Laser Treatments to Rejuvenate the Eyes
Posted: Tuesday 27 April 2010 09:57am
Cosmetic surgery, or blepharoplasty, was once the only viable option for rejuvenating what is known as the periorbital area, removing excess skin, although not improving its quality.
Ablative lasers followed about 20 years ago, literally burning away lines and wrinkles and tightening the skin as it healed.
While a very effective procedure that is still in great use today, it is a more extreme measure performed by a surgeon that involves general anaesthetic (if performed at the same time as blepharoplasty) or twilight sedation and significant downtime.
Redness can persist for several months and there are risks of scarring, hyperpigmentation (darkening) or hypopigementation (loss of pigment) if a practitioner “overcooks” the patient.
The new skin is also very delicate and must be handled gently, especially protected from UV exposure to avoid causing solar pigmentation.
Now periorbital skin can be refreshed and rejuvenated in a doctor’s surgery or cosmedical clinic in less than an hour, and only one session may be needed to achieve optimum results.
Treatments using fractional lasers like those under the Cutera and Fraxel trademarks, and Thermage, are ideal for people who:
- Don’t have enough loose skin or lines (or are too young) to warrant surgery or ablative laser
- Want to nip the signs of ageing in the bud and prevent further deterioration
- Are not suitable candidates for, or simply don’t want surgery
- Can’t afford the cost or downtime of surgery.
“An ideal candidate for Fraxel or Thermage for upper and lower eyelid tightening is anyone who is starting to get skin laxity and creases before they have developed too much loose excessive skin,” says Dr Garry Cussell from Sydney’s Facial Rejuvenation Clinic. “Fraxel also helps with dark circles.
“Thermage is extremely helpful after surgery to tighten, firm and strengthen the collagen and elasticity of the skin. Surgery only removes excessive skin – it does not improve the remaining skin quality.”
The most potent Fraxel laser for achieveing optimum tightening and rejuvenating results is the new re: store dual.
“I think the re: store dual is better around eyes than ablative lasers (for instance, CO2 lasers) as the skin is so sensitive,” says Dr Jeremy Cumpston of Ageless Clinics in Randwick, Sydney.
“However, to do the eyes with re: store Dual the but clinic needs to have metal contact lenses to protect the patient’s eyes. Not many practices have these.”
Ball costs for Fraxel around the eyes is $600-$1000; for Thermage around $2000.
Another leading system for the periorbital area is Cutera Pearl Fractional.
“It is a unique and outstanding treatment option for the delicate periorbital area, which often shows the first signs of aging and can be the most challenging to treat,” said Dr Brian Biesman, medical director of the Nashville Centre for Laser and Facial Surgery in the US.
“The treatment works so well because it delivers a very nice skin tightening plus it addresses skin quality, improving tone, texture and discolouration for an overall more youthful appearance.”
This new approach, pioneered by Dr. Biesman, not only uses Pearl Fractional around the eyes, but directly over the eyelids and under the eyes.
Dr. Biesman notes that the procedure is especially popular with patients who are approaching a milestone.
“A lot of my patients come to me on the 4s and the 9s – 34, 39, 44, 49,” he says. “My patients are very pleased that they see immediate, noticeable improvement in a single treatment, with very little recovery time.”
However, Sydney cosmetic physician Dr Peter Bakaric, of the Collagen Face Centre in Bondi Junction, says he counsels patients to consider having the whole face treated with Pearl Fractional rather than singling out upper and lower eyes “because of the possibility of getting a demarcation line.”
This would be equally applicable to other fractional lasers.
The whole face treated by Pearl Fractional would cost around $3000; the eyes alone, $1000.