If you are tired of looking into the mirror and seeing someone who looks...well...tired, blepharoplasty may be a great option for you.
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can work wonders for rejuvenating and restoring a youthful, alert appearance. The adage, “Your eyes are the windows to your soul” is correct. All day long, we look at people and they look back at us. For those of us who are getting a bit older, the thin skin of our eyelids responds to gravity by bagging, sagging, and making us look older than we feel.
In some cases, eyelid skin loses so much elasticity that the upper eyelids hang over the eyes and interfere with vision. This condition is known as ptosis. In other cases, the eyelids not only hang down, but fatty deposits make them look puffy and unhealthy. Blepharoplasty is most often performed as a cosmetic procedure to make the eyes appear more alert and refreshed. However, when the upper eyelid droops so severely that vision is blocked, the procedure becomes a medical one to remove the interfering tissue.
The lower eyelids can also contribute to baggy-looking eyes with puffiness, extra skin and tiny fat deposits.
The Blepharoplasty Procedure
Blepharoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Tiny incisions in the eyelid’s natural crease are created during upper eyelid surgery to remove excess skin and to grade and sculpt the fat that causes lid puffiness.
For the lower lids, a procedure known as transconjunctival blepharoplasty is used to make a small incision inside the lower eyelid so that the surgeon can sculpt and remove excess orbital fat without removing any skin. Dissolvable sutures are used to close the incisions.
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) reports that blepharoplasty was the third most popular cosmetic surgery in 2007, after liposuction and breast augmentation.
Treating Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Some individuals choosing eyelid surgery, also want treatment for fine lines around the eyes. Blepharoplasty does not treat fine lines, but additional treatments, such as Botox®, can. Botox is an excellent choice for treating crow’s feet, frown lines and horizontal forehead lines.
Individuals who are best suited to eyelid surgery do not smoke, have no chronic illness such as diabetes or HIV, and have no serious eye conditions such as Dry Eye Syndrome. If you are in good health and have realistic expectations for the outcome, you may be an excellent candidate for eyelid surgery.
When blepharoplasty is performed by a highly qualified and experienced eye surgeon , it is very safe. Be completely honest with your eye doctor about your health history and lifestyle prior to your procedure. Also follow your doctor’s orders to the letter during recovery and you will already be on your way to a superior outcome.
