Four causes of heavy eyelids

Premature ageing around the eyes and eyelids is partially determined by heredity – your genetics, and how your facial muscles and skin moves when you make repeated expressions.

But sun exposure isn’t helpful.  Find out the four causes of heavy eyelids. 

Causes of heavy eyelids leading to the need for upper Blepharoplasty

• If one of your parents had saggy, puffy or droopy eyelids, chances are that you will too.
• If you’ve had a lot of sun exposure, you’re eyelid area might have very-deeply etched lines and wrinkles, as well as droopy, heavy eyelids.
• Cosmetic injections can sometimes help to reduce the appearance of sagging eyelids or crow’s feet, but often, surgical intervention is required to reduce the excess skin folds that begin to cover the eye/iris area.

Why are eyelids the first to show ageing?

• The skin over your eyelids gets a lot of use.
• From blinking to squinting to facial expressions, you are using the muscles around your eyes hundreds of times a day, week in and week out, without ever thinking about the effects on your muscles and eyelid skin, over time.
• The eyelid skin is thinner than the skin on other areas of your body and face.
• Eyelid skin is more vulnerable to early signs of ageing because of repeated use, its thinness, and genetic tendencies for heavier eyelids or sagging eyelid skin.

Causes of heavy eyelids and puffy eyes or eye bags

• After decades of significant use, our eyelids will start to age.
• Sometimes it seems sudden, but it’s typically building up over time.
• It can look worse when we’re tired, dehydrated, stressed, sleep-deprived or recovering after a big night of birthday celebrations.

Four key causes of heavy eyes or puffy eyelids

1. LOSS OF SKIN ELASTICITY

Around your late 30’s (and earlier if you have had a lot of sun damage, eye area injuries or squinting) the thin skin of your eyelids can start to lose its elasticity and begins to stretch.

1. This results in excess folds of eyelid skin
2. This excess skin may hang down over the edge of the upper eyelids and cover up part of your eye and pupil area.

2. UPPER EYELID PTOSIS & LOSS OF PERIPHERAL VISION

• You may feel an extra heaviness in the upper lid or notice your skin actually sitting on your eyelashes.
• You may also be experiencing a minor loss of vision – especially your peripheral vision.

3. WEAKER MUSCLES AROUND THE EYES CAN CAUSE EYE BAGS

As you get older, the muscles beneath your skin grow weaker.

• This allows small amounts of fat to protrude through the thin skin
• It causes eye bags and eyelid puffiness, particularly in the lower eyelid area

4. A WEAK LEVATOR MUSCLE CAN CAUSE EYELID FLOPPINESS.

A droopy upper eyelid may be caused by a weak levator muscle, the muscle which lifts the upper eyelids.

• Fine wrinkle lines and small wrinkly creases may appear in the delicate skin around the lids when levator muscles weaken.
• The result is a sleepy, tired or sad look around your eyes, but the appearance of the eyes impacts your entire face.