Coronavirus has profoundly changed society, culture, commerce, and most importantly, human interaction. Globally we’ve been forced into lockdowns, the phrases “social distancing” and “bubbles”, have become common reference terms because of the current pandemic.

Kiwis have been very fortunate to have enjoyed a lot more freedom than the rest of the world. The Delta variant has been spreading like wildfire and it was only a matter of time that it reached our shores.  The Delta variant is air borne and masks are mandated in public places to reduce potential transmission of this virus. With our lower faces concealed, the spotlight now rests solely on our upper face and eye region.

Our new normal is video conferencing for work and masks when we’re out and about. What people see now, with masks on, is your upper face above the mask line.

We convey a lot of nonverbal information in our faces, and we tend to focus on different areas of the face when we try to interpret what each expression might mean. For example, we look at the eyes to determine if someone is sad or angry, and the mouth to check if someone is happy. Now that our mouths are hidden, our eyes frame the face even more. The shape of our eyes and brow position are now even more important in communicating emotions in non-verbal ways, whether we are sad, angry, worried, or happy.

As a cosmetic doctor for over 17 years, my goal is to help people look and feel more confident through non-invasive measures, such as injectables and laser. Over the years I’ve seen trends come and go, the last 5 years the focus has been mainly on the lips, but now that they are covered up, the focus is changing.  

Being back at work for the last 3 weeks,

I’ve seen an increase in people asking for mid and upper-face injections as they seek to emphasise their ‘above-the-mask’ features, with the focus being on the eyes, brow, and forehead,

When you’re covering half your face, the other half must compensate, so people are opting treatment(s) in the top half of the face. 

Common treatments: 

Forehead Lines & Crow’s Feet

SOLUTION: Botulinum toxin injections 

Frown lines or glabellar lines – deep line or two between the eyes (what I call the eleven’s) can convey anger and may have a strong negative emotional connection. Botulinum Toxin injection may reduce these significantly making you look more relaxed & calmer. 

The lines etched on our forehead from constant movement, too much sun exposure, etc can cause us to prematurely age and look tired. Botulinum toxin relaxes those muscles for a smooth forehead and slight brow lift giving you a refreshed, well-rested appearance. The eyebrow raising trend. 

Crows feet or the lines around the eyes when you smile are what I call happy lines. I personally never like to treat them aggressively.  I think even more so now as our smile is hidden a few smile lines around the eyes can still convey your happiness. I prefer to use low dose Botulinum toxin injections to keep the muscles around the edges of the eyes from contracting strongly but still giving you some expression.  

Treatment around the eyes can open the eyes more. People with larger eyes are perceived as being more innocent and trustworthy.

Problem: Hollows Under the Eyes

Solution: Dermal Fillers

Hollowing under the eyes is due to the ageing process involving skin, fat, and bony changes.  Where the eye sockets are hollow, there may be shadowing that looks like dark circles. It gives the impression that you’re tired and haven’t slept. 

This is an advanced injecting technique as the area is anatomically complex.

Problem: Puffiness

Solution: dermal filler / surgery 

In some cases of mild puffiness, a patient may choose to have dermal fillers to achieve temporary improvement. Injecting the tear trough that separates the lower eyelid from the upper cheek smooth the crease, disguising puffiness. If the puffiness (aka “fat pads”) is extreme enough, a referral for surgery may be needed to remove the fat pads and trims excess skin.

Problem: Hooded eyelid skin 

Solution: Surgery 

Hooded eyelid is a term that is used to describe the appearance seen when a large amount of skin forms a ‘hooded’ appearance over the upper eyelids due to age-related changes in the eyelid and eyebrow. The hooding of the upper eyelids makes the person look old and tired. Surgical correction can make your eyes look more open, refreshed with a less tried appearance.

As a human being, you are designed to carry some emotion in your face – it helps you relate to others and make strong connections with your loved ones.

Now, more than ever, is the time to make certain that our eyes speak a language of self-confidence and compassion.