Hooded eyes is a condition where excess skin folds down from the brow line. It is usually more noticeable toward the outer edge of the eye, where the eyebrow tapers toward the temple. People often associate it with aging, but it may also be due to genetics.
Figure out if you have hooded eyes by examining the crease, if you have one. In hooded eyes, skin hangs down over the crease, making your upper eyelid look smaller. If you can't see the crease in your eye when your eyes are open, then you have hooded eyes.
"Hooded eyes are when you have excess skin folding down from the brow bone to the lash line," Tre explains. "More people than you might think have hooded eyes, whether they were born with them or they are a result of ageing.
Can you fix hooded eyelids? Yes, hooded eyelids—when excess skin sags and folds down from below the brow bone—can be corrected with a surgical procedure known as a blepharoplasty. The procedure removes excess skin and fat and tightens the muscles and tissue of the eyelid.
While hooded eyes are a normal hereditary trait, droopy eyelids can be a medical condition — either on their own or as the result of an underlying condition or injury. When one or both eyelids droop, it often points to a condition called ptosis.
Hooded eyelids are usually caused by a combination of many age-related changes in the eyelid skin, eyebrow, underlying fat, muscle and bone. The hooded appearance can mask underlying droopy eyelids (eyelid ptosis) and a droopy eyebrow that further exaggerates the hooded appearance.
Although some hooded eyes may appear to be droopy, it does not mean that they are actually droopy. Hooded eyes are a genetic trait, whereas droopy eyes are something that occurs as we age as a result of lost elasticity in the upper part of the skin above the eye.
Answer: Eyelid fat is part of the eye socket and supports the eye and surrounding structures. This fat differs from the rest of your body fat and typically does not change with weight gain or weight loss.
Pathologic droopy eyelid, also called ptosis, may occur due to trauma, age, or various medical disorders. This condition is called unilateral ptosis when it affects one eye and bilateral ptosis when it affects both eyes. It may come and go or it might be permanent.
Look for a visible crease.
“If there is no crease at all, generally this eye shape is considered monolid,” says Renee. On the other hand, “If there is a crease but it covers all or majority of the lid, this is a hooded eye.”
Hooded eyes are a recessive trait and are caused by genetic makeup. Some people are born with naturally hooded eyes. Many younger patients are bothered by how their naturally hooded eyes look, and they want their eyes to look more open.
Eye Shapes
In Hooded eyes, which can be present from birth or develop with age, a fold of skin hides the natural crease in the eyelid. In Deep-set eyes, the eyelid crease is set back so that upper eyelid is hidden in shadow. Round eyes appear more open than usual, due to more curve in the lower part.
If you have a crease that is not visible due to a skin flap, you have hooded eyes. If the iris touches the bottom and top of the eyelid and the crease is visible, the eyes are almond-shaped. If there is a flick upwards of the outer corners of the eyes, you have upturned eyes.
Almond eyes are considered the most ideal eye shape because you can pretty much pull off any eyeshadow look. And believe me, this is a huge plus! Almond eyes have an oval shape with a slightly upturned outer corner.
Close one eye and look at the crease on the eyelid. Then, open your eye and determine if this crease is hidden underneath the upper part of the brow bone. If it is, your eyes are hooded, which is another basic eye shape.
Almond: shaped like the beautiful nuts, they turn up slightly at the outside corners and are the most common eye shape.
The changing elasticity of skin as you age may also contribute to an uneven appearance. Eyelids also tend to droop when you get older. The muscle supporting eyelids can weaken overtime. This causes them to sag, and can make eyes look uneven.
Keep in mind, there's nothing medically wrong with double or single eyelids — both are entirely normal.
Chamomile is naturally anti-inflammatory, so it's great for baggy eyelids and helps strengthen your skin. To reduce puffy and sagging eyelids, apply chamomile tea bags to your eyelids. First, steep two tea bags in hot water. Cool them in your refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.
In patients with a higher BMI, fat deposits may accumulate under the skin of the eyelids, causing the lids to appear to sag, droop, or be puffy. Over time, the effects of gravity and the normal aging process cause fat to pull down on the eyelids in general, but the effect may be pronounced in those that are overweight.
Hooded eyes are often an inherited feature which gets worse with age. With age, the skin on the upper lid loses its elasticity, and becomes baggy. Fat that naturally sits in the rim of the eye socket to cushion the eye starts to bulge forward as the tissue that previously held it in place weakens with age.
Eyelid ptosis refers to the drooping or sagging of the upper eyelid. In some cases, eyelid drooping is harmless and only creates a cosmetic problem in the form of a tired or older-looking appearance. In other cases, however, ptosis can be a sign of something serious.
The quickest effective treatment for hooded eyelids is eyelid tape. Eyelid tape is a transparent adhesive strip that lifts the skin around your eyelid. This gives your eyes a more open and youthful appearance. Eyelid tape not only improves the appearance of hooded lids, it can also improve your vision.
Eyelid drooping isn't usually harmful to your health. However, if your eyelids block your vision, you should avoid driving until the condition has been treated. Your long-term outlook will depend on the cause of the droopy eyelid. Most of the time, the condition is just a cosmetic issue.