Every time you see your face in the mirror, does it surprise you how dark and drooping your lower eyelids are? Do friends or family make comments about how sad and tired you look, even though you’re happy and well-rested?
Dark circles under the lower eyelids are widespread in both men and women and often also come with bags, making you appear older than you are.
Causes and Risk Factors Treated at Home
The good news is, you can treat some of the causes and risk factors leading to dark circles under the eyes at home.
• Extreme fatigue: Sleep deprivation can cause dark circles to form under your eyes, allowing for dark tissues and blood vessels to become visible beneath your skin.
• Eye strain: This phenomenon can cause blood vessels around your eyes to enlarge, and as a result, the skin surrounding your eyes may darken.
• Allergic reactions: When accompanied by eye dryness, this can trigger dark circles as your body releases histamines, causing blood vessels to dilate and become more visible beneath your skin.
• Dehydration: When your body is not receiving adequate amounts of water, the skin beneath your eyes may begin to look dull, and your eyes appear sunken.
• Overexposure to the sun: Too much sun — especially around the eyes — produces an excess of melanin, causing darker pigmentation in the surrounding skin.
Causes and Risk Factors Treated With Surgery
If home remedies are not effective in getting rid of dark undereye circles and bags, schedule a visit with Dr. Florence Mussat at her Chicago plastic surgery office to learn more about how blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery can help you regain your fresh, vibrant look.
Consider these eauses and risk factors leading to dark circles under the eyes that require expert medical advice.
• Older age: Loss of fatty tissue and the thinning of the skin around the eyes is part of the aging process, making dark circles appear more prominent in older adults.
• Genetics: Dark circles can be hereditary. Having family members with dark undereye circles probably means you are more predisposed to have them as well.
• Natural aging: As you get older, you lose the fat, collagen, and elastin needed to maintain your skin’s elasticity, resulting in the darkening of the area below your eyes.
As part of the aging process, the body gradually stops producing collagen and elastin, which are proteins essential for plump, healthy, and elastic skin. Without these proteins, the skin loses its elastic qualities and begins to sag. Muscle tone deteriorates, and fat diminishes. The natural aging process can affect virtually any area of the body — including the region around the eyes.
As a result of this loss of collagen and elastin, the upper eyelids often start drooping. When severe enough, this can impede the line of vision, lead to sagging lower eyelids, and cause dark circles or “bags” under the eyes.
Regain That Happy, Youthful Look
If you want to make sure your eyes’ appearance reflects the way you feel, schedule a personal consultation with board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL, or call (312) 751-9000 today!
Are you patiently counting down the days until your scheduled cosmetic surgery? Your thoughts are probably on what you can do to prepare for your procedure and increase your chances of a successful outcome.
Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat will provide detailed pre-surgery and post-surgery instructions. In addition to these, let’s look at three super-helpful tips you can follow to help you be as healthy and strong as possible before your surgery.
1. Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices
The better your health before going into surgery, the smoother your recovery process will be. To this end, address these three lifestyle factors to ensure you’re in the best possible shape.
Balanced Nutrition
In the days leading up to your surgery, eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Focus primarily on fresh fruits and vegetables – which will help prevent inflammation – and foods rich in protein and nutrients such as vitamin C and D, zinc, and calcium, all of which can aid in your healing. You should also stop consuming alcohol and avoid foods that can cause constipation, like dairy and red meat.
Routine Exercise
Among exercise’s other countless benefits, being more active before your surgery will increase your chances of bouncing back sooner after the procedure. Walking at least 5,000 steps a day will go a long way toward increasing your stamina and improving your cardiovascular health and muscle recovery.
Kick Bad Habits
Use the time before your surgery to quit smoking and drinking alcohol, along with any mood-altering substances that could affect your sleep or anxiety levels leading up to your surgery. Alcohol and nicotine can significantly affect your circulation and can increase your anesthesia risk.
2. Organize Your Personal Affairs
To avoid any anxiety and improve your peace of mind, here are a few things you should take care of before your procedure.
Check With Your Employer
Ensure you understand your options regarding vacation or sick time. Arrange for a colleague to fill in for you during your absence, so any professional responsibilities can keep moving smoothly.
Take All Required Medical Tests
Dr. Mussat will inform you what tests you will need before, during, and after your surgery. Check if any of these may require pre-authorization from your insurer.
Contact Your Health Insurance Company
You must understand what your policy will and won’t cover, including any deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket costs.
3. Arrange for Help
Have a family member or friend agree to drive you to Dr. Mussat’s practice for your procedure and back home again afterward, where they can stay to help you for a day or two. Recruit family members and friends to take over meal preparation, diaper changes, laundry, and most parenting duties at home.
Those helping you both pre- and post-surgery can assist you in packing a bag with all of your basic essentials like toiletries, medications, and loose, comfortable clothing to wear home. They can also ensure you have plenty of water, vitamins, supplements, and healthy food at home.
Finally, make sure you take your personal ID, insurance card, and a list of any medications you may be taking, including the dosage.
Contact Us With Your Questions
If you have any questions about preparing for your surgery, please contact board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat in Chicago, IL. Schedule a personal consultation online or call (312) 751-9000 today.
