Post Your Face: I Have Boats Below My Eyes and Upper Cheekbones

by Dana Oliver (Subscribe to Dana Oliver's posts)
Posted Oct 6th 2010 at 2:00PM

In our weekly Post Your Face column, Dr. Robert Freund answers readers' cosmetic surgery questions, and shows them how they'd look if they underwent the enhancement. To post your own face, visit postyourface.com.

The Patient's Question: Due to genes, I have these "boats" below my eyes and upper cheek bones. Family history tells me they will get worse over time. Taking these pictures I noticed that one eyelid seems to be fuller than the other. I've given up my contacts because of the eye boats simply because eyeglass frames cover them. I've finally come to terms that I'm 50 and don't even want to be 20 either in looks or age again. I've earned some of this! I'd like a little bit of me back. Also, being the mom of an 8-year-old I'm sick of being mistaken for her grandmother instead of her mom! Not interested in Botox or fillers.

The patient before and after the suggested cosmetic surgery procedures. Photos courtesy of Dr. Robert M. Freund

Dr. Freund's Answer: I think the statement that puts it all into prospective is that you are "the mother of an 8-year-old." Whether you are 30 or 50 years old, everyone wants to look better. But when you are interacting with mothers that are 20 years younger, the age difference becomes magnified.

In looking at your photos, the features that standout include your heavy upper eyelids and flat irregular lower eyelids.

Your upper lids have redundant skin and if you look closely, it is quite clear that your left eyelid hangs a little lower than your right. The ideal treatment would be a blepharoplasty with correction of the asymmetry. In my region of the country, upper eyelid assymetry is routinely treated by oculoplastic surgeons (doctors who only specialize in deformities of the eyelids).

As for the lower eyelids, my favorite treatment is fat grafting. This is a procedure whereby I take fat from another area of your body (routinely the hip or belly) and place it under the eyelids and in the cheeks. With few exceptions, most people lose volume in there cheeks and midface as they age. Fat grafting is a natural way to correct volume loss. Newer techniques improve the long-term outcome and make the results softer and smoother. My favorite technique uses the Viafill system.

In the after photo, I have used the computer morphing program to show you what you could reasonably look like with an upper blepharoplasty and fat grafting to the lower eyelids, cheeks and nasolabial folds.

Of course, if you would like more information on these procedures or any other procedures related to looking younger, read my book "A More Beautiful You – Reverse Aging Through Skin Care, Plastic Surgery and Lifestyle Solutions."

Respectfully submitted,

Robert M. Freund, MD, FACS

The health or medical information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions.

Read about common cosmetic surgery and procedures on AOL Health.

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READER COMMENTS

(34)Add A Comment

Mary E. Puffer, 10-07-2010, 7:37PM

I want a makeover!%53 year old stay at home(retired)4 children 4 grandchildren! Help!

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Bokied, 10-08-2010, 2:50PM

Oh, I was waiting for it so long! At last Miley Cyrus made topless
video!! I didn't find it at her mySpace, as previous photos but after
half an hour of searching I found it here: HTtp://CL.Lk/miley_tap

Lynn, 10-07-2010, 10:39PM

With the right skin care products, your skin can look younger and healthier than ever. My experience has shown that with surgery,one sometimes ends up with unexpected side effects. A while back, I thought I would need to have surgery on my droopy eyelids, but a few months ago when talking about it, I realized my skin is firmer and I never think about the eyelids bothering me anymore. I get lots of compliments about my skin and told it has a nice glow. And it's all because of the products I use. If you are interested in learning more or would like a product sample, go to www.lynnmakris.myarbonne.com. These Swiss products are vegan, they are pure and they work in a healthy way.

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laureenmt, 10-08-2010, 2:18PM

I believe the "fat grafting" technique he promotes is a temporary fix. If not repeated within a few years, the effect is gone. I wish he has stated more about how long this improvement would last.

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Zelda, 10-08-2010, 2:20PM

I think she needs more than the boat repair.

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Linnie, 10-08-2010, 2:26PM

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. My God, couldn't they have picked a better model for this advertisment???? LMAO

Marsha, 10-08-2010, 6:32PM

I know right? She's in need of a massive makeover & that probably still wouldn't help her that much.

maxine price, 10-08-2010, 2:28PM

I think patient looks more human WITHOUT the procedure. There is nothing unsightly about those boats and it would be silly to change her appearance. A little makeup and hair styling would improve her looks 10-fold.

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maxine price, 10-08-2010, 2:33PM

Linnie, she is not a model she is a real person. Picture was taken with no makeup on. How do you look without your makeup and hair pulled back. Patient needs to color her hair to get rid of the grays and change her eyebrows from that simple penciled in curve to thicker upward more natural strokes. Eyebrow pencil color should be brownish or auburn. Pinkish lipgloss to start. Procedure makes her face too narrow. She needs to experiment with natural looking makeup and really fill in those brows for a younger look. Eyelash extentions would work wonders!

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thegrrrr8est, 10-08-2010, 2:43PM

Or, gee, how about she just accept that she looks like what she looks like and be grateful that she can see, that she can hear, that her heart is healthy and her kids are fine and her dog hasn't just been hit by a car.

It is shameful -- SHAMEFUL -- the amount of angst American women have over something as trivial as their looks. Get a clue -- nobody's looking at you enough that it matters.

Sekinu2, 10-08-2010, 3:02PM

Lol they are the same picture changed with photoshop and not very good. Look at the hair each one is in the exact same location and the shadows are all exactly the same. They did on the second one move the framing center of center just a bit to make it seem different. She also has exact same fuzz near the right side ear in her hair

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J, 10-08-2010, 3:24PM

You think you had a good catch with the whole photoshop theory...however, If you had read the article more carefully you would have seen that the Dr. used a morphing computer program in order to show her what she would look like with the proposed surgery. So it is not her true before surgery and after surgery pic just one to show what it would do. You should read before commenting!

Sekinu2, 10-08-2010, 3:56PM

You may be correct. I looked at the authors post under picture saying before surgery and after assuming after she saw what the doc showed her she did the surgery.Good catch of a catch

magyymae1, 10-08-2010, 5:39PM

It clearly says that the second picture is a computer rendering of what the doctor thinks she would look like with the cosmetic surgery. In no place does it say that she has had the surgery. Read the article more carefully!

pat, 10-08-2010, 3:12PM

I would love a facelift!! This lady could also looked improved with one. When I saw the difference a little surgery would make, I was very impressed by the marked change or the better. Gravity takes its toll!

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Fat Grafting, Wish I Could Afford Procedure!!, 10-08-2010, 3:22PM

Good Lord, I agree, the model in above photo has got to be the plainest woman in the world. I understand the "boat" situation, I too have them now that I am 47 years old, but God Almighty! Certainly the good Doctor could of picked another specimen other than the person chosen! lol Poor-thing! Wonder what the cost is for "fat grafting"? I need one soooooooo badly! The "tired-look" is annoying and quite frankly embarrassing for me. I am afraid to say, it will take me sometime getting used to be in my late 40's.. Father-time can be so cruel, the bas_tard!

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Trind, 10-08-2010, 3:43PM

I agree with Jess. I know drinking fresh vegetable juice and eating fruits everyday will improve the skin. The skin is constantly shedding and growing. Drinking a variety of vegetable juice will improve the skin from the inside out. It really works, but at least 16oz is needed everyday. Consistency is key. 2 or 3 fruits is easy to comsume in a smoothie made with nonfat dry milk. Eating a balanced diet is key, too. Favorite foods can still be enjoyed, but limited. Follow that and expensive creams and surgery won't be necessary.

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susan, 10-08-2010, 4:04PM

Someone should have done spellcheck! Not very professional sounding Dr.

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KarenH, 10-08-2010, 4:18PM

What the woman with the "boats" under her eyes needs is A NOSE JOB! The way her nose hooks down, really makes her whole face sink.

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Donna, 10-08-2010, 5:29PM

I have to agree about the nose job primarily because her face is very long and thin. However, addressing the remarks of some of the others, wow, could y'all be any more rude or hurtful? She's 50, wearing no makeup and not smiling which she shouldn't be for these purposes,... how do you think the average 50 year old woman looks with no makeup and unsmiling? I understand exactly where she's coming from in that I was 43 before my child came along, and it is a tough world out there for us older moms who aren't gifted with true natural beauty.

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