Dr. Jason Bloom is an award-winning, Ivy-League trained, double board-certified facial plastic & reconstructive surgeon. His extensive experience and reputable training provide the foundation for his excellent technical skills and surgical aesthetic. He is dedicated to the treatment of patients with both cosmetic concerns and reconstructive problems of the head and neck. Dr. Bloom is one of the few surgeons in the country who has gone through such rigorous and prestigious training, including board certification from the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and a fellowship and board certification with the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Haute Beauty Expert Dr. Jason Bloom highlights everything you need to know about Upneeq.
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We have seen so much interest in patients’ eyelids and periorbital areas recently which really stemmed from wearing masks on a daily basis. Patients are paying more attention to their periobital areas because that is now the first thing that people see. Whether it is using neuromodulators to raise the brows, microblading, brow shaping, eyelash extensions or lash lifts, patients are showing much more interest in their eye areas. Our practice has been lucky to be involved in the aesthetic launch of a unique eye drop to help open the eyes more and enhance a patient’s eyes.
Upneeq® is a solution of oxymetazoline hydrochloride (similar medication to Afrin for nasal congestion) and is the only FDA-approved daily eye drop for adults with acquired ptosis or low-lying lids.
Patients often come in complaining of looking tired or sick and have sleepy "bedroom eyes" all the time. Some are constantly asked if they are sick. In more severe cases patients are adjusting their head and neck in order to compensate for the fact that their lids are low, making it hard to see. Heavy eyelids, or ptosis, can be a normal part of aging or from lid trauma, constant contact wearing, computer usage, reading and ongoing straining. This condition has been exacerbated in the younger population as a result of the “Zoom Boom” and chronic phone screen time.
The way this product works is that there 2 different muscles that open up the eyes. One is the levator palpebrae superioris muscle which allows us to open our eyes voluntarily. The other is Muller’s muscle with is sympathetically innervated. That is why when the body is excited and adrenaline is running through the body, the eyes widen and open. That is Muller’s muscle being stimulated in those cases.
The company, RVL Aesthetics, is launching the product for sale in a doctor’s office starting in early 2022. Patients will be able to see practitioners in our office, get evaluated to see if they are good candidates and would benefit from it, and then purchase the eye drops right in our office. In fact, we have already started to sell them as part of the early experience program with the company.
The product is extremely safe and there are almost no contraindications to using the product, but we do recommend checking with a doctor prior to starting it. According to the clinical trials, about 85% of the patients saw improvement in their eyelid position in about 2 hours, but some can even start to see results in as little as 5 minutes. Additionally, the product lasts about 8 hours long with a single drop in each eye, but many patients in the clinical study showed even longer-lasting results.
Finally, I have even tried this product on myself because I tend to have normally low lying or heavy lids and I have been shocked by the improvement. Additionally, not only does it widen the eyes, but it also can make them appear whiter because the medicine is also can constrict the small blood vessels in the eyes. That is a secondary benefit of the drop that I actually saw in myself (shown in the image below).
Photo Credit: Dr. Jason Bloom
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