Hooded Eyelids: Causes & Treatment Options

Hooded eyes are a common aesthetic concern for both men and women. The upper eyelid droops over the eye, and patients often complain that it makes them look old and fatigued. It can also make it more challenging to wear eye make-up and, in extreme cases, it can even affect vision.

What are hooded eyelids?

Hooded eyelids are where excess skin folds from the brow bone to the lash line. The natural crease in the eyelid is obscured when the eyes are open and the upper eyelid looks smaller.

Is it common to have hooded eyelids?

It is a common problem as you get older and people often associate it with getting older, particularly as the eyes are one of the first areas of the face to show ageing changes. However, it may also be an inherited condition or developed due to medical conditions.

What causes hooded eyelids?

Hooded eyelids can be caused by several factors:

• Genetics: some people are genetically predisposed to have hooded eyelids, and even very young men and women are unhappy with the appearance of their eyes.
• The ageing process: as we age, the natural levels of collagen and elastin in our dermis start to deplete. These components provide the structure, strength and elasticity in our skin, which is why skin starts to sag. The eyes are particularly susceptible because the skin is very thin and delicate.
• Muscle weakness: ptosis occurs when the upper eyelid droops due to the weakening of the muscles.
• Medical causes: certain medical conditions can cause hooded eyelids to form. These include blepharitis, Graves’ disease, or myasthenia gravis.
• Damage from lifestyle factors: ageing changes such as hooded eyes can be accelerated by sun exposure, poor diet and smoking.

What are the best treatments for hooded eyelids?

Skincare products, such as creams and serums, may promise to rejuvenate the eyes by increasing collagen production, but they have limited effects on skin sagging.

Wrinkle smoothing injections of toxins work by temporarily blocking the signal from the nerves that control our muscles. The muscle contractions relax and soften and the overlying skin smooths. It is possible to create a certain amount of lift to the brows by making the depressor muscles that pull down the eyebrows weaker, allowing the muscles that lift the eyebrows to have a greater pull. This can have the effect of making the eyes look more open and refreshed. However, the results are temporary, and only a certain degree of lift is possible.

Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to stimulate collagen synthesis deep in the dermis, causing remodelling of the facial tissues. Lines and wrinkles are greatly reduced, and the skin is lifted and tightened. Ultherapy is minimally invasive, so no downtime. As it boosts collagen production, it will take two to three months to see the full effect. If focused on the forehead, it can lift the eyebrows and open up the eye area, improving the appearance of hooded eyelids.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is the surgical solution to hooded eyelids and often the only answer to a significant degree of skin laxity and muscle ptosis. In the upper eyelids, an incision is made in the natural crease of the eye and excess skin, underlying muscle and fat are removed and repositioned to achieve a more youthful appearance to the upper eyelid.

The skin on the upper lids is very thin so scarring is usually minimal, and your Karidis Clinic surgeon will position the incision in the fold of the eye. The recovery period is relatively short, and most patients can return to work and normal activities within a week or two. Results are long-lasting, and patients report significantly increased self-confidence in their appearance.

ASSOCIATED PROCEDURES: Blepharoplasty, Ultherapy, Wrinkle Smoothing Treatments