ANALYSING

Experts from an international clinic for aesthetic surgery: HERE'S HOW TO HAVE A FRESH AND CLEAR LOOK EVERY DAY

AUTHOR: TOMICA BAGATIN, MD / ANA MOGULIĆ

Tomica Bagatin, MD, Maxillofacial Surgeon, Head and Neck Plastic Surgery Subspecialist, founder of the Bagatin Clinic / Ana Mogulić, Head of the Cosmetology Department at the Bagatin Clinic

Eye problems affect everyone, regardless of age, and tend to become more progressive as we age. It is important to adopt this routine

Swollen, tired and dark eyes and excess skin around them can be caused by a number of reasons — from stress, health problems, and aging to lack of sleep, poor diet and excessive sun exposure. That is why it is important to take care of our eyes, warns Tomica Bagatin, MD, founder of the clinic.

The World Health Organization estimates that out of the 2.2 billion people suffering from eye diseases worldwide, for at least a billion of them the disease could have been prevented. In addition to aging and genetic predispositions, eye health is affected by many other factors that we can influence ourselves and thus prevent diseases and protect our health. This is why leading ophthalmologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists, rheumatologists, otorhinolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, general practitioners, pharmacists and engineers are brought together at X-Lab — the expert research hub by JGL — to analyse the latest research and, by applying a holistic approach, to share with us how to take care of our eye health and why that is important for our whole bodies.

Aesthetic surgeon Tomica Bagatin, MD, and Ana Mogulić, head of the Cosmetology Department at the Bagatin Clinic, explain how we can make sure that our eyes are healthy and our look is fresh.

1 What should we keep in mind if we want to have a clear and fresh look?

Swollen, tired and dark eyes with hyperpigmentation and excess skin around the eyes can be caused by a number of reasons — from stress, health problems, and aging to lack of sleep, poor diet, and excessive sun exposure.

Eye problems affect everyone, regardless of age, and tend to become more progressive as we age. The skin loses elasticity and sags, and at the same time the influence of free radicals affects its quality increasingly. In order to keep the area around the eyes fresh and healthy, it is important to introduce some habits into your routine, such as:

• proper daily care at home with quality dermocosmetics;
• quality nutrition including foods rich in minerals and vitamins that support skin health;
• SPF, SPF and then some more SPF — the area around the eyes is very sensitive and subject to change, which is why it is extremely important to protect it from the sun and prevent damage and irritation from occurring;
• deciding on aesthetic solutions such as Botox, dermal fillers or skin boosters in time — these can, when done by a professional, open and freshen up our look and stop the signs of aging from appearing;
• regular facial cleansing with professional treatments.

2 How does excess skin on the eyelids harm our health?

Blepharochalasis or excess skin on the eyelids can be an aesthetic but also a functional problem.
It is often the culprit for a number of serious health problems such as the narrowing of the vision field or increased tearing (epiphora) and eye irritation caused by the pushing of the lashes towards the eye.

Because of the excess skin on their eyelids, some people keep their eyebrows and their head raised constantly to compensate for the loss of parts of their vision field and suffer from cervical spine problems in consequence. This problem can be solved with blepharoplasty, a surgery performed on the eyelids. It is truly an individual surgery procedure performed under local anaesthesia that gives excellent and natural results without visible signs of intervention. Good results in terms of tightening and lifting can also be achieved non-invasively, using fractional plasma treatment (Plasmage). This is a sophisticated technology that, by creating micro-damage, encourages the skin to regenerate and produce a large amount of collagen, which then visibly tightens the skin in the healing process. It is important to highlight that, because these are the finest and most visible parts of the skin, it is important to leave these treatments to an experienced specialist who will be able to assess the individual needs of each patient.

3 What do dark circles under the eyes say about our health and when should they be removed?

Dark circles under the eyes can be a sign of aging, the result of bone structure, but also a reflection of our health. If they reflect our health and if our body is sending us signals something is wrong in the form of dark circles, these signs should not be ignored — they can indicate hormonal imbalance or anaemia, but also manifest as a consequence of stress, active or even passive smoking, as well as excessive sun exposure.

4 What are the most commonly requested aesthetic procedures for the area around the eyes in Croatia?

Dropped or drooping eyelids, wrinkles around the eyes, a tired look and dark circles under the eyes are the most common aesthetic, but also functional problems that we encounter. In addition to blepharoplasty, which solves the problem of dropped and drooping eyelids, dark circles under the eyes can be corrected with the help of dermal fillers, and wrinkles around the eyes are best treated with Botox. It is precisely these three procedures — blepharoplasty, dermal fillers and Botox — that are the most common aesthetic procedures in the area around the eyes.

QUIZ

SUFFERING FROM DRY EYE SYNDROME? ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND FIND OUT HOW TO PREVENT IT AND WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY FEELING THE SYMPTOMS

QUIZ

INFOGRAPHIC

MOST DETAILED INSIGHT INTO THE EYE: 10 FACTS THAT REVEAL WHY WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR EYE HEALTH

Infographic