We’ve all at one point in life struggled with puffy eyes. One thing we can agree on: it’s so not fair. It’s like the emotional baggage we carry from past experiences isn’t enough, but we actually get to watch it materialise all over our facades. Luckily, with the technologies and resources we have at hand these days, it’s now possible to address an issue as old as time. The answer to our prayers is aesthetic medicine and its wondrous cures. Let’s jump over to the different types of eye bag removal available in Singapore and see what difference they can make.

So, Why Do We Get Eye Bags Anyway?

The eyes are surrounded by muscles and fat, but the area below them, the part that sits just above the cheeks, seems to be thinner. The skin there is more delicate than the rest and tends to exhibit imperfections more readily. As we age, those tissues become weak and may sink. And this is how eye bags come into being.

But it definitely isn’t the only way to get puffiness around the peepers. After a sleepless night or upon ingesting too much salt, we may wake up to a tired-looking face. Along with that, some people are just genetically predisposed to getting baggage, in which case their only option is signing up for an aesthetic procedure. Sorry, guys.

What are Some Surgical Eye Bag Removal Options?

Let’s look into the treatments that involve cutting the skin.

Traditional blepharoplasty. The surgeon makes an incision just below the eyelashes where the scar will be less noticeable. They remove the excess fat but make sure there is enough left so that the area doesn’t look sunken. In the end, they also eliminate part of the skin, about two millimetres at best.

Transconjunctival blepharoplasty. The cut in this procedure is made with an electrocautery instrument. Instead of working outside the lower lid, the incision is carried out inside of it. Once the doctor has access to the fatty tissue, he or she extracts as much of it as necessary. The best part about this method is that the scarring is invisible.

Canthopexy. This is a tissue-conserving operation that affects the lateral canthal area. It works by elevating the position of the lower lid and tightening its structure without detaching or cutting the existing tendon. Permanent stitches might be attached to the muscle.

Laser blepharoplasty. This technology uses a CO2 laser in lieu of a scalpel to make an incision in the treated area, only it works in a less aggressive way. Thanks to its ablative function, it can also reposition fat and correct irregularities. Whether the skin will be broken or not depends on the method the medical professional will go for, as well as the patient’s wishes. The possible drawbacks of this technique are occurrence of complications.

Pinch blepharoplasty. The surgeon removes the fat by working on the inside of the lid. He or she then takes out a “pinch” of skin that’s no longer needed.

The results that you can achieve through surgery are permanent and can hardly be undone. You don’t need any follow-up appointments to maintain the outcome. However, it’s important to recognise that as time passes by, your skin will continue to manifest signs of ageing. It’s inevitable.

What are the Non-Surgical Eye Bag Treatments Then?

It’s great that there are so many surgical options that can free us of the dreaded eye bags. But let’s be real, no one wants to go under the knife just to get a fresh face. There has to be another way. And there is. For the past ten years, minimally-invasive methods have popped out, offering a scarless and no-blade experience.

In some cases, you can inject a hyaluronic acid filler into the so-called tear trough so that it’s not as sunken as before. It seems counterintuitive to add more volume where there’s a surplus of fat. But don’t worry. The substance will be administered in the areas that are depleted of tissue, which will even out the surface and create a harmonised transition between the cheeks and the eyes.

And then there is Eye Revo, offered by Cambridge Medical Group, a new technology that delivers scarless eye bag removal. The procedure not only eliminates puffiness but also stimulates collagen to re-emerge. Since there is no actual cutting, the downtime is lower than with traditional blepharoplasty or other surgical methods. What’s even better is that topical anaesthesia is enough to keep the pain to a minimum.

Now, don’t forget that these manipulations have their own risks, although minimal. Another aspect to consider is that they may not be long-lasting and need maintenance sessions. The good thing about hyaluronic acid fillers is that if you don’t like the result, you doctor can inject an enzyme to melt it away.

Here is some jargon to take away

• Tear trough – This is the depression that lies below your eyes, running from the upper part of the nose to the corner of your lower eyelid. It’s what creates that sunken appearance above the cheeks.
• Electrocautery – an instrument which is heated electrically and serves to burn tissues.
• Minimally-invasive – Procedures that are marked as minimally-invasive entail that there will be less trauma to the body. In most cases, the operator uses thin needles that create wounds smaller than what a scalpel usually does. The name also indicates fewer complications, less pain, and shorter hospital stay.