Basic mechanisms of age-related changes
To understand how the years affect us and how an unpleasant cosmetic defect is formed, we need to remember human anatomy.
Musculoaponeurotic apparatus
Its transformation, like the annual rings of a tree, reveals the processes that occur inside. Initially, it all starts due to hypertonicity of the orbicularis oculi muscle. It is tense all our lives, because it is thanks to it that we blink a huge number of times a day, frown, squint, and so on.
It is not at all surprising that spasticity appears over the years - unhealthy tone, overexertion. As a result, the muscle becomes shorter, and then completely freezes, as if becoming stiff. Then the excess dermis has nowhere to go. It descends, forming a kind of pouch.
Spasm of the occipital, sternocleidomastoid, cervical and shoulder muscles also plays a huge role in aggravating the processes. With incorrect posture and low physical activity, they also become toned and block the vessels leading to the face:
- lymphatic;
- veins;
- arteries.
In addition, they begin to actively stretch the muscular frame of the facial set of muscles, which also leads to various deformities. All this works in exactly the same way with tendons, which makes the situation even worse.
Stagnation of lymph
Before figuring out how to get rid of a drooping upper eyelid, what to do with it and how to deal with it, it doesn’t hurt to understand that the problem can lie much deeper than the surface of the epidermis. Lymph is the biggest culprit in causing swelling. This is primarily reflected in the eyes.
The eyelids are distinguished by loose subcutaneous tissue and are covered with a thin layer of skin, under which there are many blood vessels. If metabolism is incorrect or for other reasons, the amount of tissue fluid in the intercellular space increases noticeably, which is why unsightly bags appear, as well as drooping eyelids.
Epidermis
The dermis on the eyelids is 5-6 times thinner than on the forehead or cheeks, and therefore its wear resistance is proportionally less. It contains a little building protein called keratin, which can protect against external aggressive factors, and there is absolutely no granular layer that produces lipids. Therefore, a deficiency of sebum, a minimum number of pores and glands leads to loss of elasticity and disturbances in water balance.
Turgor and elasticity are increasingly lost over the years, as the body produces less and less necessary substances, and the need for them becomes greater. Under the natural influence of gravity, sagging occurs and a bag (ptosis) is formed.
Rejuvenate your eyes with exercises for the forehead, temples, eyebrows
For forehead wrinkles
- Place one palm on your forehead, the other on the back of your head. Wait until the palm on top of your forehead naturally becomes moist and begins to slide towards your hair. After sliding, hold your palm in the hair area for 8 seconds. Do it three times. For better results, you can wrinkle your forehead;
Photo from the book by N.B. Osminina "The world of the face and its secrets"
- Place the index finger of one palm on the side above the eyebrow. The thumb should rest against the temple, moving it as far as possible from the index finger and stretching the skin in a horizontal direction;
- Use the fingertips of your other hand to describe spiral movements from the eyebrow to the hair. As the massage progresses, the muscles will be directed upward;
- Repeat the same thing on the other side.
- Then place your palms on your forehead, little fingers touching each other. Massage the middle of the forehead from the eyebrows to the hair in a spiral manner in the direction of the frontal muscles, helping your fingers by slightly raising the eyebrows.
Photo from the book “Fitness for the face. Revitonica system"
Relaxation of the forehead and temporal zone helps to raise the upper eyelid.
Temporal area lift
This exercise will help both tighten the upper eyelid and reduce crow's feet, improve the shape of the eyes, giving them an almond shape, and raise the outer eyebrow area.
- Place the wrist part of the palms on the temples in their recess next to the outer part of the eyebrow;
- Spread your fingers, clasping your head;
- Stretch the muscle towards the back of the head and slide along it when the skin is moisturized;
- If something doesn’t work out, then, without removing your hands, return them all the way back to the point of initial tension;
- Hold for 30 seconds, maintaining the reverse tension, then pull your palms back toward the back of your head.
Photo from the book by N.B. Osminina “Fitness for the face. Revitonica system"
Putting the eyebrow back in place
- Place your elbows on a hard surface, ideally a table.
- Place your index finger above the eyebrow, squeeze it in the middle, bending your finger, and pulling it forward from the bone for thirty seconds, then straighten your finger and stretch the eyebrow in an arc for 8 seconds, directing it from the center to the periphery.
Smoothing out the area between the eyebrows
Vertical wrinkles:
- Place your thumbs under the inner end of your eyebrows, and your index fingers 2 cm above them
- Place your fingers in a crease for thirty seconds;
- Then stretch the area where you worked.
Horizontal wrinkles:
- Pinch the fold on the right and left sides of the bridge of the nose for thirty seconds, then stretch it in the direction from the bridge of the nose to the hair. Perform 3 repetitions;
Why does drooping eyelid appear?
There are several main factors that can directly influence the faster and more active formation of such a defect.
Age factor
We discussed the mechanisms of this phenomenon in some detail above. They become the most common cause of the development of pathology. The processes of degradation of elastin and collagen fibers start and progress very quickly in the skin, causing it to become less elastic.
Genetic predisposition
Anatomical structural features can be inherited from parents to children. If your ancestors had sagging upper eyelids, then the chances of children getting such a nuance in appearance are also quite high.
Poor nutrition
Often the defect is a consequence of edema, which, in turn, is formed from excessive fluid retention in the body. In this case, the near-orbital region can become very full and “bulge out.” Therefore, experts recommend giving up large amounts of liquid at night, alcohol, bad habits, salty, pickled, spicy and fried foods, as all this can cause swelling.
Rapid weight loss
Excessively rapid weight loss for any reason can cause changes in all tissues, and they can also affect facial features. At the same time, the epidermis sinks, losing the remnants of subcutaneous fat, forming unsightly folds and swelling.
Fatigue and lack of sleep
Incorrect daily routine, constant overexertion, spending many hours at a computer or smartphone - all this also sometimes becomes the reason why eyelids droop. The skin loses moisture, degenerative processes begin in it, and it becomes excessively thin.
Lack of care
Since the skin of the eyelids is more delicate, thin, and vulnerable, the requirements for the process of moisturizing and nutrition are much greater. They must be intense, regular, and timely. It is recommended to provide adequate protection from direct sunlight and give preference to natural vitamin products rich in antioxidants, minerals, hyaluronic acid and amino acids.
To eliminate signs of fatigue, unsightly crow's feet, signs of constant lack of sleep, stress and replenish all necessary microelements, it is recommended to use the rejuvenating peptide cream PlaReceta / PlaReceta Eye Cream, specifically designed for the area around the eyes. It can fill wrinkles from the inside, giving the surface radiance, youth and elasticity.
We recommend
Anti-aging peptide cream for the eye area
Patches for lifting and moisturizing with kinetin
Gel mask black BB Laboratories
Placentran soap LNC with detox effect
Allergic reactions
Constant swelling due to individual intolerance to something will eventually cause sagging. After all, the integument gets used to it, stretches greatly, and then is no longer able to return to its place. This also sometimes becomes an active catalyst for emerging problems.
Tips for doing gymnastics
There are several main types of gymnastics:
- dynamic exercises (perform up to 15 repetitions);
- static exercises (require fixing the position for 5-15 seconds).
If you combine these methods with each other, you can smooth out facial wrinkles and restore elasticity to muscle fibers in the shortest possible time.
Experts recommend performing breathing exercises simultaneously with face-building. Before starting a workout, inhale the air deeply and quickly several times through your nose and exhale sharply through your mouth. The exercises are done while inhaling; while fixing the position, the breath is held.
Recommendations from specialists for performing gymnastic exercises:
- gymnastics is carried out while sitting on the edge of a chair at a table, the back should be straight;
- Before performing gymnastics, hands are thoroughly washed with soap; you can wear gloves to improve gliding;
- Before face-building, the skin is cleansed of impurities and decorative cosmetics.
You can apply any nourishing cream to your face. After gymnastics, wipe the skin with herbal lotion or wash with warm water.
Before gymnastics, perform a warm-up to help warm up the muscle tissue, using the following technique:
- within 30 sec. blink your eyes (slowly at first, then gradually slowing down);
- make several circular movements counterclockwise and clockwise;
- Close your eyes tightly several times.
It is best to perform the exercises in front of a mirror to see which area is being affected.
Professional cosmetology: how to quickly remove drooping eyelids without surgery or at home
Modern specialists offer a huge number of different solutions that have different degrees of effectiveness, as well as danger indicators. It’s worth starting with the most unpleasant, but fairly safe ones that you can go through and get a good result.
- Taping is the process of gluing elastic patches to the desired areas, followed by exposure for a certain time. It is believed that eventually the skin will remember the position and tighten. At the same time, excess fluid should be removed and tone restored.
- Hardware treatment techniques are more effective and can give significant results. We are mainly talking about laser blepharoplasty and RF lifting. Both procedures are based on heating the skin from the inside, as well as its external polishing. They cause internal scarring, which our body begins to actively “patch” after damage.
These and other similar methods are quite traumatic. They have a whole list of contraindications and can lead to the opposite effect. Therefore, it is worth trying something more gentle before turning to the “heavy artillery”.
Salon treatments
There are also the following treatment options that will help get rid of the question of what to do if one upper eyelid hangs over the eye. They already cause direct damage to the integument, so you should think carefully before deciding to do something like that.
Beauty injections
To remove the defect, professional cosmetologists most often recommend several options:
- Botox. Special points are selected between the eyebrows or under them, as well as on the forehead, and then a drug is injected there that causes paralysis of the muscles, the shortening and spasm of which has led to sagging.
- Mesotherapy. In this case, the eyelids are pricked with a cocktail of a variety of useful components, such as vitamins, hyaluronic acid, amino acids and others. Typically a cocktail contains 20-30 components.
The second method weanes the dermis from regenerating on its own, as it provokes it by puncturing it. The first option is dangerous in itself, since the injected substance called botulinum toxin is a terrible and dangerous poison that can lead to very sad consequences if handled incorrectly. After this, serious and long-term treatment may be required.
Causes
Congenital drooping of the upper eyelid is in most cases a hereditary factor,
In this article
- Causes
- Symptoms
- Types of disease
- Treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid
- Gymnastics for eyelid treatment
- Massage for ptosis of the upper eyelids
or occurs during birth trauma, and can also develop in the fetus during a severe pregnancy. This pathology is caused by underdevelopment or complete absence of the muscle that raises the upper eyelid, and less commonly by damage to the oculomotor nerve. Congenital ptosis is usually present in both eyes.
Acquired ptosis usually develops in one eye, and it can be triggered by various diseases and injuries:
- damage to the trunk of the oculomotor nerve and its centers;
- injury to the muscle that lifts the upper eyelid (it is called the “levator”);
- diseases of the nervous system;
- abscesses and brain tumors;
- paralysis or paresis of the cervical sympathetic nerve;
- compression of the nerve by goiter, aneurysm, tumor;
- diseases of the cervical part of the spinal cord, etc.
Lifting operations
The most drastic intervention that will really give a visible effect is plastic surgery. During blepharoplasty, the doctor makes an incision along the eyelash edge, along the crease of the lower or upper eyelid, or on the inside of it. It then mechanically redistributes, removes or moves the soft tissue to smooth out the fold. Then the incision is sutured or glue is applied, which helps the wounds heal faster.
The method is very traumatic, but it is still not able to cope with the deep essence of the problem. It can mask an unsightly defect, but over time it will appear again.
The benefits and effects of gymnastics for the upper eyelid
Exercises to raise the upper eyelids help restore normal blood circulation. The oculomotor facial muscles need to be warmed up regularly. With age, they lose tone, become flabby, the skin sags, and wrinkles form. A set of gymnastic exercises (face building for the eyelids) allows you to restore elasticity to the fibers.
A set of exercises for raising the upper eyelids is given below.
Their benefits are:
- increased blood flow and lymph flow;
- saturation of tissues with nutrients and oxygen;
- accelerating the processes of collagen and elastin production;
- improving eye function;
- increased muscle tone;
- improving cellular metabolism.
Regular eye exercises help eliminate swelling and bruising under the eyes.
Rules for caring for skin prone to swelling
There are several fairly simple recommendations that it would be a good idea for everyone to follow, even if the above problem does not exist. They are suitable as a preventive measure, so it is worth paying attention to them.
- It is best to sleep not in the fetal position, and also not on the stomach, which scientists have been saying for a long time - this is harmful to the body. The optimal position is on your back, with your head on a fairly high and soft pillow.
- You should follow a drinking regime, consuming up to two liters of fluid per day, but in the evening it is better to reduce drinking to a minimum.
- Frowning, wrinkling your forehead and squinting are habits that can lead to the development of creases and wrinkles, as well as drooping eyelids. You will have to completely get rid of them, at first constantly monitoring yourself.
- The amount of fried, salted, pickled, canned, fatty, smoked and spicy foods should be reduced to the minimum possible, or it is better to avoid such products altogether.
- It will not hurt to regularly use decongestant compresses, masks and other means.
A good care option that can delicately restore the dermis around the eyes are lifting patches with kinetin / Stretch Moisture Sheet Mask Pro from Bb Laboratories. They contain the active substance argireline, which works similar to Botox, but, unlike it, is completely safe.
We recommend
Bb Laboratories – Delicate oil for deep cleansing
Bb Laboratories – Serum “Arcanum”
Repairing cream with a moisturizing effect
Placental antioxidant lotion concentrate
A healthy lifestyle is the key to beauty
By switching to a healthy lifestyle, any person will benefit. Proper nutrition, moderate physical activity, lack of stress, regular high-quality skin care, drinking regime, positive thinking - all this will benefit the whole body. It is worth keeping an eye on your posture, which can also influence overhang. An integrated approach is always better than solving individual problems - this needs to be understood.
Rejection of bad habits
Smoking, drinking alcohol, sitting for a long time at a computer monitor - all this prevents the body from functioning fully. Such actions negatively affect the general condition of the body, and the eyelids are part of it. For example, nicotine “hits” the blood vessels, and they contribute to the formation of bags and creases. Therefore, you need to forget about it once and for all in order to preserve youth and beauty for many years.
Correct makeup
Modern make-up can work wonders. The main thing is to choose the right technique for yourself in order to look as natural as possible.
Suitable:
- Matte shadows and careful shading.
- Well-tinted, curled or false eyelashes.
- The raised tip of the eyebrow, directed not downwards, but towards the temple.
What is prohibited:
- Clear graphic arrows.
- Bright colors.
- Pearlescent shadows.
- Sharp transitions of shades, stripes and lines.
Let's sum it up
Now it is completely clear that a drooping eyelid is not a death sentence at all. You can easily figure out what to do if one upper eyelid hangs over the eye more than the other, how to deal with it, what rules and cosmetics to use. You can use the services of cosmetologists and even plastic surgeons, but the risks are quite high, and there are a lot of contraindications. Therefore, it is worth trying to use the proposed methods in order to maintain the elasticity and density of the skin much longer.
In what cases can you tighten your upper eyelids yourself?
It is possible to eliminate a cosmetic defect at home in all situations where the cause of a drooping eyelid is not related to medical problems. The results of correction depend on the choice of method, age and various individual characteristics. It is important to minimize risks and devote sufficient time to the problem. Non-surgical methods are usually considered in the initial stages, when drooping eyelids are purely an aesthetic defect.