Lower Eye Lid Surgery (Lower Blepharoplsty)
> Special clinic > Lower Eye Lid Surgery (Lower Blepharoplsty)

When you are aged or have genetically weak lower eyelids, you tend to get saggy eyelids, fatty swelling, dark circles and creases and these can contribute toward dull and old looking impression. The main reason for all these changes below eyes is due to sagging of muscles right underneath your eyes. (Often called Charm muscle). When the Charm muscles below eyes sag, normally the bottom of eye look flat and droopy but when you laugh, the muscle bulges below your eyelashes and go back down when the muscle is relaxed. When this happens repeatedly where the muscle contracts and relaxes like an accordion below eyes, it will speed up the aging process. In result, the membrane encapsulating eyelid fat weakens and hence allows the bulging of fat and grooves form below the fatty bulges, emphasizing dark circles etc. Below eye changes intensify.

Types of Lower Eyelid Surgery

  • 1. Simple incisional lower eyelid surgery
  • Still many hospitals practice this method where large amount of skin along with Charm muscles are cut out followed by simple pulling of skin, it causes unnatural and uncomfortable results.
    At Dream Plastic Surgery, we do not recommend simple incisional lower eyelid surgery.
    We prefer combined lower eyelid surgery and in the process of applying it to many patients.
  • 2. Combined lower eyelid surgery
  • Combined lower eyelid surgery is an appropriate surgery to address those various below eye changes mentioned above.
    It also applies to people in their 20’s who are experiencing these below eye changes due to genetic reasons rather than aging.
    This surgery offers to restore back to the most elastic lower eyelid status anatomically. The method and the name of Combined lower eyelid surgery was introduced at the 2001 Autumn Conference of The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons by Dr. Hong-Shick Song of Dream Plastic Surgery and now being recognized as the leading surgical method for below eye changes.
    Combined lower eyelid surgery involves a partial excision of below eye fat and relocation of remaining fat into below eye grooves to smoothen out. It also treats around 100 capillaries responsible for deep level congestions to ease dark circles, elevating Charm muscle to the laughing position and excise surplus skin.
    This method eliminates the uncomfortable feeling of pulling down from simple incisional lower eyelid surgery and the below eye charm muscle is naturally restored to give elastic and youthful lower eyelids.
    The combined surgery does not merely treats lower eyelid problems from aging as a temporary measure but addresses every cause and treats it fundamentally to give its natural results. The surgery will take approximately an hour and patients will feel basically no pain. Sutures will be removed 3~4 days after the surgery and swelling will subside in about a week. In 2-3 weeks after the surgery, you can rub your eyes freely and feel the restored youthful and lively eyes.
  • It is a surgery suitable for people with saggy skin, increasing amount of wrinkles,
    bulging fat below eyes and causing grooves due to aging.
  • By incision of lower eyelids, partially excise fat exposed and delicately designs and enhances the membrane
    encapsulating fat in saggy areas by adhering them to the periosteum of facial bones.
  • Full recovery is seen in 2-3weeks after the surgery and you can see much more youthful and lively eyes.

Treatment of Dark Circles through Combined Lower Eyelid Surgery

  • Dark circles are combination of two types. One being the darker color from hyperpigmentation of surface skin and the second being deep layer congestion of blood vessels.
    Dark circles from skin hyperpigmentation can be treated with skin-related treatments such as depigmentation cream or Vital iont treatment. But the main reason for dark circles is from deep layer congestion of blood vessels and even with an improved pigmentation, it will not make much difference if the congestive problem persists. So in conclusion, the primary target of treating dark circles should be concentrated on congestive blood vessels.
  • Dark circles from deep level congestive blood vessels, is the main reason and can never be cured through conventional laser or dermatological treatments and must be treated surgically. Deep layer congestive blood vessels symptom happens when there is a barrier between lower eyelids and cheeks and there is a difference in blood circulation between the two areas. When blood vessels increase in lower eye lids and there are vessels with circulation congestion, they will show as red and blue and hence the congestive symptom. These dark circles will get better when 100-200 deep layer capillaries with congestion are treated during Combined Lower Eyelid Surgery by eliminating the barrier between lower eyelids and cheeks to assimilate the two environment and orbital fats are brought in direct contact with deep layer fat from the cheek area.
  • With this treatment, blood circulation below eyes will be similar to those in cheeks, eliminating the fundamental reason for the congestion and ease the dark circles. On top of this, whilst performing the dark circle surgery, charm muscle below eyes will be restored and even out below eye grooves. With Combined Lower eyelid surgery, most ideal lower eyelids will be restored both structurally and aesthetically.