Whether or not you believe that your eyes are the window to your soul, they are often the first thing people notice about you. Wrinkles, bags and dark circles may detract from your appearance and make you appear tired. Laser surgery is a type of cosmetic procedure that may help minimize the appearance of wrinkling or bagginess under your eyes.

Under Eye Appearance

Like the rest of your body, the skin around your eyes can lose elasticity as you age. Heredity plays a part in determining the appearance of your features, including the likelihood of developing baggy eyes and dark circles. Some surgeons combine laser surgery with other treatments, such as Botox injections, to improve the appearance of crow’s feet, according to the University of Maryland Medical Clinic.

Laser Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing is an ablative procedure that removes aged or damaged skin. While more extensive laser surgery can help treat major skin flaws, laser resurfacing is effective in minimizing minor surface flaws such as fine lines around your eyes, advises MayoClinic.com. The treatment may also help with skin discoloration, but it won’t remove deep wrinkles or sagging skin. During this procedure, you may require a local anesthetic to numb the skin while your doctor uses an intense beam of light to destroy the outer layer of skin and heat the underlying layer to stimulate the production of new collagen. Laser resurfacing may take between 30 minutes and two hours. Rawness and oozing may linger for one or two weeks after this procedure.

Laser Blepharoplasty

While laser resurfacing treats the surface areas under your eyes, blepharoplasty is a more invasive procedure that removes portions of skin and fat from your eyelids. According to The Laser Center, this type of laser-assisted surgery requires stitches and you may need to remain in the hospital for an entire day. Swelling and bruising may appear for days or weeks after this type of surgery.

Results

Laser resurfacing may cause an immediate difference in the quality of your skin and its appearance, according to MayoClinic.com. You may notice a continual improvement for six to 12 months after undergoing the procedure, and the results of laser resurfacing may last for years, although new wrinkles and expression lines can appear as your skin continues to age. After the swelling decreases following a blepharoplasty procedure, you should notice the appearance of smoother, taught skin.

Risks

Like all surgical procedures, laser resurfacing and laser blepharoplasty carry some risks. Laser resurfacing may cause scarring, prolonged redness and inflammation; laser blepharoplasty can result in difficulty closing your eyes, blurred vision or double vision. These complications are usually temporary. Both procedures carry the risk of infection.