Hooded Eyes: Causes and Surgical Treatment

Hooded eyes are a condition that people are seeking treatment for in increasing numbers – fortunately, there are straightforward techniques for alleviating this condition and delivering fantastic results.

In this page we will outline key details about what hooded eyes are, what causes them and how they can be treated. We will also take a little time to explain why Dominic Bray stands apart among plastic  surgeons when it comes to the treatment of this condition.

Mr Bray is a surgeon who only performs procedures for the face and so he is a specialist in the truest sense of the word.

There are, of course, many fine cosmetic surgeons but most perform a wide range of procedures and so eyelid surgery will be a relatively rare part of their work.

For Mr Bray, treating hooded eyes is a common procedure and this ensures he uses the latest techniques and has developed his skills to the highest level.

What Are Hooded Eyes?

Hooded eyes are a condition relating to the upper eyelids. They can also be known as droopy eyes or brow ptosis.

The condition is commonly thought of as when someone has excess skin that folds down from the brow bone to the lash line. However, true hooding is a combination of several factors, this including thinning of the very delicate skin in the eyelid, this stretches the skin and gives rise to a hooded appearance.

The causes are actually often a lot more nuanced than the simple assessment you will commonly see by Googling the condition. This makes expertise essential as any condition can only be properly rectified if it is firstly correctly diagnosed.

The Impact of Hooded Eyes

In many cases, the impact is aesthetic, but this can also impinge on self-confidence and self-esteem. 

If we have concern over any part of our body then this can make us less confident, we feel we are not portraying the best version of ourselves. It is possible for relationships to be impacted, so too work and friendships.

As with so many procedures deemed cosmetic, the visible appearance may be just aesthetic, but the impact to the person who has the surgery can be far greater. It can be truly transformational.

The impact is that a concern is rectified. The eyes are constantly on show, we look into someone’s eyes when we talk to them, they are not a feature that is only occasionally glanced upon. We also see our own eyes in perfect focus whenever we look in a mirror.

Any issue therefore has the potential to be a near-constant cause for some concern.

In other instances, the hooding may also impact vision, this clearly requiring treatment to restore this vital sense to maximum capacity.

Hooded eyes are also a condition that people are having treated in increasing numbers, there are two likely reasons for this.

Firstly, it is now far more common to have a single concern treated than used to be the case, many seek remedy for an issue with the eyes, or nose, or ears rather than consider a full facelift – especially when this may not be necessary.

The second reason is that the eyes, always a prominent feature, have been even more on show of late. The Covid-19 pandemic, with accompanying facemark wearing and never-ending Zoom calls means we see more of people’s eyes than was once the case. This naturally makes us focus more on any perceived defect.

Treating Hooded Eyes

Any treatment and procedure first begins with a detailed consultation, this is the opportunity for you to talk, express why you seek surgery and for the surgeon to listen and suggest a plan of best action.

The more experienced and skilled in a specific area the surgeon, the more techniques at their disposal and the more certainty the right option is chosen.

The approach will vary by surgeon, but Mr. Bray would use the following approach.

Treatment of hooded eyes is as a day case, this in the superbly equipped private hospital, and is undertaken under local anaesthetic. This is different to many surgeons who will use general anaesthetic, however being able to use just local means the patient can literally walk out of the treatment room and being the recovery immediately, rather than having the awful feeling of coming round from general anaesthetic.

The technique used would then vary depending on the initial diagnosis – for instance if it is true hooding, or if the issue is actually linked to the descent of the brow. 

In most instances, the surgery will see the area for incision meticulously measured and marked and then a tiny quantity of local anaesthetic and adrenaline injected, this is milked under the eyelid skin.

In the completely painless process, a thin layer of skin and muscle is removed to reduce the pads above the eye. The incision is then closed with a very fine running stitch, this ensuring any scarring is near invisible.

Recovery begins immediately. There will be some bruising and swelling, but the patient can return home or to their hotel room the same day. Cold packs should reduce swelling and the stitches typically come out five days post operation.

After care is straightforward with very few specific demands beyond the care you would apply to any healing wound.

Results and longevity

The surgery is highly effective at achieving the aim set out, namely to remove the hooding appearance of the eyes.

Unlike other options such as dermal fillers, it is also permanent, though ageing will still occur of course. Essentially, the process sets back ageing and they will then age naturally again from this point. 

If, for instance, the surgery makes someone look 10 years younger, then in 10 years’ time this would have remained, they would have, roughly speaking, still look 10 years younger around the eyes than would otherwise have been the case.

How Dominic Bray Differs

There are many cosmetic surgeons who can offer hooded eyelid surgery in London so why consider Dominic?

His results are stunning, as you can see from the before and after image gallery.

These results are achieved because Dominic specialises, whereas many cosmetic surgeons are allrounders and perform a huge range of procedures on all parts of the body, he has chosen to specialise and dedicate himself to facial and neck surgery.

As a result, everything he does is geared towards procedures such as eyelid surgery, from his skills, through to the team he works with and even the facility whereby you would undergo surgery 

 

– a private, dedicated hospital set up by Dominic rather than leased space in a large private hospital.

Dominic’s CV is stunning and you can read more about him on this site through a detailed resume and also information on his ethos. A few key points are listed below.

–   Dominic has stunning, independent reviews. Please take the time to read testimonials – and do this for any surgeon you may consider. He has more than 200 independent, verified reviews and almost without exception these are for 5 stars.

–   Dominic was the first UK surgeon to be invited to sit on an expert panel to discuss management of facelift complications at the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery annual meeting.

–   A significant proportion of his work is with patients referred for revision surgery – improving the flawed work of other surgeons.

–   His qualifications, training, prizes, memberships and publications stand comparison with any. You can see full details on the About Page.

–   Dominic has undertaken specialist higher training in Otolaryngology – face and neck surgery. There are many cosmetic surgeons who perform neck lifts as part of what they offer – for Dominic this is his specialism.

Please take the time to get a sense for Dominic and his ethos. If you have any further questions or would like to arrange a consultation, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Call us on 0203 417 9980 or use the Contact Form.