Is Eyelid Surgery Right For You?
My West Canton Monthly & My Woodstock Monthly – March 2013
Have you ever heard that old saying, “Your eyes are the window to your soul,”? But what if your eyes make you look older than you actually are because of the effect the aging process has on your eyelids? They appear tired, wrinkled or puffy, saggy and unappealing. Have friends or family told you that you look tired, or asked if you have had enough sleep? Blepharoplasty, or eyelift surgery, will restore the area around your eyes to a beautiful, more youthful and refreshed appearance.
Eyelid surgery is a very popular cosmetic procedure to remove excess skin, fat or muscle from those droopy and puffy upper and lower eyelids. Blepharoplasty improves baggy skin under the eyes, sinking upper eyelids or drooping eyelids that impair vision. The procedure can correct a medical condition called ptosis (drooping eyelid), which is caused by poor muscle tone or nerve damage. Ptosis causes the eyelid to hang very low and block vision. As we age, excess skin forms in and around the eye area and the skin loses its elasticity. Fatty tissue cannot be removed by losing weight. Even with good skincare and eye care, wrinkles, puffiness and drooping eyelids will catch up with you.
Blepharoplasty is an outpatient procedure that can be done under general anesthesia (completely asleep) or under sedation (partially asleep). For the upper eyelid, an incision is made in the eye crease, trimming out the measured amount of skin and fat. For the lower eyelid, an incision is made just below the lashes to remove excess skin and fat. Sometimes an incision is made on the inside of the lower eyelid (transconjunctiva) to remove the excess fat in that area. The surgeon then divides the fatty tissue and muscle from the skin so the excess skin, fat and muscle can be removed. The procedure takes one to two hours, depending on the amount of work necessary. There is very little pain afterward, but there will be bruising and swelling that should clear within 7 to 10 days. There will be a scar that is visible for about two months, but easily covered with makeup until it fades.
Questions to ask your surgeon:
- Ask about credentials, training and the number of times the procedure has been performed.
- Always make sure your physician is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
- Discuss the type of anesthesia to be used.
- Find out where the surgery will be performed.
- Discuss the extent of the eyelid reshaping and any associated procedures you may be having.
- Ask about recovery time, limitations on your activities and post-op instructions.
- Ask about risks, complications and likely results.
You will love your new look! Friends and family will wonder if you have been on a diet, a vacation, or changed your hairstyle because there will be no visible signs of your surgery. Call our office for a complimentary consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons to consider if eyelift surgery is right for you and “open the window to your soul!”
