by Aesthetic Doctor Tracey Garner
The eyes, often called the ‘windows to the soul’, deserve a frame that displays the beauty they hold within. The delicate skin surrounding them, the periorbital area, is often the first to whisper tales of time, stress, and life’s rich tapestry. Aging gracefully doesn’t mean surrendering to these whispers, but rather directing them to restore and maintain your natural beauty, subtly and artfully.
The periorbital area is a delicate masterpiece surrounding the eye, prone to showing the passage of time. Picture a beautiful Bedouin Tent: the beauty and expressiveness of the eyes is a result of a complex interplay of structures beneath the surface. To truly understand how to rejuvenate this delicate area, we must delve into the intricate anatomy surrounding the eyes and how each component changes with time. Let’s take a closer look…
Table of contents
- A Closer Look at Periocular Anatomy
- How Do These Affect Ageing?
- The Elegance of Integrated Non-Invasive Treatments
- Top Periorbital Rejuvenation Treatments
- Prolonging Your Treatment Results
- How To Take The Next Step
A Closer Look at Periocular Anatomy
Bone Structure: The Firm Foundation
The Orbital Rim: This bony structure encircles the eye, providing protection and support. With age, the orbital rim may subtly widen, leading to a less defined contour and a potential hollowing of the under-eye area.
The Cheekbones: Prominent cheekbones contribute to a youthful appearance, but with time, bone resorption can lead to a loss of volume and a flattening of the midface, which can indirectly affect the periorbital area.
The Frontal bone or Forehead: the delicate tissue of the upper eye is suspended from the forehead and temple. Although we don’t often realise it, we can lose a lot of support in this area over time, leading to a lowered brow could contribute to the look of excessive or loose upper eyelid skin.
Fat Pads: The Gentle Pillars
Periorbital Fat Pads: These delicate fat pads beneath the skin provide volume and support, creating a smooth, youthful appearance. Aging can cause these fat pads to shrink and descend, contributing to under-eye hollows, tear troughs, and a sunken appearance. Sometimes the fat pads along the upper brow bone become larger and contribute to the heavy brow of ageing.
Ligaments: The Supportive Tethers
Retaining Ligaments: These fibrous bands anchor the skin to underlying structures like the bone, helping to maintain its position and firmness. Weakening of these ligaments with age can contribute to skin laxity and sagging, especially in the lower eyelids and cheeks.
Muscles: The Expressive Shutters
Orbicularis Oculi: This circular muscle surrounding the eye enables us to blink, squint, and express emotions. With repeated contractions over time, dynamic wrinkles, such as crow’s feet, can form at the outer corners of the eyes. An over-active Orbicularis Oculi muscle could also contribute to a lower brow and make the eyes appear smaller.
Other Facial Muscles: Muscles in the forehead, eyebrows, and cheeks also play a role in periorbital aesthetics. Loss of muscle tone and elasticity can contribute to drooping eyelids, brow ptosis (drooping), and a general sense of facial sagging. Reduced activity in the upper eyelid muscle could also result in a ‘lid ptosis’ or ‘lazy eye’ which often contributes to asymmetry or a tired, sad or sleepy look.
Skin: The Delicate Canvas
Thin and Delicate: The skin around the eyes is remarkably thin and delicate, making it susceptible to showing signs of aging sooner than other areas. As we age the skin becomes more translucent and weaker and therefore the signs of ageing below the surface of the skin become more visible: it is common to see puffiness and loss of volume, along with wrinkles and even protruding fat pads in the same ageing eye.
Collagen and Elastin Loss: With age, the production of collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for skin’s strength and elasticity, diminishes. This leads to fine lines and wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Sun Damage: Cumulative sun exposure accelerates aging and can contribute to hyperpigmentation (dark spots), further impacting the periorbital area’s appearance.
Lymphatics: The Drainage System
The lymphatic system, a vital network for fluid balance, plays a crucial role in maintaining a youthful, refreshed appearance around the eyes. Efficient lymph drainage removes excess fluid and toxins, preventing puffiness and dark circles. However, as we age, the lymphatic system becomes less efficient. This decline can lead to fluid retention, contributing to a tired or aged look.
How Do These Affect Ageing?
It’s the combined effect of bone remodeling, fat pad atrophy, muscle weakening, skin thinning, ligament laxity and reduced lymphatic drainage that creates the visible signs of aging around the eyes.
Excess skin: Loss of supportive structures like bone and fat, as well as reduced elasticity of the skin causes the brow and lids to appear saggy or wrinkled.
Depressions: loss of fat and ligamentous laxity in the ‘tear trough’ area under the eyes may make you appear tired or sad.
Mounds: fat pads from behind the eye, known as infraorbital or supraorbital fat may protrude as skin becomes more lax.
Dark circles: Delicate skin, visible blood vessels, changes in lymphatic drainage or pigmentation can cast shadows beneath your eyes.
Puffiness: Fluid retention or subtle fat deposits can create a sense of tiredness.
Fine lines & wrinkles: Increased muscle activity around the eyes may etch a story of laughter, joy, and wisdom that begins to feel more like age and despair as the skin’s natural loss of elasticity and collagen begin to set in.
While these are natural signs of a life well-lived, they can sometimes detract from the vibrancy you feel within. That’s where the artistry of periorbital rejuvenation comes in. Sometimes, a more invasive approach like surgery, deep laser or fat injections is the best approach to achieving long-term results, but a good doctor-driven non-invasive treatment plan may restore your confidence and help keep the signs of ageing at bay with little to no downtime.
The Elegance of Integrated Non-Invasive Treatments
In the realm of aesthetic treatments, subtlety is key. Non-invasive periorbital treatments offer a refined approach to rejuvenation, allowing you to:
Address the unique causes of ageing around your eyes: An integrated approach addresses the various contributors to ageing around your eye, resulting in a naturally radiant look that will keep your friends guessing.
Embrace life uninterrupted: Minimal downtime means you can return to your social calendar and professional commitments with refreshed confidence.
Prioritize safety & comfort: Non-surgical procedures usually entail fewer risks and provide a gentle path to revitalization.
Achieve natural-looking results: Our treatments embrace and restore your inherent beauty, ensuring a refreshed, radiant look that is uniquely you.
Top Periorbital Rejuvenation Treatments
Much like an architectural restoration masterpiece, your periorbital rejuvenation journey should be tailored to your unique needs and desires. Your aesthetic doctor might suggest:
Dermal Fillers: Dermal Fillers restore lost volume, smooth fine lines, and create a more youthful under-eye contour with injectable hyaluronic acid gels. Fillers may help replace lost bone and fat, thereby replacing the volume, tightening the retaining ligaments and skin and also reframing the eyes.
Botulinum Toxin: Botulinum Toxin (or Neurotoxin) injections relax dynamic wrinkles like crow’s feet and forehead lines, softening your expression without compromising its authenticity. Well-placed Botulinum toxin injections may also open the eyes, refreshing and reframing the windows to your soul.
Mesotherapy and Skinboosters: Mesotherapy and skinbooster treatments feed and re-invigorate the skin. Active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and Idebenone may be injected just under the skin to stimulate hydration and healthy function of the tissue.
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) or PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin) Therapy: Harness the power of your own blood’s growth factors to stimulate collagen and elastin, revitalizing your skin from within. Our top treatment of choice is the signature 3D MD PRP.
Periocular Chemical Peels: Periocular chemical peels restore the canvas’ around the eyes. Specialised periocular peels may lighten under-eye circles, brighten and strengthen the skin by stimulating collagen production.
Laser Treatments: Laser technologies such as Erbium iPixel Pro, ClearLift, Lumecca IPL (and much more) address fine lines, sun damage, and uneven pigmentation. Some lasers can also stimulate collagen production and improve the quality of the skin.
Microneedling with Radiofrequency: At our practice, we use Morpheus8 Radiofrequency Microneedling to tighten skin, reduce wrinkles, and improve overall texture and tone with this innovative combination therapy.
Plasma technology: Devices and technologies such as Plexr stimulate collagen production and tissue tightening. By creating a controlled micro-injury to the skin, plasma technology can improve the strength and quality of the skin around the eyes. This technology may also be used to remove skin tags and irregularities in the peri-orbital area.
Specialised homecare: Hydrate and plump the skin. Eye creams, formulated with potent ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants, can play a supportive role in reducing the signs of aging around the eyes, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, eye creams with brightening agents can target dark circles, contributing to a more refreshed and youthful look.
Prolonging Your Treatment Results
To prolong the results of your treatment and maintain a radiant gaze, consider these expert tips:
Gentle cleansing: Choose fragrance-free, hypoallergenic products specifically formulated for the eye area.
Hydration: Indulge in a luxurious eye cream morning and night to nourish and protect the skin.
Sun protection: Shield your delicate eye area from harmful UV rays with daily sunscreen and sunglasses.
Restful sleep: Prioritize 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night to promote a well-rested appearance.
Holistic wellness: Embrace a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management techniques to support overall skin health and radiance.
Periorbital Rejuvenation: A Complex Art
Your eyes truly are the windows to your soul and framing them is both an art and a science that should be curated by an experienced Aesthetic doctor and Skin Specialist team. Ageing in the periorbital area is both complex and unique and needs to be addressed in an integrated way to ensure natural results. True beauty lies in maintaining and celebrating your individuality.
We understand that embarking on an aesthetic journey can be both exciting and daunting. Our team is committed to providing a warm, professional environment where you feel comfortable discussing your concerns and aspirations. During your consultation:
- We listen: Your goals, needs and desires are at the heart of our approach.
- We assess: A thorough skin and photographic analysis allows us to recommend the most suitable treatments.
- We educate: We empower you with knowledge, explaining each treatment’s benefits and expectations.
- We collaborate: As a team we craft a personalised plan with your best interests at heart.
Non-invasive periorbital rejuvenation offers a sophisticated path to a revitalized, radiant you. With minimal downtime and natural-looking enhancements, you can face the world with renewed confidence and a gaze that reflects your inner beauty.
How To Take The Next Step
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Nerina Wilkinson + Associates today and discover the artistry of non-invasive periorbital rejuvenation. Let us help you unveil the most radiant version of yourself.
Email us at capetown@drnwilkinson.co.za to start your bespoke periorbital rejuvenation journey today.
Written by Aesthetic Doctor Tracey Garner
