Lower eyelid blepharoplasty: the aging eyelid

The aging process affects the underlying structural integrity of the eyelids as well as the overlying skin, muscle, and fat. Gravitational descent of the deep supporting soft tissues of the eyelid complex coupled with skin texture changes exemplified by loss of skin elasticity, solar actinic changes, and dynamic and static rhytids result in the aged eyelid. Surgery of the lower eyelid on the youthful face usually involves excisional fat sculpting without skin removal. Lower eyelid blepharoplasty performed on the mature face often requires excision of periorbital fat combined with some treatment of the lower eyelid skin. In the aging eyelid, the surgeon must also be prepared to address lower eyelid laxity to prevent the potential complications of lower eyelid retraction or scleral show.