep are important for the regeneration of the body. One also helps low salt consumptionto balance the fluid balance. Since the genetic factors cannot be switched off, the formation of bags under the eyes can usually not be completely prevented. just delaying the creation is possible through a healthy lifestyle. Care creams can help keep the skin elastic and supple for longer and reduce slight swelling.