Question:
I am 67 years old, from Sunset Valley, and I’ve had darker bags under my eyes for about more years than I can remember. I have heard it is due to fatty tissue. I want to have eye surgery, but I am very concerned that the skin will stay dark. Is this a problem with blepharoplasty?
Answer:
In most cases, the skin appears dark because of a shadow created from too much fat under the eye combined with a depression at the junction of the cheek and lower eyelid referred to as the orbital groove. Surgery aims to reduce the extra fat and fill in the trough to allow light to reflect in a more favorable location. When this occurs the appearance of dark skin will improve. It is rare that the skin itself is really dark, but if that is the case topical creams and light or laser therapy will usually improve this as well.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham