The eyelids are frequently the first to show signs of aging in one’s face – resulting in a tired, sad appearance. This is apparent because the eyes are the first structure that others notice in your face. The problems confronted in the eyelid region are really two-fold:
First, there may be excess skin in both upper and lower eyelids. This excess skin may be pushed into the field of vision by the weight of the sagging forehead and eyebrows (A brow lift should always be considered when evaluating the upper eyelids). The skin redundancy of aging upper and lower eyelids is distinct from the nice taut supple eyelid skin of youth.
The second problem is the accumulation of fatty tissue which causes “baggy” eyelids. This is frequently present in both the upper and lower eyelids. Initially, the bags are noticeable only on awakening in the morning. As the problem becomes more severe, this puffy look persists throughout the day. This tendency may be inherited and may appear very early in life, even in the teens and 20’s – before the aging process becomes obvious.
A few words about the Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) procedure…
Incisions are made with laser precision in the upper lids in the naturally occurring folds of the eyes. The laser light seals small blood vessels and therefore, bleeding is reduced during surgery. This minimizes bruising and swelling to speed recovery. Small sutures are placed in the crease and are completely undetectable within weeks. This procedure is a minor disability and normal routine can be resumed in a few days. Laser removal of lower lid “bags” requires no outside incisions or stitches. Scars are avoided and a natural shape has been restored to the eyes.
With eyelid surgery, the removal of excess skin and fat pads will give a rested, youthful appearance, but does very little to change the fine lines and the crow’s feet. If the skin is pulled too tightly in an attempt to eliminate these fine lines, the shape of the eye may be distorted. A laser wash is usually recommended to tighten the skin and improve the fine wrinkling.
Blepharoplasty FAQs
Generally speaking, it takes one to two weeks for most of the swelling and any bruising to resolve. This can vary from individual to individual.
Bags under the eyes commonly have a genetic component. This will not improve with age. Once other medical conditions are ruled out, it is certainly possible to have this procedure performed in your 20’s.
You will need someone to help you for at least one or two days post-operatively. If a supportive friend or family member is not available, then home nursing can be arranged through our office.
Twilight sedation is used most commonly. During this type of anesthesia, you will breathe on your own, but you will not remember anything. It is a quick acting type of anesthesia that also wears off quickly. Because you are breathing spontaneously, an endotracheal tube is usually not used. If you choose, Eyelid Surgery can also be done with local anesthesia.
Our Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Agarwal, Dr. Maloney, and Dr. Ross utilize lasers to make eyelid incisions because of the ability to seal off blood vessels as the incision is made. This differs from using a scalpel, where there is more bleeding. As a result of using the laser, bleeding, bruising, and swelling are all minimized. The laser uses an ultra-fine beam to make very precise and controlled incisions. As a result, the newly created eyelid crease is very inconspicuous and natural.
Our facial plastic surgeons use fine, delicate sutures to close all incisions. Some of these are dissolvable. The remaining sutures are removed about 6 or 7 days post-operatively.
Most procedures are performed at our state of the art AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities) certified office surgical center. We maintain an impeccable operating room and suite, with utmost attention to your safety. Some cases may be performed at Doctors Outpatient Surgery Center (DOSC), which is fully certified by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
You will be able to resume walking exercises about 10 days post-operatively. You will be able to start running and weight training after two weeks, and advance from there.
Generally speaking, you can begin putting and chipping 7 days post-operatively. You can resume your full swing at three weeks.
Assuming there is no laser resurfacing performed simultaneously with the Eyelid Surgery, you can submerge your head 3 to 4 days post-operatively.
After Blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery, you will be able to drive your own car about three days post-operatively, provided that you are not still taking narcotic pain medicine.
You can wear glasses immediately after a blepharoplasty. If you only have your upper eyelids done, you can generally insert contact lenses a couple of days post-operatively. If you have a lower eyelid blepharoplasty as well, you may be asked to wait until four or five days post-operatively.
It is normal to have mild blurry vision for the first week after a blepharoplasty. This improves with time.
When to return to work depends on the type of work you do, whether you care if your colleagues know you have had something done, etc. The beauty of eyelid surgery is that it can be concealed with sunglasses. You can be back at work within 2 days after your surgery.
Fortunately, eyelid skin is the thinnest skin in the entire body. As a result, the scars heal exceptionally well. The scars may be slightly red and noticeable upon close inspection for one month post-operatively. Beyond that, they fade and blend in beautifully.
Our nurses at the Aesthetic Surgery Center will provide you with a comprehensive list of medications (both prescription and non-prescription) that are known to increase bleeding and affect wound healing after surgery. These should be stopped about 10 days pre-operatively.
Occasionally, upper eyelid skin excess may impair your vision. Our physicians work closely with several area ophthalmologists, who perform formal visual field testing. If you fail this test, some insurance plans may reimburse for an upper eyelid blepharoplasty procedure. This is highly variable and not consistent.
Related Procedures: Facelift, Rhinoplasty, Revision Rhinoplasty, The UpLift Facelift, Endoscopic Mid Facelift Surgery, Eyebrow Transplant, Chin & Cheek Surgery, Skin Cancer Reconstruction, Hair Transplant Surgery, Surgery of the Ears, Fat Transfer, Lip Augmentation, Endoscopic Eyebrow Lift, Scar Revision, Facial Trauma