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What is eyelid surgery?
Cosmetic eyelid surgery, also called blepharoplasty, is a surgical procedure to improve the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. Specifically, eyelid surgery can treat:
- Loose or sagging skin that creates folds or hides the natural contour of the upper eyelid
- Excess skin that hangs down from the upper eyelid, sometimes impairing vision
- Excess fatty deposits or ‘bags’ in the upper and lower eyelids
- Droopiness of the lower eyelids, showing white below the iris
- Excess skin and fine wrinkles of the lower eyelid
These conditions typically appear as part of the natural aging process, or due to heredity. When they are the result of heredity, individuals as young as their 20s and 30s may achieve a marked improvement in the appearance of their eyes through eyelid surgery. Eyelid surgery removes excess skin, eliminates bags and restores firmness to the area surrounding the eye, making you look more rested and alert.
The decision to have eyelid surgery is extremely personal and you’ll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.
Is it right for me?
Eyelid surgery is usually performed on adult men and women who have healthy facial tissue and muscles and have realistic goals for improvement of the upper and/or lower eyelids and surrounding area. You should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to try to fit any sort of ideal image.
Good candidates are:
- Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing
- Non-smokers
- Individuals with a positive outlook and specific goals in mind for blepharoplasty
- Individuals without serious eye conditions
You must tell your doctor if you have any of these medical conditions:
- Eye disease such as glaucoma, dry eye or a detached retina
- Thyroid disorders such as Graves’ disease and under or overactive thyroid
- Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or other circulatory disorders or diabetes
Your Surgery
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. Eyelid surgery can be performed under intravenous sedation, general anesthesia and sometimes with just a local anesthetic. Your
doctor will recommend the best choice for you.
The incision lines for eyelid surgery are designed for scars to be well concealed within the natural structures of the eyelid region.
Droopy conditions of the upper eyelid can be corrected through an incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelid allowing repositioning of fat deposits, tightening of muscles and tissue, and/or removal of excess skin.
Conditions of the lower eyelid may be corrected with an incision just below the lower lash line. Through this incision, excess skin in the lower eyelids is removed.
A transconjunctival incision, one hidden inside the lower eyelid, is an alternate technique to correct lower eyelid conditions and redistribute or remove excess fat.
Eyelid incisions typically are closed with very small sutures that will be removed in 5 to 7 days or will dissolve on their own.
After Your Surgery
The results of eyelid surgery will appear gradually as swelling and bruising subside to reveal a smooth, better-defined eyelid and surrounding region, and an alert and rejuvenated appearance.
Your final results will appear within several weeks, but it may take up to a year for incision lines to fully refine.
While eyelid surgery can be expected to correct certain conditions permanently, you will continue to age naturally. Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your results.
Content courtesy of PlasticSurgery.org
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Eyelid surgery improves the appearance of the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both.
The incision lines for eyelid surgery are designed for scars to be well concealed.
Droopy conditions of the upper eyelid can be corrected through an incision within the natural crease of the upper eyelid.
Conditions of the lower eyelid may be corrected with an incision just below the lower lash line.
The results of eyelid surgery will reveal a smooth, better-defined eyelid and surrounding region, and an alert and rejuvenated appearance.
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