FACE

Blepharoplasty, Eyelid Surgery

Face » Facelift » Brow Lift & Forehead Lift » Eyelid Surgery » Neck Lift » Laser/Pixel » Ear Reshaping

"People ask me if I'm tired. My eyes make me look depressed and sad."

The single most important cosmetic feature of the face is the eyes and eyelids.

Aging eyelids produce a tired, worn out and dissipated look that no amount of sleep, cosmetics or creams can remove.

Eyes are a prominent facial feature. It is the surrounding skin, rather than the eyes themselves, that conveys emotion. The tissue, muscle, fat, hair and lashes all contribute to the wide array of expressions. Age, sun exposure and hereditary factors all contribute to wrinkles, deep lines and puffiness around the eyes.

The aging process can cause unwanted changes in expression, causing us to look permanently fatigued and older than we really are. These changes in appearance can cause emotional distress and sometimes even visual impairment.

An eyelid lift, or blephroplasty, is designed to restore a more youthful appearance to your eyes. It may involve the upper lids, the lower lids, or both. It is permanent and a great option for men as well as women.

You may benefit from eyelid surgery if:

  • you have excess upper or lower eyelid skin

  • your upper lid makeup disappears

  • you have permanent puffiness of the lower lids

  • you look sad or tired around the eyes

Procedure

Upper Lids

The upper lids lose their elasticity and sag or descend with age. As the eyelid sags the individual will unconsciously raise their eyebrows by contracting the forehead muscles. This produces multiple transverse forehead lines and an appearance of being cross.

The incision is placed into the upper lid fold and excess skin and fat are removed.

It is important to recognize the contribution that low brow position has on the apparent amount of excess upper eyelid skin.

As the brow descends, it delivers tissue to the upper eyelid region. This is call "hooding". The true amount of actual upper eyelid tissue in excess can only be determined when the brow is raised to its normal position. If the brows are very low then a Browlift may also be recommended..

Lower Lids

The lower lids also become thinner and lose tone with age. Unlike the upper eyelid, lax lower lids fall away from the eye.

The procedure involves an incision along the lash margin (where the eyeliner goes) and obliquely laterally along the crows feet. This allows removal and tightening of the excess lower eyelid skin and also partial removal of displaced fat pads

Caution: Removal of eyelid fat is permanent as it will not regenerate. Removal of too much fat can result in a gaunt, hollowed appearance. Surgical experience is a critical factor in successful eyelids surgery.

Laser resurfacing of the eyelids is a non-surgical alternative that may delay the need for a surgical blephroplasty. It results in significant tightening of the skin around the eyes, but will not effect the fat around the eyes and may even accentuate it.

What to Expect

This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at our surgical center. It is important to arrange for care after the surgery. Someone must drive you home and be available to care for you for the first 24 hours.

The upper eyelid incisions are closed with dissolving sutures placed under the skin. The lower eyelids sutures are removed within a week.

Minimal bruising and swelling can be minimized with adequate blood pressure control, ice and elevation.

Makeup can be used within a week allowing you to carry on your normal acclivities with very little downtime.

"Eyelid surgery is probably the single most effective cosmetic facial procedure," says Dr Weiglein.