Eyelid Lift Archives - Scott Mosser M.D.

The presence of excess skin, bulging fat, and increasingly loose muscles in and near the eye area may give way to an older, tired, or perpetually upset appearance. The appearance of wrinkles, folds, and fine lines have always been associated with genetics, aging, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, nutrition, and sun exposure. However, a recent study in Netherlands just revealed that there are actually specific risk factors that may influence one’s likelihood of having sagging eyelids.

Here’s an excerpt of the study’s results:

Among the group of Dutch Europeans, 17.8 percent had moderate to severe sagging eyelids. Risk factors for sagging eyelids included age, being male, having lighter skin color and a higher BMI. Current smoking also may have some association. Among the twin pairs, heritability of sagging eyelids was estimated at about 61 percent.

Sagging Eyelid Correction Surgery

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery revealed that eyelid surgery was the third most frequently performed procedure last year, up by 5.4 percent from 2012. The procedure, also known as blepharoplasty, reduces the appearance of the following:
- puffiness in the upper eyelids
- sagging or loose skin in the upper eyelids which may impair vision
- droopiness of the lower eyelids
- under eye bags
Blepharoplasty may be done separately or in combination on the upper and lower eyelids, depending on the patient’s cosmetic needs and preferences. In some cases, a brow lift may also be done in combination with eyelid surgery to improve the appearance of the brows and restore their naturally elevated position. Non-surgical alternatives such as Botox and dermal fillers may also be done as a finishing touch to eyelid surgery.

Can anyone have eyelid surgery?

Not everyone can have eyelid surgery. Generally, you are an ideal candidate for eyelid surgery if you are in excellent physical health and has realistic expectations of the procedure. In addition, you should be free (or well-controlled) of the following conditions:
- high blood pressure
- any type of cardiovascular disease
- glaucoma
- diabetes
- thyroid problems such as Graves’ disease and hypothyroidism
- dry eye syndrome
Furthermore, your existing facial anatomy such as bone structure may also influence your candidacy for sagging eyelid correction surgery.

Your Personalized Sagging Eyelid Correction Plan by Dr. Mosser

Dr. Mosser does more than perform eyelid surgery here at our San Francisco plastic surgery practice. A personalized sagging eyelid correction plan will also be created before surgery to ensure that desired outcomes will be achieved. Call us at 415.398.7778 or fill out this contact form today to schedule an appointment today.
The hallmark attributes of youthful skin is similar across cultures and ethnicities: firm, elastic, smooth, and free of defects or blemishes. However, the human body changes over time and the skin is no exception. As the largest organ in the body, it undergoes a tremendous number of changes from infancy to childhood to adolescence to adulthood.

Every so often, loose, sagging skin is one of the noticeable changes that prompt men and women to seek Dr. Mosser’s expertise in providing cosmetic solutions. Read on below to learn more about ways to reduce and delay the appearance of sagging skin resulting from aging.

Factors with Major Influence on Sagging Skin

Generally, factors that influence the appearance of sagging skin include the following:
- Effects of gravity – This refers to the natural downward pull as we walk, sit, and move in an upward position
- Prolonged and consistent sun exposure
- Gradual loss of collagen and elastin in the skin – Both are types of protein that naturally occur in the body and are responsible for the taut appearance of youthful skin. However, as one ages, the collagen and elastin in the skin tend to dwindle. Collagen loss is partly responsible in the appearance of crow’s feet (wrinkles in the outermost corners of the eyes) and the progression of jowls along the jawline
- Dramatic weight loss – This could be a result to a change in lifestyle (diet and exercise), recovery from a long-term illness, or immediately after childbirth when the skin loses elasticity as it is stretched. Excess, loose skin is often noticeable in the arms, stomach, hips, and thighs. In addition, stretch marks may also appear as the skin is unable to adhere to the new body contour
- Influence of hormones such as in the case of menopause when production of estrogen has been depleted.
- Prolonged and consistent sun exposure
- Substantial loss of fat tissue in the subcutaneous layer of the skin
- Shrinking bones which result to lack of support for the skin
Other factors that may also influence the development of sagging skin include chronic lack of sleep, lack of exercise, poor diet, smoking, and alcohol.

Possible Cosmetic Treatments for Excess Skin

Face and neck – If you choose the surgical route, a face lift and/or a neck lift can help remove excess skin in the area. In addition, a brow lift or an eyelid lift can help remove loose, sagging skin on the upper third of the face. The aforementioned surgical procedures remove excess skin while the remaining skin is pulled into place for a more tightened appearance.

Non-surgical alternatives include the use of dermal fillers that primarily add volume to the skin. These injectables can be injected near or around the eyes, nose, lips, and neckline.

Body – Surgical cosmetic procedures are done in a similar fashion as the aforementioned surgical techniques for the face and neck. These procedures may include a tummy tuck, buttock enhancement surgery via implants or fat transfer, or a lower body lift.

If you’ve been having sagging skin issues either in the face, body, or both, Dr. Mosser and the rest of the team would love to help you look and feel your best! Call us at 415.398.7778 or fill out this contact form today to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you improve your life through cosmetic surgery!
Although aging is inevitable, there are numerous cosmetic procedures to reduce the appearance of the hallmarks of physical aging — from sagging jowls to the dreaded crow’s feet. Whether you’re looking into restoring your natural beauty or wanting to make subtle changes for dramatic results, our San Francisco cosmetic surgery practice is committed to helping you discreetly erase years off your face and body.

By and large, the following signs of aging will almost always give away or real age (or make you look older than your real age!):

1. Turkey Neck

This refers to sagging skin just below the chin making you think twice about posting that bathroom selfie you just took. The appearance of turkey neck can be attributed to flaccid muscles and excess accumulation of fat. A neck lift may be done for those who wish to choose the surgical route. Unfortunately there are very few non-surgical methods that help to a significant degree with a sagging neck.

2. Crow’s Feet

Crow’s feet refers to fine lines and wrinkles on the outermost corners of your eyes. Generally, their appearance is a result of repeated muscle contractions in the area when you squint and blink. Since you can’t stop yourself from squinting or blinking as a means of preventing them from appearing, Botox is the perfect choice to subtly erase them for a more youthful appearance.

3. Sagging jowls

Have you heard about the Triangle of Youth? It actually refers to the three components of how a youthful face should look like — full cheeks, high cheekbones, and a well-defined jawline. However, once aging has taken its toll, the Triangle of Youth slowly becomes the Pyramid of Age — sunken cheeks, nasolabial folds or parentheses, and the appearance of jowls in the lower third of the face. A face lift, chin liposuction, and certain dermal fillers can help make sagging jowls less noticeable.

4. Sagging brows and upper eyelids

Both the upper eyelids and brows are located close to each other and one will most likely assume that it only takes one surgical cosmetic procedure to improve their appearance. However, sagging brows can actually be remedied with a brow lift while loose skin in the upper eyelids will benefit from an upper eyelid lift. If both concerns are present, an eyelid surgery and a brow lift can be done at the same time. Botox can also help improve horizontal lines between the eyes.

5. Spotted and/or wrinkled hands

Your face may be youthful and flawless but your hands may convey an entirely different story with the appearance of wrinkles and brown spots. Laser therapy can significantly reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation spots while collagen-based fillers will help smoothen out those wrinkles.

Let us help you put your naturally youthful face and body forward! Call us at 415.398.7778 or fill out this contact form to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you improve your life through cosmetic surgery!
It looks like 2013 may also be the year the eyelid lift made it to mainstream popularity, alongside the equally popular Brazilian butt lift. First, it soared 5 percent higher than that of 2012, going a notch higher to 3rd place from its 4th place position last year in the top 5 surgical cosmetic procedures in 2013.

In addition, the admission of popular news anchor and host Julie Chen that she had eyelid surgery when she was 25 (and after being told that she will never become an anchor because she looked too Chinese) to look more Westernized has made it more well-known amongst the public.

This year, the eyelid lift does more than give you that Westernized look. Below are 5 ways an eyelid lift can make you look naturally younger (and finally make that decision to have the surgery in 2014):

1. An eyelid lift can remove sagging and loose skin that hangs over the eyes. Aside from rejuvenating the face, it can also help improve peripheral vision if the excess skin has been a cause of vision troubles.

2. An eyelid lift can also remove (and redistribute it) excess fat around the eyes which contributes to the dreaded puffiness.

3. The appearance of unappealing eye bags can also be improved with an eyelid lift.

4. In some cases, the lower eyelids may droop just below the iris, resulting to the “white part” of your eye taking over the colored portion. This can be corrected by an eyelid lift, too.

5. Lastly, an eyelid lift can restore overall definition of the eyes resulting to a more youthful look on your end.

What an Eyelift Cannot Do

Not all aging problems in the eye area can be improved with an eyelid lift though. By and large, the following cosmetic woes may need to be treated with other treatments or procedures:
- Crow’s feet (wrinkles around the eyes) – This is best treated with non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as Botox and skin resurfacing treatments.
- Dark circles around the eyes – Dark circles, by and large, don’t have as much to do with aging but rather genetics, lack of sleep, and diet. Eye creams and non-surgical treatments may work for this cosmetic problem. However, when bags in the lower eyelids contribute to the shadows of dark circles, often a lower eye lift can at least improve the circles.
- Sagging eyebrows – An eyelid lift alone may not provide the optimum results. Rather, a brow lift may done alone or in conjunction with an eyelid lift for maximum aesthetic results.
Complete Eye Rejuvenation by Dr. Mosser

Our San Francisco plastic surgery practice offers skin resurfacing procedures that can further improve the tone and surface to the skin surrounding the eye. These procedures are typically done after your eyelid lift surgery. Oftentimes, an eyelid surgery may also be combined with a face lift to create an overall refreshed look.

Call us at 415.398.7778 or fill out this contact form to schedule an appointment. San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. Mosser does more than perform the procedure of your choice, he also aims to provide you with personalized treatments and/or treatment combinations to help restore and reveal your natural beauty!