Not Ready for Eyelid Surgery? These Tricks Can Help Delay Your Procedure
Drooping eyelids are a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you need to live with them. If you aren’t quite ready to invest in cosmetic surgery, these tricks will help you camouflage droopiness and fine lines to look more awake and youthful.
The Upper Lid “Lift” With Eyeliner
Practice applying 
eyeliner to the upper lids, curving the line up on the outer corners to “lift” your lids. Use thin, light lines, as thick eyeliner will not complement sagging eyelids but instead make them look heavier. While makeup artists suggest sticking with the upper lids only, you can line your bottom lashes using a pencil. Just avoid lining the inside of your eyes, which can make them seem beady.
Try moving away from dark black eyeliner, instead opting for sapphire blue, forest green or even a deep purple to help bring out the color of your eyes and downplay the eyelids.
Make Your Lashes Longer
Long, thick eyelashes moves attention away from the sagging eyelids. Use an eyelash curler to open up the area, then apply a few coats of mascara, paying extra attention to the outer corners. The outer edges should be lengthened as much as possible to make the eyes seem wide open.
Distract the Eye from Crow’s Feet
The best way to camouflage crow’s feet is to accept them and move on. Makeup fillers will sink into the creases and make lines more visible, so avoid applying powder or foundation to crow’s feet. Distract attention away from them by adding a small amount of concealer to discolored areas on your face for a more even tone.
Stick with Light Colors
Light eyeshadow will make your eyes more visible. Choose colors that work well with your skin tone, such as pearl or white if you have fair skin or peach, taupe or gold if you have a medium or dark complexion.
What Else Can You Do?
Along with makeup, there are non-invasive treatments that can delay the need for surgery. If the upper eyelids are drooping, Botox injections can slightly elevate the brow and the skin on the upper lids for a more open appearance, although this won’t work for everyone. Laser resurfacing or a chemical peel may also give you mild to moderate results.
While sagging eyelids are typically associated with aging, remember that the appearance of the eyes can also be affected by chronic edema, allergies, excess salt, dehydration and inadequate sleep. Taking care of your skin, avoiding excess salt in your diet, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep at night can help minimize bagginess
Not Happy with the Results?
Sagging eyelids can become much less noticeable when you play up other areas of the face and use makeup carefully to make your eyes seem bright and open. These tricks can make you feel more confident, but be realistic about what makeup can and cannot do. Cosmetics will only be temporary, and the results depend a great deal on how dramatic the drooping has become.
If you get tired of carefully applying your makeup each morning and you want a more permanent solution, it may be time to talk with Dr. Shapiro about blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, to remove excess tissue and restore a much more youthful appearance to the eyes.
