Toronto Plastic Surgery

Unleashing Your Perfect 10

Not everyone is born with a perfect 10 body or model features, but anyone can feel like they were! That's why Elevate assembled the best advice, tips and tools for looking and feeling your personal best this year.

Sagging Eyelids

Invasive:
According to cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mitchell Brown of Toronto Plastic Surgery, an upper eye lift (blepharoplasty) is probably best if there is a lot of skin in the eyelid. "The excess skin is excised surgically, with the scar hidden in the crease of the eyelid," says Brown.

Non-invasive:
"Botox can be used for a gentle brow lift and a dermal filler like Restylane can lift up the brows," explains dermatologist Dr. Mark Lupin of the Cosmedica Laser Centre in Victoria, B.C.

Bags

Invasive:
A lower eye lift usually solves this problem quite effectively. "If there is skin to be removed, then the incision is made below the eyelashes. If not, it's placed behind lashes," says Brown. The fat is then removed or repositioned.

Non-invasive:
Fillers, such as Juvéderm, can be used to fill in the hollows underneath bags. "By supporting them, the bags look less noticeable and people look less tired," says Lupin. But he advises consulting your doctor first as a medical condition, such as low thyroid function, could be the culprit for puffiness.

Dark Circles

Non-invasive:
There is no surgical solution for these rings of ire. "The problem is usually genetic and very difficult to treat," says Brown. "The best success we've had is with dermal fillers or with a person's own body fat." Dr. Lupin also acknowledges how difficult dark circles are to treat, but he suggests that melasma, a brown condition brought on by pregnancy, birth-control pills or sunlight, may improve with fractional laser treatment. "Lasers can also help reduce blue veins under the eyes," he adds. While both doctors agree that topical creams can't get rid of dark circles, Lupin does recommend Lumixyl and RevaléSkin, which may brighten them up.

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