What is the difference between canthoplasty and canthopexy?
For those seeking improvement of the overall face, and more specifically their eyes, don’t neglect the significance of the canthus or canthal angle. The inner and outer canthal angles are the corner of the eyes, and problems with the canthus can lead to a number of aesthetic concerns, like baggy eyelids, drooping eyelids, and eyelid asymmetry. Effective treatment of the canthus can help you to look brighter, younger, and more open to social interactions.
Treatment Options for the Canthal Angle
There are different approaches to correcting problems with the canthus, and the treatment you get should be individualized for your needs. Only a highly skilled surgeon who specializes in oculofacial plastic surgery and has the technical skill and artistic eye should perform this procedure, as the revisions must be made with precise control of the contour’s shape and position.
Canthopexy Basics
The canthopexy is a shortcut procedure in which a supportive suture is used to cinch the lower eyelid, reinforcing the eyelid’s position. There are also more elaborate ways to accomplish this such as with a coronocanthopexy. The aim here is to tighten the outer corner of the eyelid (more technically called the lateral canthal tendon) without actually taking it apart surgically. The problem with these procedures is that they do not provide the posterior vector of support that is needed to correct many lower eyelid issues.
Given the concerns with this procedure, why do some still use this shortcut? The main reason is that many surgeons who do cosmetic eyelid surgery are not fellowship trained in eyelid surgery. They actually lack the training and experience to perform this technical procedure.
Canthoplasty: Definitive Treatment for the Eyelid Corner
The canthoplasty, on the other hand, is the definitive procedure for reforming the outer corner of the eyelids. This procedure is often used as part of other eyelid surgeries and is a better option for tightening the lower eyelid. Here the lateral canthal angle is used as a point of entry to perform other procedures from behind the eyelid so that scarring is not visible, and the angle too is corrected surgically. At this time your doctor can precisely control how tight the eyelid will be as well as where the lateral canthal angle is positioned. A qualified eye plastic surgeon will be able to perform this procedure readily, while a generalist typically doesn’t possess the kind of specialized knowledge needed to create a symmetric, aesthetically pleasing outcome.
Correcting Prior Canthal Surgery
With the proliferation of surgeons attempting canthal surgery without the appropriate training, skill and experience, there is a recent epidemic of unsatisfactory results from these shortcut procedures. The good news is that virtually all of these can be improved with revisonal surgery by an experienced eyelid specialist like Dr. Steinsapir.
Seek Treatment with the Best
If you are seeking canthal surgery or would just like to learn more about whether it may be a good solution for your concerns, we invite you to a no-risk consultation with Dr. Steinsapir, a cosmetic eyelid surgeon in Los Angeles. Dr. Steinsapir is a caring physician who attended medical school at UCLA, trained in ophthalmology at The University of Chicago, then completed a two-year fellowship in orbital surgery at the UCLA’s renowned Jules Stein Eye Institute, where he also completed a one-year fellowship in oculofacial plastic surgery. Following this is also did a cosmetic surgery fellowship in Rancho Mirage. He is now a leader in the field of eyelid surgery, providing minimally invasive solutions with the goal of achieving a balanced, natural result. Please contact us today to learn more.
