Lower Blepharoplasty
Lower eyelid rejuvenation is one of the most effective procedures available for aesthetic improvement of the face at Ocean Drive Plastic Surgery. Because of its complex anatomy and central location, rejuvenation of the lower eyelid provides a global improvement to the entire face. To fully understand this, it is crucial to recognize two critical concepts:
Concept #1- There are multiple anatomic layers in the lower eyelid, and they all contribute or detract from your appearance.
Layer #1- External Skin and Orbicularis Muscle (Also called the Anterior Lamella)
The lower eyelid is defined as the area between the lower eyelashes and the line where the lower eyelid becomes the cheek (aka the lid-cheek junction). Within this area, there are three major anatomic layers that work in tandem to produce your lower eyelid appearance, and provide coverage to the lower pole of your eye. The most obvious layer is the external skin. The lower eyelid is invested with some of the thinnest skin in the human body, and as such, it tends to reflect the signs of aging earlier than other areas because it has less dermis for support, and because it is located centrally in the human face. Sunlight, airborne toxins such as smoke, and metabolic factors such as poor diet or lack of sleep can easily manifest in the lower eyelid skin due to its relatively thin profile, and due to its central location, this manifestation can appear prominent in both real life, and in photography. When planning lower lid blepharoplasty, clinical analysis of the lower eyelid skin is crucial towards success.
The orbicularis oculi muscle lives directly underneath the skin plane of the lower eyelid. It assists in maintaining lower eyelid position, and is an accessory muscle for blinking. This muscle has three separate areas: Pretarsal, Preseptal, and Preoprbital. The pretarsal and preseptal parts overlie the soft tissue components of the lower eyelid, while the preorbital component lives on top of the orbital bone. The orbicularis muscle plays an important role in eyelid position and function