There’s just something about a youthful-looking face that we all love and many of us aspire to have once more. If you’re having trouble putting your finger on it, let us help you out. From birth, our skin is plump and firm, with no wrinkles or sags to be found. As we age, our skin does too and when we lose that youthful plumpness our skin begins to sag. Does that sound familiar to you?
First, you may notice the wrinkles forming around your eyes and mouth, and eventually, your hands and arms will also show signs of aging. One area you might not have considered adding to your aging appearance is your eyelids. It is not uncommon for men and women of a certain age to begin noticing their drooping eyelids which cause them to look older, and in some cases make it more difficult for them to see.
Whether our patients want their eyelids addressed for the practical reason of needing improved peripheral vision, or because they hope to look years younger, we often recommend eyelid surgery. To some, the idea of eyelid surgery sounds odd, but we see time and again the significant benefits patients get from this procedure. If you’re new to the idea of eyelid surgery you’re in luck, below we’ve outlined our complete guide to the procedure.
What Is Eyelid Surgery?
The technical name for eyelid surgery is blepharoplasty, but most people simply call it eyelid surgery. As mentioned, the goal of this procedure is two-fold. Most often, patients undergo eyelid surgery because they’re trying to achieve a younger, more restful look. In addition to drooping skin that comes with age, eyelid surgery can also treat other patient concerns such as dark bags under the eyes, drooping lower lids that expose the whites of the eye, and fatty deposits known as Xanthelasma.
How Does Eyelid Surgery Work?
There are three types of eyelid surgery: upper blepharoplasty, lower blepharoplasty, and double blepharoplasty. Upper and lower blepharoplasty are surgeries with the purpose of improving the appearance of the upper and lower eyelids. The double eyelid surgery, however, has another purpose altogether. This procedure is used to create a horizontal eyelid crease where one never existed before. Often, this procedure is used on patients of Asian descent whose eyelids are naturally monolid.
At the beginning of any eyelid surgery, the patient is given anesthesia to make them comfortable during the procedure. In upper blepharoplasty, an incision is made in the natural crease of the eyelid in order to hide any scarring. From this point, the surgeon can remove fat deposits and loose skin and tighten the existing muscles. Once the procedure is complete, the incisions are closed using either stitches or glue. This procedure is often paired with other treatments like filler or other injectables that add a fuller look to the upper eye area.
The lower blepharoplasty is similar, but the approach differs due to the lack of a natural crease as found in the upper eye. The first of the two most common techniques takes place through an incision made just under the lash line on your lower eyelid. Because of the location of the incision, it will be nearly impossible to see. After this step, the lower eyelid surgery proceeds similarly to the upper eyelid surgery. An alternative version of this surgery requires an incision inside the lower eyelid. This is a more delicate procedure but results in no scarring at all.
How Do I Maintain My Results?
The recovery period for eyelid surgery can vary from two to six weeks depending upon the patient and how extensive the procedure was. As with any surgical procedure, the role of the surgeon ends once the patient leaves his or her office. After that point, it’s very important that patients take good care of their skin and make good choices as it pertains to their own healing.
Your surgeon will give you restrictions for the weeks after your surgery, but there are some key lifestyle choices that will help you maintain your positive results. While we do live in the sunshine state, we urge all of our patients to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, and when you are in the sun be sure to wear sunscreen and sunglasses. Maintaining your hydration and getting adequate sleep are also key factors in keeping your great eyelid surgery results for years to come. Even the best surgeon in the world can’t help you maintain positive results without your commitment to good skin habits.
There are a vast number of reasons that a person would desire to have eyelid surgery. We’ve seen them all, and we’re here and ready to answer your questions. If a lack of information has kept you from scheduling your blepharoplasty we hope this article has been informative and encouraging. Please give us a call when you’re ready to take the next step.
