FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS BLEPHAROPLASTY?
An eyelid lift, medically known as a Blepharoplasty, is an operation that removes loose folds of skin from the upper eyelids. It is one of the most commonly performed functional and aesthetic facial plastic surgical procedures. It is performed for people who have droopy, overhanging eyelids that impair vision, that cause frequent blinking and eye fatigue. In dealing with contours of the upper and lower eyelid space, the surgery is designed to improve the appearance of that doleful look with excessively loose skin around the eyes, providing a more youthful and gleeful afterlook to the patient.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EYELID SURGERY?
● The non-surgical eyelift
It is a procedure performed in the form of injections with fillers to soften dark circle depressions and perception of under the eyes bags. It is a procedure best suited for patients with mild-to-moderate skin laxity. The variety and amount of filler used will be specified by the doctor on an individual basis. The whole procedure takes under 20 minutes to complete and there is no downtime. It is performed with the application of anesthesia cream and is practically painless. Most patients can resume their normal activities right after their non-surgical eye lift.
● Traditional eyelift
Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) is usually reserved for more severe cases of eyelid sagging and can be performed on your upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. Based on a pre-operative evaluation of factors such as your underlying facial muscle structure, bone structure, and the symmetry of your eyebrows, your surgeon will decide how much skin, muscle, and/or fat to remove or reposition in the procedure. Surgery incisions and following self-dissolving stitches are foreseen. While there usually is little pain involved in this surgery, there can be swelling or bruising. It is an operation performed under anesthesia and requires a few days to recover and resume daily activities.
WHAT ARE THE EYELID SURGERY PROCEDURE STEPS?
After a pre-operative evaluation of each patient’s facial features, the surgeon will set up a custom plan of action and decide how much skin, muscle, or fat to address in the blepharoplasty. Markings will be drawn to identify where excess tissues will be removed in your upper eyelids and lower eyelids. The surgeon will then make incisions to take away the excess tissue using surgical instruments and, sometimes, cutting lasers.
In your upper eyelid, an incision will be hidden within the natural fold of the upper eyelid. In the lower eyelid, the incision will be hidden just below the lower lashes or inside the lower eyelid (transconjunctival incision). Other adjustments can be performed depending on the patient’s surgery plan, such as fat redistribution in the lower lids to eliminate puffiness or bulges. Finally, invisible and self-dissolving sutures or tissue adhesives will close and reconfigure the incision areas around the eyebrows and eyelids. In most cases, there are little or no detectable scars left after the surgical eyelift procedure.
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BLEPHAROPLASTY?
A blepharoplasty can be cosmetic and/or functional. A functional eye lift is indicated for patients whose upper eyelids are hanging low enough to impair visual tasks such as driving. It can also be recommended for patients that show difficulty wearing glasses or contact lenses, irritation from excess folds of eyelid skin rubbing together or even forehead discomfort from overused muscles that strain to lift sagging skin in the eyelid area. Patients that are good candidates for a cosmetic e lift are healthy, preferably non-smokers, and have a tired look with worn-out eyelids and under-eye bags that can express the wrong emotion or an aged appearance. It can be also recommended for patients that have dark circles under the eyes or an upper eye surface too small (or not smooth enough) to apply makeup. The surgery allows patients to appear more alert, cheerful and younger.
HOW PAINFUL IS EYELID SURGERY?
Fortunately, blepharoplasty is not a very painful surgery. It is usually performed under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. After the procedure pain medication can be prescribed but in many cases, discomfort can be handled simply with cold compresses that not only reduce swelling and bruising but also help to nip the eyelid pain in the bud.
HOW IS THE RECOVERY OF BLEPHAROPLASTY?
Commonly known as a “long weekend” recovery, surgical eyelift patients can expect to return to work within four days, but avoid strenuous activity - like resuming an intense exercise routine - for two to three weeks. If post-surgery discretion is desired it is important to note that the suture’s stitches last for about a week and there can be swelling and bruising around the eyes. Patients that work from home usually can be by the computer or phone the day after their blepharoplasty.
In the case of nonsurgical treatment, no recovery is necessary. Patients may experience mild swelling and bruise around the eyes, but these side effects tend to disappear within a few hours.
HOW LONG DOES AN EYE LIFT LAST?
Even though the results of a blepharoplasty can vary between patients, they are generally long-lasting. A patient can expect the effects of upper eyelid surgery to last about 5 to 7 years, while lower eyelid surgery results are essentially permanent. As for a nonsurgical eye lift, the patient may need to have the procedure repeated in one to two years as the natural aging process takes over.