Hooded eyes are characterised by a prominent brow bone and a hidden eyelid crease. They’re perfectly normal and just one of the many diverse eye shapes. However, skin ageing can also cause or make hooded eyes appear more prominent. Although there’s nothing wrong with having hooded eyes, for some they can be a source of cosmetic concern or even impact peripheral vision. In this guide, we’ll review the causes of hooded eyes and the best treatments to lift and get rid them if you are that way inclined.
What Causes Hooded Eyes?
The key feature of hooded eyes is that there’s an extra layer of skin that droops over the crease of the eyelid. This makes the lid appear smaller and the eye look more closed. The appearance can be genetic or develop with age as the skin loses elasticity and volume. Hooded eyes are a normal variation of eye shape and in many cultures considered a striking and attractive feature. In fact, a number of celebrities considered classically beautiful have hooded eyes, including Samira Wiley, Blake Lively, Selena Gomez and Emma Stone. That said, sometimes hooded eyes contribute to a tired appearance, pose challenges with makeup application or even impede peripheral vision. In these cases, there are a number of treatments that can help.
Why Do Hooded Eyes Get Worse with Age?
Ageing can either cause hooded eyes or make existing ones more prominent. As we age, several changes happen to the skin and underlying structures around the eyes:
- Skin loses collagen and elastin: These are the proteins responsible for skin firmness and elasticity. As we lose them, the upper eyelid skin becomes thinner, looser and more prone to drooping.
- Fat padding around the eyes diminishes: This causes the skin to lose its support and appear more lax.
- The brow position drops: The forehead skin and brow soft tissues descend over time which pushes the upper eyelid skin further over the eye crease.
- Gravity does its work: The cumulative effect of gravity over decades causes the skin and soft tissues around the eyes to droop downwards.
Together, these changes lead to thin, sagging skin around the eyelids. This causes or worsens the hooded eye appearance.
How to Lift and Get Rid of Hooded Eyes
If hooded eyes are a cosmetic or functional concern, there are a number of non-surgical and surgical treatments that can lift the skin and reduce their appearance. Non-surgical treatments are quick, relatively inexpensive and have little downtime. Surgical options like blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) offer more permanent and dramatic results but are more invasive and carry higher risks. The best treatment for you depends on the cause and extent of the hooding, your face shape and your overall goals. In the rest of this article, we’ll review the most effective treatments including their benefits, limitations and risks.
Best Skincare for Hooded Eyes
Over the counter and prescription skincare plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and elasticity of the skin around the eyes. The main skincare ingredients that can help in the treatment of hooded eyes include:
- Retinoids: This is the most effective topical treatment for hooded eyes. Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives which include over the counter options like retinol and retinal as well as prescription retinoids. They all work by stimulating collagen production which thickens the skin and improves its elasticity. However, prescription retinoids like tretinoin are particularly effective. With consistent use over months, retinoids can subtly tighten the upper eyelid skin and improve the overall appearance of hooded eyes.
- Niacinamide: This supportive ingredient improves skin barrier function and reduces inflammation around the delicate eye area.
- Antioxidants: Agents like vitamin C, ferulic acid, resveratrol and vitamin E protect the skin from oxidative damage which causes collagen to break down over time.
- Peptides: These signal to the skin to produce more collagen and can help with elasticity.
Active skincare can be easily added into your daily routine to improve the quality of the skin and rejuvenate the eye area. However, results are subtle and take time to develop. It’s important to be realistic that skincare alone won’t significantly lift severe hooding. The under-eye and upper eyelid skin is also very thin and delicate, so prescription retinoids should be used cautiously in this area (read our guide to using tretinoin under the eyes for more on this).
Non-Surgical Brow Lift for Hooded Eyes
The next step from skincare are non surgical injectable and in clinic advanced skin treatments. The non-surgical brow lift is one of the most requested treatments for early to moderate hooded eyes. Rather than removing or tightening the eyelid skin directly, it works by lifting the brow position so that the upper eyelid skin sits higher and creates a more open eye appearance. There are three main non-surgical brow lift approaches:
- Botox brow lift: Small doses of Botox are injected into the muscles that pull the brow downward (the orbicularis oculi at the tail of the brow and sometimes the procerus and corrugator). With those muscles relaxed, the frontalis muscle (which lifts the brow) becomes the dominant force and the brow position lifts by 2 to 3mm. This works particularly well for younger people with mild hooding caused by overactive depressor muscles rather than skin laxity. Botox can also subtly reduce muscle pull on the upper eyelid, opening up the eye area slightly. Results usually last 3 to 4 months.
- Dermal filler brow lift: Hyaluronic acid filler is placed along the brow bone, in the temple or in the upper lateral cheek to lift the brow by replacing lost volume in the bone and soft tissue platform that supports it. This works best for people whose hooding is partly caused by volume loss in the upper face rather than purely skin excess. By rebuilding lost volume, fillers can lift the brow indirectly and reduce the hooded appearance. Fillers can also be combined with Botox for an extra lift. Results can last 6 to 24 months depending on the type of filler used.
- Energy-based brow lift: Treatments like Ultherapy and Sofwave are non injectable energy based treatments that can tighten the skin around the brow and forehead through collagen stimulation. These are particularly useful where there is some skin laxity contributing to the hooding. Results develop over 2 to 6 months and last around 12 to 18 months.
The benefits of injectable brow lifts (Botox and dermal fillers) are immediate or near-immediate results, quick procedures and minimal downtime. However, results are temporary and repeat treatments are necessary to maintain effects. There is also a potential for bruising, swelling and asymmetry. Incorrect placement or excessive use can lead to an unnatural appearance or more serious problems like vascular occlusion in the case of fillers. As these are advanced aesthetic treatments, you should only see an experienced and qualified medical practitioner. For more advanced hooding caused by significant skin excess, non-surgical brow lift treatments may produce only modest results and surgical blepharoplasty remains the gold standard. A combination approach (for example a Botox brow lift plus prescription skincare to optimise skin quality) is often more effective than any single treatment used alone.
Advanced Skin Treatments
Professional energy-based and regenerative treatments can tighten the skin around the eyes and improve hooding through collagen stimulation. The most established options include:
- Microneedling: Both traditional and radiofrequency microneedling stimulate collagen production. They’re can help smooth and tighten skin.
- Laser resurfacing: Fractional CO2 and erbium lasers can tighten the eyelid skin and improve fine lines around the eyes.
- Skin boosters and bio-regenerative injectables: Treatments like Profhilo, PDRN and PRP can improve skin quality and elasticity around the eye area through collagen stimulation.
These advanced skin treatments can provide more noticeable results than skincare alone and similar or better outcomes than injectables. However, multiple sessions may be required and it takes weeks or even months for results to develop. The degree of improvement varies and obviously isn’t as pronounced as surgical options. When done correctly, these are generally safe procedures but there are risks. Possible side effects include redness, swelling and in rare cases, burns or scars. Downtime varies depending on the intensity and type of treatment.
Blepharoplasty (Surgical Eyelid Lift)
For more permanent and definitive treatment of hooded eyes, surgery is the gold standard. Surgical blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) involves removing excess skin, fat and sometimes muscle from the upper eyelids to create a tighter and more open eyed appearance. Local anaesthesia is usually all that’s needed, so most people are awake throughout the procedure. The surgeon makes precise incisions along the natural creases of the eyelids to minimise scarring. Through these cuts, they remove excess tissue or reposition it to achieve the desired look. Blepharoplasty offers a long-lasting solution with impressive results. It can also improve vision if the hooding has been interfering with the visual field.
Recovery ranges from a few days to several weeks depending on the extent of the surgery. Initial swelling and bruising may temporarily impact daily activities. As with any surgery, there are risks of complications such as infection, bleeding and adverse reactions to anaesthesia. There’s also a risk of scarring, asymmetry or in rare cases, changes in eyelid function. This is a very advanced procedure and should only be performed by an experienced oculoplastic surgeon or appropriately trained plastic surgeon.
Lifestyle & Prevention
Most hooded eyes are an inherited trait so there’s not much you can do to prevent them. However, skin ageing can cause or worsen hooding. As such, it’s worth reducing the things that accelerate skin ageing including:
- Smoking: This accelerates collagen breakdown and is one of the biggest contributors to premature skin ageing.
- Sun damage: Use a daily SPF 50 sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat where possible. This is because UV damage is the single biggest external cause of skin ageing.
- Eat well and stay hydrated: A diet rich in antioxidants and adequate hydration supports skin quality from the inside.
- Anti-ageing skincare routine: Retinoids, antioxidants and adequate skin barrier support all help maintain skin quality.
- Sleep: Chronic sleep deprivation accelerates visible skin ageing and worsens under eye darkness.
These changes are important for skin and overall health. Even though they won’t reverse existing hooding but they can delay the progression of skin sagging and drooping over time.
While there are many treatments and interventions available to help lift hooded eyes, it’s important to remember that this is a normal and beautiful eye shape. Where ageing has caused or worsened hooding, there may be good reasons to want to reduce it, particularly if it’s affecting your peripheral vision or making you look tired. The best treatment for you depends on the extent and cause of the hooding, your face shape and your overall goals. Ultimately a combination of lifestyle, skincare and if you wish professional treatments can help improve skin quality and reduce laxity.
At City Skin Clinic, we are passionate about personalised skincare. We offer safe and effective custom skincare treatments using ingredients like tretinoin, hydroquinone, niacinamide, tranexamic acid, azelaic acid and arbutin where appropriate through our online skin clinic. Our doctors treat acne, hyperpigmentation, melasma and skin ageing through bespoke compounded treatments designed around your specific skin. To start your personalised skincare plan, book a virtual video consultation or use our online consultation form. The journey towards great skin starts here.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical provider for any medical concerns or questions you might have.
Last updated: May 2026
