Non-surgical options for treating a drooping eyelid

The condition you are experiencing is called ptosis, which refers to drooping of an upper eyelid of one or both eyes. It can be present at birth or develop later in life due to ageing, injury or as an after-effect of eye surgery.
Ptosis can occur if the muscles or ligaments that normally raise the eyelid are weakened, whether by injury or ageing. As a person gets older, the skin and muscles of the eyelids naturally stretch and become weaker. Those who have undergone eye surgery might experience this change faster than others because the surgery itself can stretch the eyelid.
The severity of the condition ranges from a barely noticeable droop to the lid covering the entire pupil, which can affect ability to see, as well as appearance.
You might have seen TV commercials advertising facial creams with lifting effects. They might work as a preventive measure, but when the eyelids have already started drooping noticeably, you’re well past the phase of lotions and potions and on to more significant measures.
The treatment recommended usually depends on the severity of the condition. In severe cases, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) might be needed.
Since you do not want to undergo surgery, another option is Ulthera, which utilises micro-focused ultrasound to tighten loose skin. Performing Ulthera treatment on the forehead might help lift the upper eyebrow and upper eyelid to some degree. However, Ulthera is not as effective as blepharoplasty, so it might not be able to treat severe cases of drooping eyelids.
Ulthera stimulates the tissue to rebuild collagen. It heats up the deep layers of the tissue without damaging the outer layers of the skin.
The immediate result has a tightening and lifting effect on the treated area, with continuing improvement over time as collagen is rebuilt. The plus side is Ulthera will give a natural-looking lift, so the results do not leave you looking wide-eyed with surprise. It takes 3 to 6 months to see best results.
Another option is to use botulinum injection, which results in a lifting effect on the treated area. The treatment is especially popular because it takes only a few minutes and is quite safe. However, you need to make sure that your doctor is skilled and experienced enough. There have been cases of botulinum injections causing drooping eyelids, instead of treating it.
Botulinum toxin is an FDA-approved substance which has been used for decades. It is not the substance that causes the stories of botulinum injection gone wrong, such as droopy eyelids, frozen smiles, and numb faces – it’s who administered the treatment. Always leave your beauty treatment in trustworthy hands, or you will end up with more problems to fix than when you started out.

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD|is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and certified in dermatological laser surgery. Send your questions for her to [email protected]