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Dr. Batniji reviews upper and lower eyelid procedures. read more>
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Question:
I am 67 years old and have had darker bags under my eyes for about more years than I can remember. I have heard it is due to fatty tissue. I want to have eye surgery, but I am very concerned that the skin will stay dark. Is this a problem with blepharoplasty?
Answer:
Dark skin of the lower eyelid can be due to a variety of conditions. Allergies and thyroid disorders can create this appearance and correction of these medical conditions may improve the appearance of dark skin of the lower eyelid. Another potential cause of dark skin is pigmentation within the skin of the lower eyelid. A chemical peel with 88 percent phenol or a fractionated CO2 laser procedure may improve this pigmentation. Bleaching creams may also improve the pigmentation of the skin. Another potential cause is superficial blood vessels just beneath the lower eyelid skin. Finally, another potential cause of dark circles of the lower eyelid is protrusion of fat juxtaposed with a hollowness (this hollowness is sometimes referred to as tear trough deformity). A lower lid blepharoplasty may improve this appearance. In this case, I would recommend a lower lid blepharoplasty with re-positioning of the lower lid fat to the hollowed regions, thus giving a more youthful contour to the lower eyelid and cheek complex. A non-surgical alternative is hyaluronic acid filler injection to the hollow region.
Question:
Do you recommend any skin care products to prepare the skin prior to a chemical peel or laser resurfacing?
Answer:
We recommend sunblock. As well, studies show that treatment of the skin with a bleaching cream and a retinol may benefit those patients with darker skin complexion.
Question:
What type of chemical peels do you use? Does it depend on the individual? I have uneven pigmentation on my face and the texture is rough, perhaps from the sun.
Answer:
I use a variety of chemical peels. These include the 35% TCA peel and 88% phenol peel. The most common peel we perform is the VI Peel. This peel contains TCA, retinol, salicylic acid, vitamin C, and phenol. It is an excellent option for all skin types. We have a specific protocol for the darker complexion patients which makes this a wonderful peel option for patients like you.
Posted by Rami K. Batniji, M.D., F.A.C.S.
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