At our esteem clinic in Miami, non-surgical eyelid lift has become an increasingly more requested procedure. Double board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon, Gregory D. Lewen, M.D., offers non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift for men and women in Miami, Aventura, and the surrounding areas of Florida. Dr. Lewen is one of a select few plastic surgeons who specializes in plastic surgery of the eyes.

What is a Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift?

With recent advances in cosmetic procedures, there has been a significant paradigm shift in terms of the way that we think about facial aging in general. In the past, the common thinking was that gravity would simply cause skin and other tissues of the face to sag and that the best solution to facial aging was to pull things up tighter and just remove the extra tissue. With the use of facial fillers growing rapidly, it has become clearer that three-dimensional volume loss in the face over time plays a key role in creating a more aged appearance. Specifically, volume loss in areas of the forehead, temples, brows, upper eyelid, and lower eyelid can contribute to the appearance of drooping brows and upper eyelid skin, as well as hollowing and puffiness under the eye. Much like a balloon losing air over time, as the brow, upper eyelid, and lower eyelid areas deflate, this can create the appearance of extra skin in the upper and lower eyelids that can make you appear older, or make your eyes appear tired.

For some people who have deep-set eyes or less fullness in the brows, loss of volume in the brow and upper eyelid areas over time can cause the appearance of additional hollowing or shadowing in the upper eyelid underneath the bone of the eye socket. In earlier stages, this shadowing may just involve the middle corner of the upper eyelid but can extend to involve the entire upper eyelid area over the course of time. Additionally, loss of volume in the upper eyelid and brow areas can significantly affect the light-reflectance patterns of the face, and this can often make the eyes appear somewhat darker by creating some undesirable shadows in the surrounding areas.

Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift in Miami, FL

Why Do the Eyelid Hollows Become More Apparent with Age?

The reasons why the upper eyelid hollows can become more apparent over time include:

Normal loss of thickness of the eyelid skin and eyelid fat with age
Normal loss of volume from the brow fat pad with age
Normal remodeling changes in the bone of the eye socket that occur over time, causing the entire area to enlarge
Normal loss of soft tissue volume in the eye socket over time, causing the eye to appear somewhat sunken and darker, with the surrounding areas having more shadowing as the underlying rim of bone becomes more visible
Trauma to the eye socket or surrounding areas, causing an accelerated loss of soft tissue volume in this area of the face—if the bones of the eye socket have ever been broken, this can also cause the eye to appear more sunken
Ptosis (drooping) of an eyelid, making the eyelid fold appear higher than normal and, in some cases, making it disappear completely (this can also give the appearance of more hollowing in the upper eyelid area)
Overly aggressive upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery, with too much removal of fat

There are a handful of rare conditions that can cause an accelerated sunken appearance of the eyes. These conditions can potentially be more serious, and require a full evaluation by a board-certified ophthalmologist, preferably who specializes in oculofacial plastic surgery and the management of orbital diseases.

"I just saw Dr. Lewen July 6, 2018. His bedside manner is excellent. He explains all procedures in detail. I was extremely happy with the outcome and I will be going back. He and his staff are super professional and make you feel comfortable. The best part, is that he takes you at your appointment time, no 2 hour waiting ????"
Karen M
"You are in very good hands with Dr. Lewen. Not only is he excellent at what he does, his bedside manner is second to none. His staff are so pleasant and enjoyable to deal with as well. Five stars!"
Joyce K
"What a delightful experience and a fabulous outcome. Besides regaining my peripheral vision, I look ten years younger! Dr. Lewen did beautiful work, leaving the tiniest scars in the most unnoticeable places!!! The office staff, especially Brooke, was so sweet and so helpful."
Judy F

How is an Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift Performed?

Non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedures involve a very delicate and sensitive area of the face. With his advanced sub-specialty training and background in oculofacial plastic surgery, Dr. Lewen maintains a detailed appreciation for the complex anatomy of the eyelids, brows, and other related areas around the eyes and face. Due to the sensitive nature of these areas, these injections should be performed by a qualified, board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon. Dr. Lewen uses a series of advanced injection techniques to perform this minimally invasive procedure in the office. His sub-specialty training, keen aesthetic eye, and unique attention to detail will ensure that you will maintain the appropriate shape and contour of your eyelids and brows to give you the best and most natural enhancement. Depending on your individual anatomy, Dr. Lewen may perform non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift with the use of a blunt-tipped cannula. If appropriate for the shape of your face, this advanced injection technique also has the added benefits of improved patient comfort and less bruising when compared to facial filler injections that are performed with a needle.

During your consultation, Dr. Lewen will take extra care to listen to your specific concerns and cosmetic desires. After a brief examination, Dr. Lewen will then share his recommendations for your best treatment plan. At times, Dr. Lewen may recommend a more conservative, step-wise approach to give you the most natural-appearing result. Before your treatment, a member of the office staff may apply some numbing cream to the areas that are being treated. Afterward, these areas will be carefully prepped to ensure that all makeup and oils are removed from the skin and that the skin surface is sterile before starting your non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedure.

For this area of the face, Dr. Lewen only utilizes very specific facial fillers that have been well-demonstrated scientifically to have the most beneficial properties when injected into the eyelid and brow areas. Most of these products now come pre-mixed with numbing medicine, and in some cases, Dr. Lewen will add some additional numbing medicine for optimum patient comfort. After the injections are performed, Dr. Lewen will carefully mold the products to ensure smoothness of contour, and to minimize the risk for any irregularities. Ice is also used as an additional form of anesthesia for certain areas that can be more sensitive to provide the easiest and most comfortable experience during injections. After your procedure is completed, Dr. Lewen’s staff will provide you with ice packs to apply to the treated upper eyelid and brow areas, and you will be given a detailed post-procedure instruction sheet.

Non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift is a procedure that is frequently performed in combination with other, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, such as cheek fillers, temple filler rejuvenation (for hollowing), tear trough filler rejuvenation, and CO2 laser skin resurfacing. This procedure may also sometimes be combined with other cosmetic surgical procedures as well. The relationship between the brows and the upper/lower eyelids, along with the smoothness of transition between these two areas of the face, is integral for the best possible cosmetic rejuvenation with natural-appearing results. For this reason, the ideal rejuvenation of the eyelids for many patients may necessitate some degree of volume replacement in the upper/lower eyelid and/or brow areas to create a smoother transition between these areas of the face.

Dr. Lewen’s meticulous technique for non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift not only addresses the cosmetic portion of the upper/lower eyelid area but can also serve to improve brow support. In many cases, proper volume replacement in these areas can reduce the amount of skin that may initially appear to be in excess as this area becomes “re-inflated.” This technique can also have a lifting effect on the entire brow area. Lastly, volume replacement in the brow and upper eyelid areas can help to re-contour the shape of the brows, restoring a more youthful appearance to this area.

What is the Recovery like After Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift?

Dr. Lewen typically performs non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift as an in-office procedure with most patients experiencing minimal or no discomfort. Some degree of bruising and swelling can be expected after the procedure, but this will vary based on each individual patient.

Every patient is somewhat different in terms of the healing time required after a non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedure. Procedures that require more product volume will typically have slightly more healing time required. Although Dr. Lewen utilizes advanced injection techniques to minimize bruising as much as possible, this can still occur with these injections, and you should also expect some degree of swelling in the treated area afterward. Applying ice to the treated area immediately afterward, and for the first 24 to 48 hours, will significantly reduce the risk of additional bruising and swelling in the area. Arnica, a homeopathic remedy, may also help to alleviate swelling and bruising somewhat faster. There is minimal to no downtime required after non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift, and you can resume normal exercise 24 hours after treatment.

Please note: Due to the normal thin-skin nature of the upper and lower eyelids, at times, this area of the face tends to show swelling as a result of fluid retention more than some other areas of the body. As such, in order to get the quickest and best results after this treatment, it is generally recommended to make sure that you try to do the simple things to limit general fluid retention immediately after having a non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedure performed.

These steps include:

Using ice over the treated area for the first 24 to 48 hours
Making sure to drink enough water (at least eight glasses in 8-ounce measurements of water daily, if not more)
Trying to limit dietary sodium intake
Trying to limit alcohol intake (alcohol is a diuretic and can dehydrate you)
Using over the counter artificial tear drops to control any dry eye issues (even a little bit of dry eyes can cause more swelling in the sensitive eyelid skin)
Treating any environmental allergies that may be present (again, even a small amount of an allergy response to something in the environment can cause a little extra swelling in the delicate upper and lower eyelids)

Even with the best care, a little swelling in this area can be unavoidable after treatment. It is important to be patient and to remember to allow your body the time it needs for the treatment to fully settle. Although many patients will see results immediately after treatment, you should expect your final results from non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift to settle in by about one to two weeks after your treatment.

Individual patient anatomy in this area of the face can vary considerably. Depending upon the severity of your volume deficiency, creasing, and the amount of product required to correct this area, most patients will find that the results from non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift can last for over a year or more. It is important to remember that every person metabolizes facial fillers somewhat differently, and therefore, individual results may last for variable amounts of time. Dr. Lewen usually recommends that his patients schedule a follow-up appointment at about six to nine months after the non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift to evaluate the area and to determine the best schedule for maintaining your results.

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What Are the Benefits of Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift?

Brightness in the area around the eyes conveys a youthful, energetic, well-rested, and healthy appearance. Conversely, areas of darkness, hollowing, or shadowing in the area around the eyes might falsely make you appear to be tired, weathered, or older than your actual age.

A sunken or hollow appearance of the upper and/or lower eyelid can also be an unwanted result from overly aggressive blepharoplasty. This undesirable outcome can often be avoided if the fat pockets are conservatively sculpted or left undisturbed during blepharoplasty. If too much fat is removed from these areas, it can contribute to a skeletonized appearance where the rim of the eye socket bone may become more visible underneath. This can contribute to the prominence of hollow areas in the upper and lower eyelids just underneath the bone of the eye socket.

Shadowing, hollowing, or darkening of the area around the eyes will eventually shift the primary focal point of the face away from the eyes (the most desirable location), and usually to a lower position, causing people to start to notice more heaviness in areas of the lower face, such as around the mouth, in the nasolabial folds, and near the jawline. An accelerated loss of volume in the eyelids and brows can be due to a combination of factors including: genetics, facial shape, weight, diet, alcohol intake, hormone changes, medical conditions, medications, allergies, environmental stresses (such as sun exposure and smoking), and sleep patterns.

Over time, patients who have certain facial shapes may be bothered by brow deflation or hollows in the upper and/or lower eyelids standing out more, while others may not notice this area troubling them for many years.

What Should I Expect from a Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift?

A non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift is an excellent way to add more natural, youthful volume in the brow and upper/lower eyelid areas without the more extensive downtime from surgery. Dr. Lewen’s primary goal with non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift is to re-establish youthful eyelid shapes, contours, balance, and harmony. By restoring natural and adequate volume to the brow and eyelid hollows, the normal light-reflectance patterns in the area around the eyes will be re-established, and this will often cause the eyes to appear brighter, as well as lessen some of the shadowing effects above the eyes. In many cases, non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift may be able to give you a significant improvement in the appearance of your brows and eyelid hollows or wrinkling skin without the downtime or commitment of upper eyelid or brow surgery.

Although traditional blepharoplasty may still be required for many patients to achieve the best possible cosmetic result, other patients may simply require volume replacement to achieve a significant cosmetic enhancement of the eyelid and brow areas. For these patients, traditional surgical blepharoplasty may actually have the unwanted effect of adding additional shadowing to the eye areas. In these cases, a surgical approach to correcting the issue may not necessarily be ideal. Even if surgical blepharoplasty is being considered, a more modern approach that includes volume replacement to specific areas is paramount to achieving the best cosmetic result.

How Does the Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift Feel?

Pain tolerance among patients can vary considerably. However, Dr. Lewen and his staff routinely show careful consideration to individual patient sensitivities in this delicate area of the face. We are committed to helping ensure that your non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedure is as painless and easy as possible. By utilizing topical numbing cream before your procedure, along with numbing medicine mixed in the injection product, Dr. Lewen is completely dedicated to minimizing your discomfort during this procedure. You can rest assured that he will communicate with you throughout the procedure so that you are aware of exactly what he is doing, and the office staff will also be present to help ease you through the experience.

How Much Does a Non-Surgical Upper/Lower Eyelid Lift Cost?

The cost of non-surgical upper/lower eyelid lift procedures is highly variable, so we provide this information after your consultation. We encourage patients to review our financing options prior to the consultation.

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Oculofacial Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa in Miami, Fl

To schedule a private consultation with Dr. Lewen, pleae call the office or request an appointment online. We welcome your visit.

305.514.0631 20803 Biscayne Blvd. #110, Aventura, FL 33180 Contact Us