Hooded Eyes Explained: Why They Happen, How to Spot Them, and the Most Effective Ways to Treat and Transform Your Look

Hooded eyes are a common facial characteristic that affects millions of people across the UK. Whilst they’re a completely natural feature, many individuals seek information about what causes them and how they can be treated. At Linia Cosmetic Surgery, we understand that hooded eyes can impact both your appearance and, in some cases, your vision. This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about hooded eyes, from their underlying causes to the most effective treatment options available.

What Are Hooded Eyes?

Hooded eyes, also known as hooded eyelids, occur when excess skin folds downward from the brow bone to partially or completely cover the upper eyelid. This creates a distinctive “hood” over the eyelid, often leaving a less visible or hidden eyelid crease. The condition results in a heavy-lidded appearance that can make the eyes appear smaller than they actually are.

Unlike other eyelid conditions such as ptosis (where the eyelid itself droops), hooded eyes specifically involve excess skin and soft tissue around the eyebrow area that hangs over the eyelid without affecting the eye itself. Whilst hooded eyes typically affect both eyes, it’s possible for only one eye to display this characteristic.

The appearance of hooded eyes can vary in severity. Some individuals may have a subtle fold, whilst others experience more pronounced hooding where the excess skin extends low enough to touch the lash line or even obstruct peripheral vision.

Common Symptoms of Hooded Eyes

Recognising hooded eyes is relatively straightforward. When looking in a mirror with your eyes comfortably open, you’ll notice that most or all of your upper eyelid is covered by the skin beneath your brow bone. If your eyelash line touches or comes very close to the skin below your brow, you likely have hooded eyes.

Beyond the visual appearance, hooded eyes can present several symptoms that affect both aesthetics and function:

Visual and Aesthetic Concerns

• Heavy, Tired Appearance: The excess skin creates a weighted look that can make you appear fatigued or older than you are, even after adequate rest
• Reduced Eyelid Space: Limited visible eyelid area, with a deep crease rather than an open eyelid space
• Smaller Eye Appearance: The hooding effect can make your eyes look smaller than their actual size
• Makeup Application Difficulties: Eye makeup, particularly eyeshadow and eyeliner, may transfer, smudge more easily, or be challenging to apply effectively

Functional Symptoms

• Visual Field Obstruction: In more severe cases, the drooping skin can partially block your peripheral vision, making everyday activities like driving or reading more challenging
• Eyelid Heaviness: A constant sensation of weight or pressure on your eyelids
• Eye Strain and Fatigue: The excess skin may cause you to unconsciously raise your eyebrows to compensate, leading to forehead tension and headaches
• Dry or Irritated Eyes: Some people experience eye dryness or irritation due to altered tear distribution

If you’re experiencing significant vision impairment, persistent discomfort, or the condition is affecting your quality of life, it’s advisable to seek professional assessment.

What Causes Hooded Eyes?

Understanding what contributes to hooded eyes is essential for determining the most appropriate treatment approach. Several factors can lead to this condition:

Genetics and Ethnicity

Genetics plays the most significant role in hooded eyes. If one or both of your parents have hooded eyelids, you’re considerably more likely to inherit this trait. Hooded eyes are particularly common in people of East Asian descent, where they’re considered the most prevalent eye shape, though they can occur across all ethnic backgrounds and populations.

Natural Ageing Process

As we age, our skin naturally loses elasticity and collagen production decreases. This leads to skin laxity around the eyes, causing the upper eyelid skin to stretch and sag. The muscles and connective tissues that support the eyelids also weaken over time, contributing to a more pronounced hooded appearance. Even individuals born with hooded eyes often find that the condition becomes more noticeable as they grow older.

Facial Structure and Anatomy

The underlying structure of your face, including the position and prominence of your brow bone, the distribution of fat deposits, and the strength of the muscles around your eyes, all influence whether you develop hooded eyes. Weak muscles or excess fat in the eye area can make hooded eyes more likely to develop or appear more prominent.

Lifestyle Factors

Certain habits can accelerate the ageing process of the delicate skin around your eyes:

• Sun Exposure: Excessive UV exposure breaks down collagen and elastin fibres, leading to premature skin sagging
• Smoking: Reduces blood flow to the skin and accelerates the breakdown of collagen
• Chronic Eye Rubbing: Repeatedly rubbing your eyes can stretch and irritate the delicate skin, potentially contributing to hooding over time
• Poor Sleep and Stress: Can exacerbate the appearance of tired, heavy eyelids

Weight Changes

Significant weight loss can result in loose, excess skin around the eyes as the facial fat pads shrink. This can lead to or worsen the appearance of hooded eyelids.

Medical Factors

In some cases, medical conditions or treatments can contribute to hooded eyes:

• Head or facial trauma, particularly injuries to the side of the head
• Certain medical treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can accelerate skin ageing
• Thyroid eye disease or other conditions affecting the eye area

When Should You Consider Treatment for Hooded Eyes?

Not everyone with hooded eyes requires treatment. They’re a natural variation in facial structure and are considered attractive in many cultures. However, you might consider seeking treatment if you experience any of the following:

• Vision Impairment: If the excess skin obstructs your field of vision, particularly your peripheral sight
• Aesthetic Concerns: If the appearance of your hooded eyes affects your self-confidence or how you feel about your appearance
• Functional Discomfort: When the weight of your eyelids causes persistent strain, discomfort, or frequent headaches
• Progressive Worsening: If the condition is becoming more severe over time
• Impact on Daily Life: When hooded eyes interfere with activities like applying makeup, reading, or driving

At Linia Cosmetic Surgery, our experienced consultants can assess your individual situation and recommend the most suitable treatment options based on your specific concerns and desired outcomes.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Hooded Eyes

For those seeking to address mild to moderate hooded eyes without surgery, several effective non-invasive treatments are available:

Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Injections

Strategic placement of Botox can create a subtle “chemical brow lift” by relaxing specific muscles around the eyebrows. When injected into the outer edge of the eyebrow, it allows the brow to lift slightly, opening up the eye area and reducing the appearance of hooding. Results typically last 3-6 months and the procedure involves minimal downtime. However, it’s important to note that improperly placed injections can worsen drooping, so treatment should only be performed by experienced practitioners.

Best For: Mild hooding, those seeking temporary improvement, first-time patients wanting to test results before committing to surgery

Dermal Fillers

Injectable dermal fillers can be strategically placed in the brow or temple area to restore volume lost due to ageing. This provides a gentle lifting effect to sagging skin, helping to open up the eye area. Fillers offer rapid, natural-looking results and can last anywhere from 6-18 months depending on the product used.

Best For: Volume loss-related hooding, combination treatment with Botox, gradual improvement seekers

Plasma Therapy (Plexr/Plasmage)

This innovative treatment uses controlled micro-beams of plasma energy to tighten and rejuvenate the skin around the eyelids. The procedure stimulates collagen production by creating precise points on the skin’s surface, promoting tighter, firmer skin over time. Plexr offers non-surgical skin tightening with no incisions, cuts, or stitches required, and features quicker recovery than surgical alternatives.

Best For: Mild to moderate hooding, those avoiding surgery, patients seeking collagen stimulation

Radiofrequency Treatments

Radiofrequency technology delivers controlled thermal energy to the deeper layers of skin, stimulating collagen production and resulting in tightened, firmer skin around the eyes. Multiple sessions may be required for optimal results, with improvements continuing over several months.

Best For: Early-stage hooding, skin tightening needs, gradual, natural-looking improvement

Thread Lifts

Temporary sutures are used to gently pull the eyebrows back into a more youthful position. This minimally invasive procedure offers immediate results with minimal downtime. However, the lift is typically modest (only a few millimetres) and is most suitable for mild to moderate hooding.

Best For: Mild hooding, those seeking temporary results, candidates not ready for surgery

Topical Treatments

Prescription or over-the-counter creams containing retinoids, peptides, or hyaluronic acid may offer modest improvements in skin firmness and texture. Whilst these cannot dramatically change hooded eyes, they can support overall skin health and may slow progression.

Best For: Very mild cases, prevention, complementing other treatments

Surgical Treatment: Upper Blepharoplasty

For moderate to severe hooded eyes, or for those seeking permanent, dramatic results, upper blepharoplasty (eyelid lift surgery) remains the gold standard treatment. This surgical procedure effectively removes excess skin and, when necessary, fat or muscle from the upper eyelids.

What Is Upper Blepharoplasty?

Upper blepharoplasty is a precise surgical procedure that addresses the fundamental causes of hooded eyes by removing surplus tissue. The surgery creates a more defined eyelid crease and opens up the eye area, resulting in a refreshed, alert, and more youthful appearance.

The Procedure

During upper blepharoplasty, your surgeon will:

1. Make Strategic Incisions: Carefully placed incisions are made along the natural crease of the upper eyelids, extending slightly into the outer corner (crow’s feet area). This ensures scars are well-hidden within the natural contours of the eyelid.
2. Remove Excess Tissue: Any surplus skin, fat causing the hooded appearance, and if necessary, sagging muscle tissue is precisely removed.
3. Close the Incisions: The incisions are closed using very fine sutures, employing meticulous techniques that minimise visible scarring.

The procedure typically takes between 45 minutes to 2 hours and can be performed under local anaesthetic with or without sedation, or under general anaesthetic, depending on your preference and the extent of the surgery.

Benefits of Upper Blepharoplasty

• Permanent Results: Unlike non-surgical treatments, the results of blepharoplasty are long-lasting, typically 10-15 years or more
• Improved Vision: Removal of obstructing skin can significantly enhance peripheral vision
• Youthful, Refreshed Appearance: Creates a more open, alert look that makes you appear well-rested and younger
• Enhanced Confidence: Many patients report improved self-esteem and satisfaction with their appearance
• Natural-Looking Results: When performed by an experienced surgeon, the results appear entirely natural
• Minimal Visible Scarring: Scars are concealed within the natural eyelid crease and fade to fine lines over time
• Easier Makeup Application: With more visible eyelid space, applying eye makeup becomes simpler

Recovery and Aftercare

Recovery from upper blepharoplasty is generally straightforward:

• Immediate Post-Operative Period: You may experience swelling, bruising, and mild discomfort, which peaks 1-2 days after surgery
• First Week: Most visible bruising and swelling. Stitches are typically removed after 5-7 days. Cold compresses help reduce swelling
• Two Weeks: Most patients return to work and normal activities. Bruising significantly diminished
• One Month: Majority of swelling resolved. Results becoming more apparent
• Three to Six Months: Final results fully visible as all swelling subsides and scars mature

Ideal Candidates

Upper blepharoplasty is suitable for individuals who:

• Have excess skin on the upper eyelids causing hooding
• Experience vision obstruction due to drooping eyelids
• Are in good overall health
• Have realistic expectations about outcomes
• Are non-smokers or willing to stop smoking before and after surgery
• Are bothered by the tired or aged appearance of their eyes

Whilst most patients are over 40, younger individuals with a genetic predisposition to hooded eyes may also benefit from the procedure.

Alternative Surgical Option: Brow Lift

In some cases, hooded eyes may actually be caused by a low or drooping brow rather than excess eyelid skin. When this is the case, a brow lift (forehead lift) may be more appropriate than or used in combination with upper blepharoplasty.

A brow lift repositions the eyebrow higher on the brow bone, which can reduce the appearance of hooded eyes by lifting the excess skin upward. Your surgeon will assess your facial anatomy during consultation to determine whether a brow lift, blepharoplasty, or combination approach would achieve the best results for your unique situation.

Making the Right Decision for You

Choosing the appropriate treatment for hooded eyes depends on several factors:

• Severity of hooding: Mild cases may respond well to non-surgical treatments, whilst moderate to severe hooding typically requires surgery
• Your age: Younger patients with good skin elasticity may see benefits from non-invasive treatments
• Cause of hooding: Whether it’s primarily genetic, age-related, or due to brow position
• Your goals: Whether you’re seeking temporary improvement or permanent change
• Functional vs. aesthetic concerns: Vision impairment may necessitate surgical intervention
• Recovery time available: Non-surgical treatments require minimal downtime, whilst surgery needs more recovery time
• Budget considerations: Non-surgical treatments are less expensive initially but require maintenance, whilst surgery is a one-time investment

Posted In: Face Treatments Blogs

Written By: Firat Ekinci