The Basics of Dermatochalasis

Dermatochalasis | Everett, WAWhen it comes to taking good care of your eyes there are a few basics that everyone can do like getting regular eye exams, washing your hands before you touch your eyes, wearing sunglasses when you’re outside, and getting rid of old eye makeup. There are some other things about your eyes, however, that you may not know much about like eye conditions like dermatochalasis. Let’s take a closer look at this eye disease for you to see.

What Is Dermatochalasis?

When you first hear the term, “dermatochalasis,” you may not know the first thing about it. This is a medical condition that causes excess, droopy skin on either the upper or lower eyelid, but it primarily affects the upper.

What is the difference between dermatochalasis and blepharitis?

One of the things that we often hear from our patients is, “Well, what’s the difference between dermatochalasis and blepharitis?”  In patients who have blepharitis, they are dealing with drooping of the eyelid itself whereas dermatochalasis is caused by drooping skin.

Will I get Dermatochalasis?

Typically, we don’t see this condition in patients who are under the age of 40 but it can occur at any age. We primarily see it in patients over the age of 40 who are experiencing a loss of collagen and elasticity in their skin already and then they notice the symptoms of dermatochalasis. Although dermatochalasis can be genetic, it can also be a secondary effect of trauma, prior injury, or certain systemic diseases.

What are the Effects of Dermatochalasis?

If the skin loses a lot of elasticity around the eyes, it can obstruct your vision making it had to see thing both up close and far away.

How Is IT treated?

Typically, we will treat patients with dermatochalasis with a surgical procedure called a blepharoplasty. During this procedure, we will make incisions typically on the creases of the eyelids. Once the incisions have been made, we will remove excess skin to lift and tighten the eyes.

If you think you have dermatochalasis or if you have a family history of this condition, contact our Everett office today and call us at (425) 259-2020.

Posted in: Dermatochalasis

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